Marilia Mendonca, one of Brazil’s most prominent singers, was murdered in a plane crash while on her way to a concert.
According to her press office, the 26-year-old Latin Grammy winner died along with her producer, her uncle, who also acted as her consultant, and both the captain and co-pilot of the plane.
Mendonca had shared a snapshot with her 38 million Instagram followers of herself walking towards the plane, holding a guitar case.
The plane took off from Mendonca’s birthplace of Goiania and crashed just before landing in Caratinga on Friday afternoon, where she was due to perform later that day.
Photos and videos show the plane’s wreckage near a waterfall. Read- Natalia Garibotto, the model who received a ‘like’ from Pope Francis, who is she?
Mendonca sang sertanejo, or Brazilian country music, and was noted for songs that tackled feminist themes and championed female empowerment.
Following the news of her passing, fans, politicians, other musicians, and football players have all sent their condolences.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro expressed his condolences on the death of “one of the greatest artists of her time.”
“The entire country is in disbelief,” he tweeted.
“Marilia Mendonca leaves a legacy of regional Brazilian music and culture. She will not be forgotten, I assure you “Brazil’s government made the announcement through its culture department.
An investigation has been initiated into the tragedy, however Cemig, the state-owned power utility, claims her jet struck with an energy distribution line operated by the corporation before crashing.
Mendonca’s album Em Todos os Cantos received the 2019 Latin Grammy for best sertanejo album.
A live stream of her concert in Brazil during the COVID-19 lockdown received 3.3 million people, a YouTube world record at the time.
Her kid, who will be two years old next month, is her only surviving child.