Aline Morales is a Brazilian-born singer, songwriter, percussionist, and educator based in Toronto. Hailing from Belo Horizonte, she trained in capoeira and later performed with Recife’s renowned maracatu group, Nação Estrela Brilhante do Recife, under Mestre Walter de França. Since immigrating to Canada in 2003, Aline has become a prominent figure in Toronto’s Brazilian and world music scenes—co-leading the city’s first maracatu ensemble (Maracatu Nunca Antes), founding the 30-member percussion troupe Baque de Bamba, and earning a Juno nomination for her 2011 debut album Flores, Tambores e Amores, which topped Canada’s Folk/World radio charts.
A passionate educator, she has taught Afro-Brazilian percussion widely across schools and communities. Most recently, she co-founded and directs Trovão de Scarborough, a maracatu group formed two years ago as part of the SoundLife Scarborough community initiative—where she continues to lead weekly sessions and foster cultural exchange through rhythm and song.
