The performer is widely regarded as one of the major artists behind bossa nova, whose name came from Portuguese slang for "new style," and with which he combined Brazilian samba with pop and jazz, according to The New York Times. The outlet points to his chill, jazzy sound as a major shift in the country's sound from the bigger bolero-style vocals that dominated their popular music since the '30s, beginning with "Chega de Saudade" in 1958.