Since she was a child, Consuelo de Paula used to participate in folkloric parties in her region like the Congada and the Folia de Reis. In 1982, she was appointed the "revelation singer" of the Brazilian Popular Music Festival of the southwest of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In Ouro Preto (Minas Gerais), she participated in the choir of the Federal University, and also in the Bloco do Caixão. Having studied singing, guitar, and percussion, she produced and directed her debut CD Samba, Seresta e Baião (1998, reissued in 2000), exploring musically the folklore universe. Based in São Paulo, she performs in the SESC and other cultural centers. ~ Alvaro Neder