Simone Mendes Rocha Diniz (born 24 May 1984) mononymously known as Simone (Brazilian Portuguese: [siˈmõ.ni]) or Simone Mendes, is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, actress and instrumentalist. She is widely known and recognized in her home-country of Brazil as one of the duo, Simone & Simaria, known as As Coleguinhas.[1] The duo was one of Brazil's most successful sertanejo and forro groups from 2012 to 2022, until both Simone and Simaria Mendes's pursued their solo careers.[2]

Simone Mendes
Mendes in 2018
Mendes in 2018
Background information
Birth nameSimone Mendes Rocha
Also known asSimone
Born (1984-05-24) 24 May 1984 (age 39)
Uibaí, Bahia, Brazil
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • instrumentalist
  • actress
Years active1998–present
Spouse(s)
Wendel Felício de Albuquerque
(m. 2010; div. 2010)
Kaka Diniz
(m. 2013)
Musical career
GenresSertanejo
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
LabelsAtração Fonográfica (2004)
Social Music (2012–14)
Universal (2015–present)

Following a highly controversial breakup, Mendes shared her side of the story, revealing that her sister had engaged in a series of arguments, expressing her desire to end her singing career.[3] One of the arguments reportedly occurred after an interview between Simone and a columnist. The group went through a division of items and belongings before officially parting ways on 18 August 2022.[4]

In 2013, Mendes married Kaka Diniz, a Brazilian pilot, investor, and influencer,[5] with whom she has two children, Zaya and Henry Diniz.[6] Prior to this, she was married Wendel Felicio de Albuquerque, a Brazilian investor, in 2010, but the couple divorced the same year.[7]

Simone, together with her sister and Brazilian singer-songwriter Anitta, released "Loka," which became the most watched Brazilian video.[8]

Biography edit

Early life edit

Simone, born Simone Mendes Rocha was born on May 24, 1984, in Uibaí. Her parents are Mara Mendes (born March 10, 1961) [9] and Antonio Filgueira Rocha (born 1950 - June 11, 1994).[10][11] She experienced poverty as a child and faced the death of her father in June 1994 due to a heart attack during a bath.[12][13] Before her father's passing, Mendes and Rocha also welcomed Caio Mendes. Simone's brother.[14]

On October 31, 2021, while celebrating Halloween (Portuguese: Dia das Bruxas) with her family, Mendes shared one of her teenage ideas on YouTube mentioning that she could have made a lot of money by suing North American immigration agents, but she was too young to understand how it worked:

"Na verdade, naquela época se eu tivesse processado aquele povo (agentes de imigração norte americanos) eu acho que eu tinha ganhado muito dinheiro. Mas eu nem sei como funcionava. Eu era muito novinha" - Simone[15]

In May 2023, she also revealed that she had been victim to emotional and physical aggression by her own mother throughout her childhood, stating, "Me feriu" (meaning "it hurt me").[16]

1998–2022: Beginnings and career with Simaria edit

Simone began her career at the age of 14, in 1998. Following in her sister's footsteps, she joined singer Frank Aguiar's backing vocals, where she continued with him for the next seven years. In 2007, along with her sister Simaria, she joined Binha Cardoso in the band Forró do Muído, gaining significant recognition in the Northeast of Brazil, especially in the states of Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte.[17] In 2012, the sisters left the band and pursued their musical career independently as a duo, Simone & Simaria, under the Social Music label.[18]

The duo's first album was initially released for download on the artists' website. Throughout their career, they achieved chart success in Brazil. "Como Mel É Bom" reached the 14th position on the Billboard Brasil Hot 100, while the later-release song "126 Hangers" topped the national chart.[19] Their National breakthrough came with the release of their second DVD, Bar das Coleguinhas (2015), recorded in Fortaleza, on November 12, 2014, featuring Wesley Safadão, Tânia Mara and Gabriel Diniz.[20] In 2016, they recorded their third DVD in the city of Goiânia,[21] with guests appearances of Bruno & Marrone and Jorge & Mateus. This project consolidated their success of the previous year after they became popular with the song "Meu Violão e o Nosso Cachorro".

Over the course of their career, Simone & Simaria achieved significant prominence in the music scene, emerging as key players in the wave of female artists within the sertanejo segment.[22] In 2016, they were featured in singer Felipe Araújo's first DVD, "Ao Vivo em Goiânia," performing the track “Me Chama Outra Vez”. In July 2017, they were confirmed as new judges for the talent show "The Voice Kids" on TV Globo.[23] Ending the year on a high note, the duo secured the top position in the Connectmix ranking with the song "Loka", a collaboration with Anitta.[24] The hit gathered 773,242 plays during the year, making it the most played song on radio stations across Brazil. In 2020, Simone and Simaria's single "Deus de Promessas", released in 2018 in collaboration with religious singer Davi Sacer,[25] achieved triple platinum certification by Pro-Música Brasil.[26]

