Emilinha Borba - The first Madrinha to represent the School
1988 was the first year that London School of Samba appointed a Madrinha. Emilinha Borba (1988-1989) was the first Madrinha to represent the School.
Emilhna Borba was a famous Brazilian singer, who was Madrinha of the LSS 1988-1989.
Alan Hayman told me it was Guglinor dos Santos (Mestre Sala 1986-1989) who introduced her to the school. He was a very close friend of hers and he proposed that the LSS bring her over to London for Carnival. She appeared on stage to sing with the LSS at the Carnival Ball in Hammersmith on 20th February 1988, and at a pre-Carnival gig at the Africa Centre on 20th August 1988.
Her final appearance with the school was at the 1988 Notting Hill Carnival to sing the samba de Enredo.
Borba was also “inextricably linked to Mangueira”, the samba school from the impoverished borough in northern Rio de Janeiro where she was born.
In 1939, the legendary samba performer Carmen Miranda introduced her to Joaquim Rolas, who signed Borba up to sing in his beachside club. That year she released her first record, João de Barro and Alberto Ribeiro’s Carnival March Pirulito (Lollypop).
Subsequently, she recorded sambas and marchas and in 1944 began working for Rádio Nacional, where she would spend 27 years. She was described in her obituary as “the queen of Brazilian radio’s golden era”.
In 2002 Borba recorded with other icons of Brazilian popular music, including Chico Buarque and Ney Matogrosso.
Mestre Mags, 2005
