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"Ive's voice is as smooth as coffee liqueur and glides effortlessly over a Brazilian backdrop - Pure Heaven". What's On London Magazine (UK)
"Mendes, a striking Brazilian discovery in both audio and visual terms, made new friends with her contribution to the Brighton-based Mr. Bongo label's Brazilian Beats Vol. 3 album, released back in March. Her self-titled and almost entirely self-written debut set is produced by distinguished English helmsman Robin Millar, best known for helping to create the sonic sophistication of Sade. It's a similarly upmarket story here, on a collection of songs that whisper softly and sweetly of such olive-tinted, late-night sultriness. As Mendes says herself, the Nu-Brazil style that she represents is about far more that just The Girl From Ipanema, even if the music does exude that certain Gilberto-esque duskiness. She was born in Ceres to a farming family with Spanish, French, Portuguese and Brazilian heritage, and brings a cosmopolitan timbre to unmistakably measured Brazilian grooves. Mostly she sings in Portuguese, but converts seductively to English on Night Night (especially when she murmurs alluringly 'you are the sexiest man I ever saw') and on a winning cover of Chicago's If You Leave Me Now. Irresistible first to last". HMV Choice magazine (UK)
"Dubbed the Brazilian Sade, Ive Mendes has already made a mark for herself in her home country, Spain and Asia. Her debut album features a collection of love songs in both English and Portuguese. The combination of her sultry personality and an incredible talent for writing and singing will surely win her plenty of fans over here too". Hello Magazine (UK)
"This statuesque Brazilian diva is already big news in most parts of the world, and her debut, produced by Robin Millar, the chap behind Sade, is her attempt to crack Britain. This is summery, sultry and sensual stuff. Perfect, dare we say, for the bedroom stereo". **** OK Magazine (UK)
"More summer Brazilian sounds, this time care of the sweetly soulful voice of Ive Mendes. Accompanied by a tender mix of bossanova beats, slinky acoustic guitar and airy percussion. Ive is being described as the 'Brazilian Sade', this is aided by the fact that she has Sade and Everything But The Girl producer Robin Millar embracing her gentle, seductive cooing with his breezy production sound. The fact the songs are a beautiful bilingual blend of English and Portuguese, only adds to her appeal. The cover will leave you feeling hot (and sticky) and the music paints romantic pictures of peaceful and serene summer nights. The songs sung in Portuguese have a more sexually alluring quality; in particular 'Nao Vou Fugir' is a waft of classic Brasilia that wouldn't be out of place on Bebel Gilberto's 'Tan to Tempo' album. The label describe this as Nu-Brazil but to me ' belo". Funk & Breaks Magazine (UK)
"Ive Mendes, a spectacular artist capable of mixing tradition, Soul and Pop. This is an album that you will be passionate about". Elle Magazine (SPAIN)
“A Sensual Pop Jazz Diva”. MMTA (Asia)
Her Story
Ive Mendes was born in Ceres, Brazil to a farming family of Spanish, French, Portuguese and Brazilian Indigenous. She grew up singing in Church on Sundays and learning piano. Later she studied music at the University in the capital Goiania and then on to teaching creative arts and music in schools.
After seven years of teaching, Ive decided to give it up to and return to her father's farm, it was then she began to nurture her musical ambitions. After playing various Café Teatro's in the Capital Goainia and around her local towns.
Ive gained quite a following, a majority being part of the local Gay Community. Following a romance with a man from her hometown, Ive wrote her first song Casticais along with another five songs over a span of just three days! Casticais was featured on the CD release from the first Pop Festival in the Capital and the press hailed her as a singing revelation. Ive's talent and popularity was spotted by a producer from Rio and she went on to record material in both Rio and Sao Paulo. Her first break came when one of her songs fell into the hands of a producer from Brazil's major soap opera 'Corpo Dourado', who used it as the theme to the show. The song 'Hanime' went on to be released as a single through BMG.
On a mountain in Rio with a friend one day, Ive had a premonition that she would meet Sade's producer (Robin Millar), after she heard one of Sade's songs and her own played back to back on the radio. Following the passing away of her Father and eventually inspired by thoughts of London and an international future she came to live here in 1999, falling in love with the cosmopolitan outlook of the city. She was invited to compose with some English producers in Primrose Hill, London and this is when she decided to stay here. She started working in a clothes shop in Camden Town, where a singer gave her Robin Millar's number. Ive rang him and left a message on his answer machine. Robin was so entranced by her voice that he immediately called her back and the pair soon hit it off. This was when she faced a tough decision, as this had happened in the same week her mother passed away and soon after, her younger brother. She felt she should return to live in Brazil but came back to London only because of her chance of a future career. Ive's star of destiny had shone again.
With help of award winning producer Robin Millar and her first record label, Mr Bongo, she produced her first album. Aside from the Chicago classic 'If You Leave Me Now', Ive wrote all the songs on her self-titled debut album. Album producer Robin Millar, with his productions of Sade, Everything But the Girl and Fine Young Cannibals has achieved sales of over 50 million to date.
Now, despite her success in many countries, Ive has chosen to stay living in the U.K. Unfortunately, she has just suffered yet another great loss, her other brother passed away in Brazil recently and since then found her sanctuary living in the English countryside before moving back to Camden Town.
