Lizzie Bravo – who became the only Brazilian singer to record with The Beatles in 1968 – has died of heart problems at the age of 70.
Elizabeth Villas Boas Bravo, from the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, was a huge Beatles fan as a teenager and even took her stage name after hearing John Lennon singing Larry Williams’ ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy’ on the band’s ‘Help!’ album in 1965.
At the tender age of 17, she became the only Brazilian woman to record with the Fab Four when she provided backup vocals on the dreamy ‘Across the Universe’ track that first appeared on the 1969 charity compilation album ‘No One’s Gonna Change Our World’.
A different version of the classic song appeared on the band’s last released album ‘Let it Be’ in 1970.
‘Across the Universe’ has also been covered by many artists, including David Bowie on his 1975 album ‘Young Americans’, and also served as the title of the 2007 music film about The Beatles, directed by Julie Taymor and starring Jim Sturgess.
Lizzie Bravo arrived in London in February 1967 and spent over a year in the UK capital working as an au pair and regularly standing outside Abbey Road Studios to catch a glimpse of her heroes – until the fateful day on 4th February 1968 when she got to record with them.
Lizzie was outside Abbey Road Studios with dozens of other Beatles aficionados on a freezing cold February day when Paul McCartney suddenly appeared and asked if any of them could hold a high note.
The Brazilian teen demonstrated that she could and, together with an English friend, she provided backup vocals to the now-classic song.
Lizzie Bravo and Gayleen Pease are credited as backing vocalists on the famous recording, and she detailed her experience in her book ‘From Rio to Abbey Road’ (2015).
She went on to enjoy a long music career in her home country and recorded with artists such as Alceu Valenca, Caetano Veloso, Egberto Gismonti, Elba Ramalho, Ivan Lins, Joyce Moreno, Roberto Carlos, and many others.
On 4th October, the singer and photographer passed away at her home aged 70 of heart problems.
Lizzie’s death was confirmed by her daughter, Marya Bravo, on social media.
