Sérgio Mendes (1941–2024) was a renowned Brazilian musician celebrated for blending bossa nova with funk. Rising to fame in the 1960s with his band Brasil '66, he released 35 albums and achieved international success, especially in the United States. Mendes collaborated with many artists, including the Black Eyed Peas, and reimagined his classic hit "Mas que nada" in 2006. He was nominated for an Oscar in 2012 for co-writing "Real in Rio" from the animated film Rio. His wife, Gracinha Leporace, performed with him from the early 1970s.