Leny de Andrade Lima, professionally known as Leny Andrade, was born on January 25, 1943, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was a celebrated Brazilian singer renowned for her vocal improvisational skills and was widely regarded as "Brazil's one true jazz singer." Her career spanned over six decades, during which she became known as the first lady of Brazilian jazz. Andrade's style was a synthesis of samba and jazz, and she was known for her thick, husky mezzo-soprano voice, seasoned by years of performing in nightclubs.

Her musical journey began with classical piano studies at the Brazilian Conservatory of Music, but she shifted her focus to bossa nova and jazz, inspired by the wordless jazz vocalizing known as scat. She began singing in clubs as a teenager, notably at Beco das Garrafas in Copacabana, a cradle of bossa nova. Her debut album, "A Sensação," was released in 1961, and she continued to release acclaimed works such as "A Arte Maior de Leny Andrade" and "Estamos Aí."

Andrade collaborated with numerous artists, including Paquito D'Rivera, Luiz Eça, and Pery Ribeiro, with whom she formed the bossa group Gemini V. Her international career included living in Mexico and performing in the United States and Europe, where she built a substantial fan base. In 2007, she shared a Latin Grammy Award with Cesar Camargo Mariano for Best MPB Album, "Ao Vivo."

Leny Andrade passed away on July 24, 2023, in Rio de Janeiro, due to Lewy body dementia. She was 80 years old. Her legacy as a pioneering figure in Brazilian jazz and her influence on the genre remain significant.