Ceu

Talented young Brazilian musician Ceu (pronounced "cell with a light L") is the next artist to be featured in the innovative Starbucks Hear Music Debut CD series, as announced today by Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX) and Six Degrees Records. Ceu is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose music is rooted in samba, the infectious rhythmic style made famous in Brazil, which she blends with hip-hop, jazz and soul to create an intoxicating and distinctive sound. Her U.S. debut album Ceu is a co-release by Starbucks Hear Music and Six Degrees Records and will be released simultaneously at traditional retail and Starbucks Company-operated locations in the U.S. beginning April 3, 2007. Ceu is the first international artist featured in the Starbucks Hear Music Debut series.

"Her music crosses boundaries – Ceu is an incredibly electrifying performer with universal appeal," said Ken Lombard, president of Starbucks Entertainment. "We are tireless in the pursuit of world-class emerging artists to introduce to our customers through the Starbucks Hear Music Debut series, and we seek out artists from all genres and musical styles. We are proud to present Ceu as the first international artist in the Debut series."

Ceu is the fourth album offering in the Starbucks Hear Music Debut series. This debut album joins breakthrough works from musical artists Antigone Rising, Sonya Kitchell and Low Stars, all of which debuted through the Starbucks Entertainment program. Starbucks is committed to showcasing dynamic, up-and-coming artists that deserve a wide audience.

"We are very excited that an acknowledged tastemaker such as Starbucks has chosen to expose the international sounds of Ceu to their wide reaching audience," said Bob Duskis, president and label co-founder of Six Degrees Records. "Starbucks has an impressive track record for breaking new artists like Ceu and has an influential effect on expanding consumers musical taste."

Nominated for a Latin GRAMMY in 2006 for "Best New Artist," Ceu is a rising star. Her full name is Maria do Ceu Whitaker Pocas, but she goes by the simple moniker Ceu. It is a name that when translated into English means "sky" or "heaven." Born into a musical family in Sao Paulo, she was immersed in the music of Brazil's great classical composers at an early age. A skilled player on the violao (a nylon-stringed Brazilian guitar), at 15 she was performing onstage with major artists. After a stint living in New York City, where she was influenced by the sounds of hip-hop and jazz and inspired by the work of singers Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Lauren Hill and Erykah Badu, Ceu returned to Brazil and teamed up with celebrated producer Beto Villares and recorded her first album. That collaboration resulted in an album that is surprisingly mature and fully realized – filled with an intoxicating mix of samba, reggae, dub, electronica, love, heartbreak, chaos and sweet tunefulness. The song "Malemolencia" has already found fame on the soundtrack to the Brazilian TV show based on the acclaimed movie "City of God."

Ceu has been garnering impressive reviews from around the world. Liberation in France calls her "the new voice of Brazil." Journal de Montreal in Canada calls her "an excellent new artist to rise rapidly." In Brazil, she has been praised as "the future of Brazilian music" by Jornal do Brasil, and "a revelation bringing originality to the crowded terrain of young Brazilian singers" by O Globo.

The Starbucks Hear Music Debut CD series has created a new paradigm for marketing, distributing and launching careers on a national level for emerging talent. Starbucks Entertainment is able to leverage its unique set of assets, including a footprint of more than 6,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada and strong customer loyalty, to effectively introduce its customers to emerging artists.

Timed to coincide with the release of the album on April 3, 2007, Starbucks marketing support will include in-store signage, point-of-purchase displays and in-store music play. Starbucks also will utilize its relationship with XM Satellite Radio to offer special Ceu programming Starbucks Hear Music Channel 75 on XM Satellite Radio.