Born in Rio de Janeiro into a family of musicians, Catia Werneck grew up surrounded by music. Her father, an avid jazz enthusiast, introduced her to the genre, while she began studying piano at the age of ten before turning to Brazilian percussion. At 21, she left Brazil for a three-month tour in France — a journey that would change the course of her life. Choosing to settle in Paris, she soon joined the group Boto Novos Tempos and quickly became a fixture on the French jazz festival circuit.
Catia has collaborated with some of the most celebrated names in music, including Touré Kunda, Patrick Bruel, and Chico Buarque, and contributed as both vocalist and songwriter to numerous film soundtracks. In 1997, she released her debut album Estrêla do Sultão, a milestone that led to her selection by Peter Basler (Joe Zawinul’s agent) to represent Brazil at major international festivals.
Since then, Catia’s discography has expanded steadily, with acclaimed albums such as Saudades de Paris (2000, Japan), La Vie en Rose (2004), Naturalmente (2006), Catia Canta Jobim (2007 – a tribute to Bossa Nova recorded in Brazil), Obrigado Brasil (2009), Primavera (2010, with Vincent Bidal), The Best of Catia (2011), and Bossa Catia (2012, EMI Japan). She relaunched her career in France in 2014 with Tudo Bem, while continuing to perform regularly in Brazil.
In 2017, Catia released Jongando, a bold new project that explores fresh musical horizons and pays tribute to Jongo, the traditional Afro-Brazilian rhythm often considered the “grandmother” of samba.
Today, Catia Werneck stands out as a unique voice bridging Brazilian roots, jazz sophistication, and global music culture.
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