Rio de Janeiro, Jan 19 (EFE).- Singer Loalwa Braz, who enjoyed success as a member of the group Kaoma, was found dead Thursday inside a burned-out car, Brazilian media said.
The car was abandoned not far from the 63-year-old Braz’s home in Saquarema, some 100 kilometer (60 miles) from Rio de Janeiro.
Two men were spotted inside the singer’s residence around the time of the incident, O Globo newspaper said, citing police sources.
Kaoma had a major international hit in 1989 with “Lambada,” a dance version of an authorized Portuguese-language rendering of “Llorando se fue,” by Bolivia’s Los Kjarkas.
Because Kaoma did not get permission for their version, they lost in court when Los Kjarkas sued the Franco-Brazilian group for copyright infringement.
Kaoma’s 1990 album “Worldbeat” helped establish lambada as a musical genre and the band sold nearly 30 million discs.
After decades living in Europe, Braz returned to Brazil and had a singing gig at a club near her home.