Marília Dias Mendonça (Brazilian Portuguese: [maˈɾiljɐ mẽˈdõsɐ]; 22 July 1995 – 5 November 2021) was a Brazilian singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. Recognised as one of the greatest voices in sertanejo music, her contribution to female empowerment revolutionised the sertanejo music scene between the 2010s and 2020s.
In 2015, she released her self-titled debut EP, but Mendonça only rose to prominence after releasing her first self-titled DVD in 2016, which earned triple-platinum certification for sales of 240,000 copies. The song “Infiel”, included on the album, became one of the most-played songs in Brazil and received a triple-diamond certification, bringing Marília national recognition.
Her second album, Realidade, was released in 2017 and received a Latin Grammy nomination in the Best Sertanejo Music Album category. In 2019, she released Todos os Cantos, a scripted project featuring concerts recorded by the singer in every state capital in Brazil. The album received triple-platinum certification for sales of 240,000 copies and earned the performer her first Latin Grammy Award, which she won in the Best Sertanejo Music Album category.
The single “Leão”, from the posthumous album Decretos Reais, received a six-times-diamond certification, equivalent to 360 million streams. Mendonça died on 5 November 2021 in a fatal plane crash in Piedade de Caratinga, Minas Gerais, a town neighbouring Caratinga, where she was due to perform a concert.
Marília Dias Mendonça was born on 22 July 1995 at the Municipal Hospital of Cristianópolis, in the interior of the state of Goiás. The delivery was marked by severe medical complications resulting from pre-eclampsia suffered by her mother, Ruth Dias, which placed both mother and daughter at high risk of death during the caesarean section. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to the state capital, Goiânia, where the future singer was raised and spent her entire childhood and adolescence.
Marília’s childhood was marked by severe socioeconomic vulnerability. Her mother had experienced significant hardship, having been raised in an orphanage and boarding school from the age of four to fifteen. To support Marília and, later, her younger son, João Gustavo (born in 2001), Ruth worked in a snack bar and at a local bakery. During periods of greater financial hardship, the family’s daily food depended on bread provided by the owner of the establishment where Ruth worked.
Marília’s parents, Mário Mendonça and Ruth Dias, separated while the singer was still a child. Years later, in 2011, when Marília was 16, her father died of cancer after undergoing treatment at Hospital Araújo Jorge in Goiânia.
Her contact with the arts began at an early age: at seven, she wrote a poem for her mother, showing the first signs of her aptitude for writing. Religion played a central role in her musical development, with her first performances taking place during services at the Evangelical Assembly of God Church. Noticing his granddaughter’s interest, her paternal grandfather gave her her first guitar and paid for her initial lessons. However, after only two formal lessons, Marília began developing her musical skills as a self-taught musician. At the age of 12, she began composing her own songs, including the track “Minha Herança”, which was later recorded and released by the sertanejo duo João Neto & Frederico.
Mendonça started her career as a singer in January 2014, with her first eponymous EP. In June 2015, the song "Impasse" was released, Mendonça's first single which featured the duo Henrique & Juliano. In March 2016, Mendonça released her first live album called Marília Mendonça: Ao Vivo featuring singles such as "Sentimento Louco" and "Infiel" with the participation of Henrique & Juliano. Infiel became the fifth most played song on Brazilian radio that year, and Mendonça began to gain national recognition. In October, a live acoustic EP entitled Agora É Que São Elas was released with previous successful tracks and had its only single with the song "Eu Sei de Cor".
2017–2018: Realidade and Agora É Que São Elas
In January 2017, Mendonça released another eponymous EP with four new tracks. In March, her second album was released entitled Realidade, which had singles such as "Amante Não Tem Lar" and "De Quem É A Culpa" again featuring the duo Henrique & Juliano. In November, she released the single "Transplante" in partnership with duo Bruno & Marrone. In July, Mendonça won the post of the most listened to Brazilian artist on YouTube, ranking 13th in the world ranking.
In April 2018, she released the album entitled Agora É Que São Elas 2, in collaboration with the duo Maiara & Maraisa. The album features the songs "Ausência" and "Estranho", in addition to "A Culpa é Dele".
2019–2021: Patroas e Todos os Cantos
In February 2019, the first part of Mendonça's third live album, entitled Todos os Cantos, was released; singles in this album included the songs "Ciumeira", "Bem Pior Que Eu", "Todo Mundo Vai Sofrer" and "Supera". In March, Spotify announced that Mendonça was number one in the TOP 10 of the most listened to women in Brazil of the streaming service. In May, the second part of the album Todos os Cantos was released. The third and final part of the live album was released in August. In 2019, Todos os Cantos won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Sertaneja Music Album. In 2019, the streaming service GloboPlay released a 4-episode documentary about the album's preparation and tour.
In January 2020, Mendonça released the single "Graveto". In February, she released another single "Tentativas". In May, her third single of the year "Vira Homem" was released. In September, she released the album titled Patroas, in partnership with the duo Maiara & Maraisa. The album features unreleased compositions by the singers and re-recordings of their greatest hits. Their songs included "Quero Você do Jeito Que Quiser", "10 de Setembro" and "Coração Bandido". In 2021, it was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Sertaneja Music Album. On 22 August 2021, singer Luísa Sonza released a remix of the song "Best Sozinha" featuring Mendonça.
In October 2021, Mendonça released a studio album titled Patroas 35%, another collaboration between Mendonça and the duo Maiara & Maraisa. The album features the songs "Todo Mundo Menos Você", "Esqueça-Me Se For Capaz" and "Motel Afrodite".
In March 2015, Mendonça dated businessman Yugnir Ângelo, with whom she became engaged in December 2016. She ended the relationship in August 2017, stating she was too young for such a commitment. After maintaining casual relationships, in May 2019 she revealed she had been in a serious relationship for five months with fellow singer and songwriter Murilo Huff. The couple got engaged and moved in together. In June the same year, she confirmed that she was pregnant, giving birth to her son Léo, born eight weeks premature, on 16 December 2019, in Goiânia. In July 2025, Murilo Huff, father of Leo (Marília Mendonça's son), filed for sole custody of his son. He seeks sole custody of Leo, who currently lives with his maternal grandmother, Dona Ruth, in shared custody since the singer's death in 2021. The case is being processed under court secrecy, and both Murilo and Dona Ruth request respect and discretion regarding the child's image and privacy.
Murilo Huff, through his law firm, stated that his desire is to fully exercise his role as a father, raising his son with greater closeness, but that this does not mean separating him from his maternal family, according to journalist Leo Dias. He also emphasized that he requested sole custody due to recent "discoveries" that have shaken him, but cannot reveal further details due to court secrecy.