The songs of Brazilian singer-songwriter CéU include influences from samba, valsa, soul and hip-hop. She cites Billie Holiday and Lauryn Hill among her influences. 　　 　　CéU's father taught her classical music when she was young and by 15 she had decided to pursue a career in music, studying music theory and guitar. During a stay in New York she met fellow Brazilian musician Antonio Pinto (composer of the music for the film City of God) who introduced her to producer Beto Villares who would help her with a debut album. 　　 　　CéU released her self-titled debut album in 2005. The album, featuring covers and original songs, earned her a 2006 Latin Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. In 2007 CéU's new record label Six Degrees re-released the album in conjunction with Starbucks who sold the album through its coffee shops.