Anitta was born Larissa de Macedo Machado on March 30, 1993, in the Honório Gurgel neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. The area was far from glamorous. Her family lived in modest conditions, and money was tight. Her father worked as a car stereo installer, and her mother was a seamstress. But even then, young Larissa stood out. She loved to sing, dance, and perform — not just for fun, but with the kind of intensity that hinted she had big dreams.
She started singing in church at age eight, and by eleven, she was taking English classes funded by her mom’s boss. Those English lessons would become crucial later in her international career. Her stage name, Anitta, was inspired by a character in a Brazilian TV series called Presença de Anita.
Anitta began posting videos of herself singing on YouTube in 2010. These caught the attention of producer Batutinha, who introduced her to the funk carioca scene. She signed with the independent label Furacão 2000, where she sharpened her skills and built a small but loyal fanbase.
Anitta’s “Show das Poderosas” was released in 2013 and turned her into a national phenomenon. The lyrics were addictive and the choreography unforgettable. The video quickly went viral, pulling in millions of views. Almost overnight, Anitta was no longer just a rising singer. She became a pop culture powerhouse.
That same year, her self-titled debut album made it clear she was here to stay. She started appearing regularly on Brazilian TV, collecting awards, and performing to packed crowds across the country. In a matter of months, she went from internet buzz to full-blown pop star.
What separated Anitta from other rising stars was how quickly she understood that image, branding, and business mattered as much as music. She studied global artists like Beyoncé and Madonna — not just for their music, but for how they managed their careers. That inspiration became clear in 2015, when she released the album “Bang”.
Bang marked her evolution from Brazilian pop girl to fully formed pop star. The title track became a massive hit. Its music video, full of graphic design and comic-book energy, helped solidify her as a visual artist as much as a musical one.
Anitta’s ambition to go international wasn’t just talk. She built it step by step. In 2017, she launched Project CheckMate, a series of monthly single releases in different languages — Portuguese, Spanish, and English — featuring global collaborations. Each release had a distinct visual style and sound.
Vai Malandra, the finale of CheckMate, was a cultural earthquake in Brazil. It celebrated funk from the favelas without apology — with visuals shot in Vidigal, and styling that embraced Afro-Brazilian beauty. The video broke YouTube records in Brazil and made it to the global charts. Anitta had arrived internationally, and on her own terms.
By 2018, Anitta wasn’t just known for her music. She had become a brand. That same year, she released a Netflix docuseries, “Vai Anitta,” which gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at her life. It revealed something deeper: the gap between her public persona and private self.
Later, in “Anitta: Made in Honório,” she opened up even more, sharing that she was sexually abused at fifteen and created her stage persona as a way to reclaim power. The real Larissa was vulnerable, thoughtful, and strategic. Anitta, by contrast, was fearless and unapologetic. That duality helped people understand her work and respect her even more.
She launched her own management company, Rodamoinho Records, and began managing her own career. In 2020, she signed with Warner Records in the U.S. and released “Me Gusta” with Cardi B and Myke Towers, further pushing her into the American market.
In 2022, she released her trilingual album “Versions of Me,” which included songs in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Its hit single “Envolver” became a viral sensation, thanks in part to TikTok. The “Envolver Challenge” took over social media, and Anitta became the first Brazilian solo artist to top Spotify’s Global chart.
She also became a board member at Nubank, one of Brazil’s biggest fintech companies. A rare move for a pop artist, and a clear signal that her influence extended beyond music.
Anitta’s success is the result of talent, but also strategy, adaptability, and cultural authenticity. She embraced funk when others looked down on it. Didn’t hide her bisexuality, even when it risked her marketability. She switched between English, Portuguese, and Spanish without losing her identity. In every phase, she’s made clear that she’ll play the game, but always in her way.
Today, Anitta stands as one of the few Brazilian artists to achieve global recognition without abandoning where she came from. From the favelas of Rio to the stages of Coachella, she has never stopped climbing.
Anitta’s rise shows how talent and hard work can change everything. Starting from humble roots, she stayed true to herself while reaching for bigger goals. Her journey is far from over, and whatever comes next, she’s ready for it. Her rise wasn’t just about breaking into new markets. It was about breaking rules and rewriting what success could look like for a Brazilian woman in pop.
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