Biography
Olívia Hime (born June 25, 1943 in Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, lyricist, producer, and label executive closely associated with the post-bossa nova wave of Música Popular Brasileira (MPB).[2][5][6] Early in her career she sang in a vocal group with Miúcha and Telma Costa, placing her within the same Rio artistic circles that nurtured many major MPB figures.[5] She later married pianist and composer Francis Hime, becoming not only a key interpreter of his songs but also an important creative partner, producer, and promoter of Brazilian music through performance and record production.[4][6] In 1977 she co-produced Francis Hime’s album "Passaredo," helping shape its sound and demonstrating her studio acumen before releasing her own debut LP, "Olívia Hime," in 1981.[1][4][6]
From the mid‑1980s onward, Hime deepened her ties to Brazilian literature and poetry, building a distinctive repertoire that often set verse by celebrated poets to music.[1][6] Critics note that her work favors refined arrangements, clear diction, and an intimate vocal delivery aligned with the MPB tradition rather than pop trends.[6] Beyond her work as a performer, she became co‑owner and musical director of the influential independent label Biscoito Fino, through which she has helped document and disseminate both classic and contemporary Brazilian artists, including multiple albums by Francis Hime and other MPB heavyweights.[2][4] This dual role as artist and curator has given her a quiet but lasting legacy: she is regarded as a guardian of Brazilian songcraft and a bridge between generations of Rio’s musical and literary communities.[2][4][6]
Fun Facts
- Before becoming known as a solo artist, Olívia Hime sang in a vocal group with Miúcha and Telma Costa, placing three future pillars of MPB in the same early ensemble.[5]
- She co‑produced Francis Hime’s 1977 album "Passaredo" several years before releasing her own debut LP, demonstrating her production skills in the studio before stepping forward as a solo recording artist.[1][4][6]
- Alongside performing, Hime became co‑owner and musical manager of the influential Brazilian label Biscoito Fino, through which she has helped preserve and promote classic MPB catalogs and new recordings by major artists.[2][4]
- Her mid‑1980s recordings marked the start of a sustained collaboration with Brazilian poets, making literary songwriting and poetry‑based lyrics a hallmark of her catalog.[1][6]
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Miúcha - Early-career colleague and senior figure in MPB; Hime sang with Miúcha and Telma Costa in a vocal group at the start of her career, absorbing the interpretive style and repertoire of Rio’s bossa/MPB milieu. (Early vocal-group performances (pre-record-debut, live and radio contexts rather than titled albums).) [1960s–early 1970s (early career phase, before her 1981 debut LP)]
- Francis Hime - Husband and principal compositional partner; as an established pianist-composer of the post-bossa generation, he shaped her musical language and provided much of the repertoire she interpreted and produced. (Production of his album "Passaredo" (1977); ongoing interpretation of his songbook; multiple duo albums such as "Almamusica" (2011), "Almamusica: Ao Vivo" (2012), and "Sem Mais Adeus" (2017).) [Mid‑1970s onward]
Key Collaborators
- Francis Hime - Most important long-term collaborator; she produced his work, sang on his records, and later recorded joint projects while also releasing many of his albums on their label Biscoito Fino. (Co‑producer of "Passaredo" (Som Livre, 1977); guest vocals on various Francis Hime albums; duo albums "Almamusica" (2011), "Almamusica: Ao Vivo" (2012), and "Sem Mais Adeus" (2017), all on Biscoito Fino.[1][4]) [1970s–2010s]
- Various Biscoito Fino artists (e.g., Maria Bethânia, João Bosco, Chico Buarque, Paulinho da Viola, Djavan, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso) - As musical director and co‑owner of Biscoito Fino, Hime has worked closely with a wide roster of major MPB artists whose albums have been released or reissued by the label, curating projects and helping to shape their presentation. (Participation in projects like Francis Hime’s all‑star "Álbum Musical" songbook (1997) and multiple later Biscoito Fino releases by these artists.[2][4]) [Late 1990s–2010s]
- Poets and lyricists associated with her 1980s projects - Her association with poets beginning in 1985 led to recordings that set contemporary Brazilian poetry to music, creating ongoing collaborations between literary and musical communities. (1985 recordings that initiated her poet-focused repertoire (exact album titles vary in sources but are consistently described as poet-based projects).[1][6]) [Mid‑1980s onward]
Artists Influenced
- Younger MPB and choro artists on the Biscoito Fino roster - Through her role at Biscoito Fino, Hime has provided a platform and aesthetic model—favoring high‑quality acoustic production and repertoire rooted in classic Brazilian song—that has shaped the careers and sound of newer Brazilian artists. (Label releases under Biscoito Fino across the 2000s and 2010s, including collaborative projects like "Sinfonia de Rio de Janeiro de São Sebastião" (2002), on which she appears alongside a younger generation of performers.[2][4]) [2000s–2010s]
Connection Network
Discography
Top Tracks
- Translucent night (Translucent night)
- Boy Blowing Bubbles (Boy Blowing Bubbles)
- Interbeing (Interbeing)
- Jouska (Jouska)
- Seek out the seed (Seek out the seed)
- The silence is ours (The silence is ours)
- Wandering around (Wandering around)
- Petal skin (Blooming desert)
- Aerial roots (Blooming desert)
- Forgotten dreams in a cave (Forgotten dreams in a cave)
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
Olivia Hime has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 6, 2025 | 14:43 | Atraente | Tudo Bem (Brazilian)w/ Dean Ellis |