Two years after the show, Mendes moved to Los Angeles and never left the U.S.
Here are the songs that highlight key moments in his life.
Mendes chose to initiate the album with Mas Que Nada.
A&M STUDIOS Photo of Sergio MENDES, posed, studio, behind pianoJim McCrary/Redferns
The lyrics were in Portuguese, but not even another language posed an obstacle to reaching the top charts.
Thats exactly what Mendes delivers in this song.
His rendition of Moanin' exemplifies this approach with style.
The win was largely thanks to the single Magalenha, a percussion-heavy samba-reggae track from Bahias own Carlinhos Brown.
As Mendes recalled in an interview, Brown reached out to him with a phone call at 2:30 p.m.
I made a song for you, he said.
It resonates with Brazilian audiences but bursts with green and yellow energy on the international stage.
The 2006 album features a roster of stars from both the U.S. and Brazil.
