“Meu destino eu mesma traço”: uma análise das trajetórias artísticas de Cátia de França e Elba Ramalho (1979-1985)

Abstract

This study aims to understand the socio-historical conditions under which the Paraíba-born artists Cátia de França and Elba Ramalho pursued entry into the Brazilian phonographic market and the construction of success within this cultural sphere. Originating from a similar context in Paraíba, both artists, through migration, sought to assert their desires and dreams of building successful artistic and professional paths. They did so in a phonographic market permeated by racial, gender-based and regional inequalities. Their differences, as well as the ways in which each related to the artistic field, may explain why they achieved such distinct outcomes in their careers, even though thay shared points of intersection highlighted by the research. By focusing on the phonographic market, this study examines the period from 1979, the year of both artists’ recording debuts, to 1985, aiming to understand the disputes they faced in order to remain in the industry and build success and stability in an environment marked by competition and inequality. Thus, though the comparison of hemerographic and discographic sources, the trajectories og Cátia de França e Elba Ramalho will be reconstructed, from their births in Paraíba to their entry into the phonographic market in Rio de Janeiro. The theoretical framework of this research draws on key authors in the fields of Social History and Popular Music, as well as theorists from Cutural Studies, Feminist Studies and ethnic-racial relations.