Karina Zeviani, singer with Thievery Corporation and Nouvelle Vague, dies
Brazilian singer and songwriter Karina Zeviani has died. Zeviani passed away on 1 October in a hospital in São José do Rio Preto, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, where she had been undergoing treatment for cancer. Throughout her career, Zeviani built an international following through her work with acts including Thievery Corporation and Nouvelle Vague, before reaching a wider audience in Brazil through her participation in The Voice Brasil.
Karina Stefania Zeviani was born on 3 September 1975 in Jaboticabal, in São Paulo state. Her musical career took her to Europe at an early stage and later to the United States. In New York, she became involved in the international alternative music scene, where she came into contact with musicians including Mauro Refosco and David Byrne.
Her warm, Brazilian-influenced voice proved a natural fit for the combination of bossa nova, dub, electronic music and downtempo sounds associated with Thievery Corporation. Zeviani began working with the American duo in the mid-2000s, becoming part of a musical world in which Brazilian music and electronic production came together naturally.
One of her notable contributions to Thievery Corporation’s work appeared on the 2014 album “Saudade”. Zeviani provided vocals on “Meu Nego” and “Nos Dois”. The album was heavily influenced by bossa nova and Brazilian music, making her voice a natural part of its musical palette.
Alongside her work with Thievery Corporation, Zeviani was also associated with French group Nouvelle Vague, the project known for its distinctive combination of bossa nova, chanson and reworked interpretations of songs from the post-punk and new-wave repertoire. Her international career therefore developed at the intersection of Brazilian music, electronic music, jazz, lounge and alternative pop.
Zeviani also developed her own repertoire as a solo artist. In 2012, she released the album “Amor Inventado”, further establishing her musical identity outside her international collaborations. She later worked with Micael Amarante in the project Flor de Sal.
In Brazil, Zeviani attracted renewed attention in 2020 when she appeared in the ninth season of The Voice Brasil. She chose “Sonhos” for her blind audition and joined Carlinhos Brown’s team. The programme introduced a new generation of Brazilian music fans to a singer who had already enjoyed an international career spanning many years.
Zeviani remained musically active in her later years. In 2024, she performed with Nouvelle Vague in Rio de Janeiro. At the same time, her personal battle with cancer increasingly affected her life. She had been diagnosed approximately two years earlier and had undergone several treatments. In September, she spoke publicly about her health and the progress of her treatment.
Zeviani eventually died while undergoing treatment. She was 51.
