Sergio Mendes Nominated for an Oscar

Sergio Mendes

Oscar nomination for his song “Real In Rio,” in the animated film RIO

One of the most internationally successful Brazilian artists of all time, Sergio Mendes has recorded more than 35 albums, several of which went gold or platinum, and is a three-time GRAMMY Award winner. From the mid 1960s to the late 70s, Mendes established his legendary status by taking numerous albums and singles to the top of the charts, including “The Look of Love,” “Mas Que Nada” and “Brasil 66,” which marked the first time that a song sung entirely in Portuguese reached the top five on the Billboard magazine pop chart in the US.

Mendes’ innovation and versatility has enabled him to collaborate with a wide a range of artists ranging from Frank Sinatra (with whom he did two tours in ’67 and ’80) and Fred Astaire in the 60s and 70s to recent recordings with Justin Timberlake and will.i.am. He has also played twice at the White House, in 1971 and 1982.

In 1992, Mendes was awarded his first GRAMMY in the category of Best World Music for his album Brasileiro, and since then Mendes has gone on to be honored with two Latin GRAMMY Awards for Best Brazilian Record, Timeless (2006) and Bom Tempo (2010), which is also nominated for a GRAMMY Award this year (the ceremony will be held on February 13, 2011).

As a producer, composer, keyboardist and vocalist, Mendes’ influence on the music industry has spanned five decades and continues to evolve through new collaborations and mediums.