The Girl from Ipanema: the woman who inspired the hit

Pianist Paul Barton had an unusual 50th birthday wish: to play classical music for retired elephants at a sanctuary in Thailand, where he lives. His wife managed to arrange it for him and soon Paul's one-off birthday wish became a long-term project and a passion. More than a decade on, Paul is still playing for the elephants and getting to know them better. This interview was first broadcast in 2024.

In the early 1960s, a young woman would stroll past a bar in Ipanema, southern Rio de Janeiro, nearly every day. Her walk was said to make everyone swoon and she was soon noticed by the regulars at the bar, including the composer Tom Jobim and poet Vinicius de Moraes. Unbeknown to her, de Moraes immortalised her in the lyrics which he wrote for the Girl from Ipanema. A few years later, when an American recording of the song became a global hit, many women claimed to be the inspiration behind it. But there was only one true girl from Ipanema: Helo Pinheiro.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Voice over: Julia Braun
Producers: Laura Thomas, Marcia Veiga, Radek Boschetty

Get in touch: [email protected] or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Helo Pinheiro in the 1960s and later years. In the middle photo, Helo, in a black shirt, smiles at the camera. In the photo on the left Helo, in white bikini, walks to a swimming pool. In the photo on the right Helo sits on a window ledge, playing a guitar. Credit: Acervo Pessoal Heloisa Pinheiro)