Caetano Veloso Boosts Viral Restaurant Singer Dona Lila After 'Força Estranha' Clip

Overview

• A 57-year-old owner-cook known as Dona Lila was filmed singing Caetano Veloso’s 1978 song “Força Estranha” during a work break at her own eatery, and the clip went viral.
• Veloso watched the video, said he was moved, praised her vocals, and urged followers to “make Dona Lila famous.”
• Her Instagram following jumped from a few dozen to about 23,000 by Monday afternoon and climbed to nearly 50,000 by late night, according to later reports.
• Public figures including Carlinhos Brown, Zélia Duncan, Patrícia Pillar, Linn da Quebrada, Flor Gil, Luciano Huck, Xanddy and Luiz Caldas posted supportive comments.
• Recorded by a customer’s friend during a brief pause from serving, the performance reflects her habit of singing at Aconchego da Lila, the Pernambuco restaurant she has run since 2012; she later said the attention left her “disoriented.”