A much-loved singer and actress has died aged 50.
Preta Gil passed away yesterday (20 Jul) due to complications from bowel cancer.
She had been undergoing experimental treatment for the illness, which she had been battling since January 2023.
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Gil received initial treatment in her native Brazil, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery to remove tumours in August 2024.
After the cancer returned in other parts of her body, she relocated to the US for further experimental therapies.
She had been staying in New York, US – where she died – and was travelling regularly to a specialist facility in Washington DC.
Gil was born in Rio de Janeiro, as reported by Need To Know.
Her father is legendary singer-songwriter and former Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil.
She left behind a career in production and advertising at the age of 29 to pursue music full time.
Her debut album and first TV appearance both came in 2003.
Seven years later, she founded one of Rio Carnival’s biggest street parties.
By 2017, “Bloco da Preta” was drawing over 500,000 revellers to the city centre.
She once described it as her “true passion”.
In 2017, she released her sixth and final album. And in 2021, during a difficult period, she recorded a song with her son Fran.
She said: “If it weren’t for Fran, I might have lost my voice for real. I’m a performer – I don’t play instruments.
“He kept encouraging me not to spiral completely.”
Gil, who had 12.4 million Instagram followers, was also a successful businesswoman, co-founding a talent agency representing artists and influencers.
She was widely known for her advocacy on behalf of the LGBT community.
She is survived by a granddaughter.
