Going Solo
In late 1972, Rita left Os Mutantes and started a solo career. She was initially part of a female duo with singer Lúcia Turnbull called Cilibrinas do Éden, and after a short time the duo gave birth to the band Rita Lee & Tutti Frutti. This eventually became Lee's backing band. In 1975, she recorded the album Fruto Proibido with the band. The album was praised by critics, sold more than 200,000 copies - a record to Brazilian rock & roll singers at the time - and Rita was given the title "Queen of Rock". In 2007, the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone magazine ranked this album as the 16º best Brazilian album of all time in its "100 Best List". The producer was Andy Mills, producer of Alice Cooper and then Rita's boyfriend.
In the late 1970s, Lee started a partnership with her husband, Roberto de Carvalho, and many subsequent albums were credited to the duo Lee/Carvalho. In the late 70s, Lee was mentioned in the Caetano Veloso song Sampa.
In 1976, pregnant for the first time, she was arrested for having marijuana and condemned to one year of domiciliary imprisonment, when she composed with Paulo Coelho (who is now a best-selling esoteric writer) the single "Arrombou a Festa," which sold 200,000 copies. She continued to perform, under special judge permits. Soon after, she recorded the single "Doce de Pimenta" with singer Elis Regina, and recorded and toured with Gilberto Gil in the show/album "Refestança".
In 1978 she released Babilônia her 4th and late album with the band Tutti Frutti. Facing trouble with her tutti frutti band mates, Lee started recording with her husband, guitarist Roberto de Carvalho. The couple wrote big hits like "Mania de Você" (79), "Lança Perfume" (80), "Saúde" (81), "Flagra" (82) and "On The Rocks" (83), which presented a new side of Rita Lee as a composer who alternates ballads and pop songs.
Read more about this topic: Rita Lee
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