Aline Morales

Toronto, Canada
World- Brazilian
Aline Morales’ days of being Toronto’s best kept secret are over. Since her arrival to Canada in 2003, Brazilian-born Morales has become well known locally as a dynamic singer, percussionist and bandleader. However, it was her debut solo album that brought national attention to this unique artist.

Released in 2011, “Flores, Tambores e Amores” has met with widespread critical acclaim and reached #1 on Canada’s Folk/World charts. It has appeared on several Best of 2011 lists and has earned a Juno nomination for Best Album. David Dacks writes in The Grid, “Simply put, Aline Morales’ self-released Flores, Tambores e Amores may be the finest Brazilian album ever produced in Canada.” An ambitious and eclectic record, Flores is rooted in classic Brazilian song styles such as samba, forró, Northeastern folk music and 1960’s Tropicalia. Yet, it inhabits its own unique musical world where traces of Italian film scores, African sounds, avant garde poetry and vintage synths ebb and flow.

Flores represents a departure for Aline, whose previous projects have centred around traditional Brazilian drumming. Born and raised in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Aline began her performing career as a child trained in capoeira. By the time she reached her 20′s, she had performed in a variety of traditional and modern bands including one of Brazil’s most well-known maracatu groups, Nacao Estrela Brilhante do Recife led by Mestre Walter de Franca. Since her arrival to Toronto, she has been a tireless promoter of the traditional maracatu rhythms of Northeastern Brazil. Her 30-member percussion troupe, Baque de Bamba, has played at countless outdoor festivals, led parades through Toronto’s Kensington Market and starred in Ontario Tourism’s “There’s No Place Like This” commercials.