Golden Girl

With fans in the millions and streams even higher, mega-star Anitta is queen of the Internet, but behind the numbers she’s just a hardworking girl from Rio.

- Shama Nasinde

Brazilian singer Anitta is more than a popstar. In her home country, she’s surpassed the ranks of chart toppers to join the echelon of icons and has similarly captured hearts in the rest of Latin America – dizzying heights for a 26-year-old. Her latest album Kisses has just been nominated for a Latin Grammy: a milestone that seems almost inevitable when you look at the stats behind Anitta’s influence on the music market. She has over 40 million loyal followers on Instagram and has amassed over 3.5 billion views and counting on YouTube.

After perfecting her English and taking up Spanish, Anitta has collaborated with the likes of Major Lazer and Pop icon Madonna. She even landed her own Netflix docuseries called Vai Anitta, which followed her busy life and highlighted the business acumen behind the lights and cameras. Four albums after her chart debut, Anitta is warm and personable when she speaks – the lingering essence of the small girl from Rio who dreamed big. “I like to have my family around me,” she says. “When you reach my power and fame, you don’t have people around you to remind you who you really are.”