Sensing a hit, they returned to France, formed the group —featuring lead singer Loalwa Braz —and recorded their version without permission from the original Bolivian songwriters. They even registered the song under a pseudonym, Chico de Oliveira , to claim the royalties. Global Fever and the "Forbidden Dance"
: It featured two young children, Chico and Roberta , dancing on a beach, which became one of the most iconic music video images of the late '80s.
The story of Kaoma's is one of the most wild and controversial tales in pop history—a journey from a slow, melancholic Andean folk song to a global dance craze known as the "Forbidden Dance". The Genesis: A Stolen Soul Lambada (Original Radio Edit) - Kaoma
: It was famously marketed as the "Forbidden Dance" because of its close, suggestive body contact, which was controversial enough to be banned in some schools and TV shows.
While the song remains a summer staple, its legacy is tinged with tragedy. In 2017, Kaoma's lead vocalist, , was found dead in a burned-out car in Brazil, a victim of a horrific robbery-murder near her inn. Sensing a hit, they returned to France, formed
: As the song topped charts worldwide, Los Kjarkas realized their melody had been taken. They successfully sued the producers, eventually winning 50% of the song's revenue and securing proper credit for the Hermosa brothers. A Tragic Ending
The transformation began in 1988 when two French producers, and Jean Karakos , visited Porto Seguro, Brazil. They heard a fast-paced, Portuguese-translated cover of the song by Brazilian artist Márcia Ferreira and saw the sensuous Lambada dance that accompanied it. The story of Kaoma's is one of the
Released in July 1989, "Lambada" became an overnight sensation.