Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes has died, Fox News Digital has learned.
Mendes died peacefully Sept. 5 in Los Angeles with his wife, Gracinha Leporace Mendes, and his children by his side, a representative for the singer confirmed.
“For the last several months, his health had been challenged by the effects of long term COVID,” a statement from the family said.
The family is still processing the loss of Mendes and plans to release funeral and memorial details at a later time.
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Sergio Mendes died Sept. 5, Fox News Digital confirmed. (Sergio Mendes team)
Mendes won the 1992 Grammy Award for best world music album for “Brasileiro” and two Latin Grammy Awards. He also received an Oscar nomination in 2012 for best original song for “Real in Rio” from the animated film “Rio.”
Mendes composed the soundtrack for the film “Pelé,” featuring saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, and produced an album recorded by the legendary Brazilian soccer player.
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Sergio Mendes began his career with Brasil ’66. (Sergio Mendes Team)
The International musician’s song “Mas que Nada” helped popularize bossa nova, a Brazilian music genre, worldwide in the 1960s.
The Black Eyed Peas later released a version of the song, which topped the charts in the U.S.
The song appeared on Mendes’ “Timeless” album and featured Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake and the Black Eyed Peas. The song was produced by will.i.am.
Mendes was also mentioned in an episode of “Seinfeld” when Kramer, portrayed by Michael Richards, decides to make money selling used records. He takes a stack of vinyl to Bleeker Bob’s Records, where the guy offers $5 for the set.
“Sergio Mendes has a cult following,” Kramer said in the episode, defending the Brazilian musician. “He can’t walk down the street in South America.”
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Sergio Mendes performs at the Festival of Arts Pageant of The Masters’ A Night Of Magic fundraising gala Aug. 26, 2023. (Getty Images)
Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold-out crowds in Paris, London and Barcelona, according to his family.
The musician began his career as part of the band Brasil ’66.
“It was completely different from anything and definitely completely different from rock ’n’ roll,” Leila Cobo, a Latin music scholar, said in the 2020 HBO documentary “Sergio Mendes in the Key of Joy,” according to The New York Times. “But that speaks to how certain Sergio was of that sound. He didn’t try to imitate what was going on.”
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Fox News Digital’s Larry Fink and The Associated Press contributed to this report.