On August 18, 2022, Simone and Simaria announced the end of their duo after a successful ten-year journey.[27] Throughout 2022 they faced public disagreements and had already revealed their intention to take a break.[28] Mendes later disclosed a significant disagreement between them, primarily concerning their carriers, which eventually led to the conclusion of Simone and Simaria as a musical duo.[29]

Personal life edit

Simone is married to airline pilot and businessman Kaká Diniz, with whom she has two children: Henry, born on August 3, 2014, and Zaya, born on February 22, 2021.[30] Simone met Kaká through her aunt, a jewellery saleswoman, and soon began a relationship. They married on March 8, 2013.[31]

References edit

  1. ^ "Simone & Simaria – saiba onde o último show da dupla". 93 Notícias (in Brazilian Portuguese). 1 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Simone Mendes conta tudo sobre separação de dupla". L'Officiel Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  3. ^ https://www.facebook.com/liviacout (16 January 2023). "Motivo da separação de Simone e Simaria é revelado: "Me perdoe"". PaiPee (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 June 2023. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help); External link in |last= (help)
  4. ^ Brito, Aline (18 August 2022). "Dupla Simone e Simaria anuncia separação; irmãs seguirão carreira solo". Diversão e Arte (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Personalidades - Kaká Diniz". Revista CARAS (in Brazilian Portuguese). 5 January 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  6. ^ Ferreira, Kelly (2 January 2023). "Simone posa com o marido e os filhos: "como cresceram"". Bebê Mamãe (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Ex-marido de Simone está preso por suspeita de fraude" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  8. ^ "CERTIFICADOS". Pro-Música Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  9. ^ Dias, Surenã (14 May 2023). "Mãe de Simone e Simaria emocionou ao revelar trauma do passado; relembre". Revista CARAS (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Simone e Simaria: infância difícil, início na música, brigas e o fim". ISTOÉ Independente (in Brazilian Portuguese). 19 August 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Simone e Simaria procuram corpo do pai que morreu há mais de 20 anos". correiodoestado.com.br. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  12. ^ Redação, Da (3 November 2016). "Simone e Simaria lembram infância difícil e busca pelo corpo do pai". Jornal CORREIO | Notícias e opiniões que a Bahia quer saber. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Luto marca vida de Simone e Simaria: perda irreparável gera trauma às irmãs". www.purepeople.com.br (in Breton). 13 March 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  14. ^ Digital, CARAS (13 July 2022). "Simone e Simaria fazem homenagens para o irmão, Caio Mendes". Revista CARAS (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  15. ^ Bueri, Lorena. "https://lorena.r7.com/post/Simone-Mendes-conta-seus-medos-na-infancia-e-adolescencia". lorena.r7.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 June 2023. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  16. ^ Motta, Gabriel (5 May 2023). "Simone Mendes revela se perdoou a mãe ao relembrar agressões que sofreu: "Me feriu"". Contigo! (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  17. ^ EGO, Patrícia Teixeira do; Rio, no. "Conheça a dupla Simone e Simaria, as 'Coleguinhas' hit no Nordeste". Ego. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  18. ^ "Simone e Simaria deixam a infância pobre no passado, negociam um jatinho e festejam compra de ônibus com quartos separados". Extra Online. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Simone & Simaria desbancam hits do sertanejo ao estrear nova música no topo do ranking da Billboard Brasil – Som do Fole". 27 October 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  20. ^ Às 21:27, Alisson • 9 De Dezembro De 2014 (13 November 2014). "Simone e Simaria gravam DVD "Bar das Coleguinhas"". FM 93. Retrieved 21 May 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ GO, Do G1 (25 April 2016). "Para 'consolidar sucesso', Simone e Simaria gravam novo DVD em Goiânia". Goiás. Retrieved 21 May 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Nova onda de mulheres invade o sertanejo e alcança as paradas". O Globo. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  23. ^ "Simone e Simaria são as novas técnicas do 'The Voice Kids'". Gshow. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  24. ^ "Ranking Connectmix". Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  25. ^ "Deus de Promessas (Ao Vivo) - Single de Davi Sacer & Simone". iTunes. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  26. ^ "Davi Sacer". Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  27. ^ "Simone e Simaria terminam dupla e vão seguir em carreira solo". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  28. ^ "Simone e Simaria: De briga em programa de TV a anúncio do final da dupla; relembre a crise". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 18 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  29. ^ "Trendy Artists of the Week: André Rieu, Metallica, Dan Balan, Simone Mendes, Tom Odell". Concerty.com.
  30. ^ "Nasce Zaya, filha da cantora Simone com o cearense Kaká Diniz; parto aconteceu nos Estados Unidos". Diário do Nordeste. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  31. ^ "Simone celebra 8 anos de casamento com Kaká Diniz: "Uma vida pela frente"". Quem. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.

External links edit