Anitta (born Larissa de Macedo Machado; March 30, 1993) is a Brazilian recording artist, songwriter, and dancer. The stage name "Anitta" was inspired by the Rede Globo miniseries Presença de Anita. She thought the character Anita was "amazing" because she could "be sexy without being vulgar–a girl and woman at the same time." At 17, she won the award for "Breakout in Funk". Anitta began her career singing in the choir of the Church of Santa Luzia in the Honorio Gurgel neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro at age 8.