▁ 1 5 , ▁where ▁she ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁ma id ▁at ▁the ▁house ▁of ▁singer ▁Francisco ▁Al ves . ▁She ▁started ▁her ▁musical ▁career ▁encourag ed ▁by ▁Al ves , ▁inv iting ▁her ▁to ▁sing ▁at ▁parties ▁and ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁radio ▁cont ests . ▁ ▁Car men ▁won ▁the ▁amateur ▁singing ▁radio ▁contest ▁presented ▁by ▁A ry ▁Bar ro so . ▁She ▁became ▁a ▁professional ▁singer , ▁present ing ▁herself ▁in ▁a ▁du o ▁with ▁composer ▁Hen ric ão . ▁ ▁Her ▁first ▁hit ▁was ▁Est á ▁Che g ando ▁a ▁H ora , ▁a ▁version ▁of ▁ ▁Mexican ▁song ▁C iel ito ▁L indo , ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁Costa ▁married ▁the ▁American ▁national ▁Hans ▁Van ▁K oe h ler ▁and ▁moved ▁with ▁him ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁She ▁spent ▁a ▁season ▁in ▁ ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁and , ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁ ▁sang ▁at ▁the ▁B ossa ▁Nova ▁at ▁Car neg ie ▁Hall ▁concert , ▁with ▁Antonio ▁Carlos ▁Job im , ▁Stan ▁Get z ▁and ▁João ▁Gil berto , ▁among ▁others . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁she ▁came ▁back ▁to ▁Brazil , ▁where ▁she ▁met ▁composer ▁Mira be au ▁Pin he iro , ▁with ▁whom ▁she ▁lived ▁for ▁five ▁years ▁and ▁had ▁her ▁only ▁daughter , ▁Sil és ia . ▁They ▁worked ▁together ▁on ▁songs ▁like ▁C ach a ça ▁não ▁é ▁á gu a ▁( be ing ▁accused ▁of