Lambada (original Radio Edit) - Kaoma -

Sensing a hit, they returned to France, formed the group —featuring lead singer Loalwa Braz —and recorded their version without permission from the original Bolivian songwriters. They even registered the song under a pseudonym, Chico de Oliveira , to claim the royalties. Global Fever and the "Forbidden Dance"

Released in July 1989, "Lambada" became an overnight sensation. Lambada (Original Radio Edit) - Kaoma

: It was famously marketed as the "Forbidden Dance" because of its close, suggestive body contact, which was controversial enough to be banned in some schools and TV shows. Sensing a hit, they returned to France, formed

: It featured two young children, Chico and Roberta , dancing on a beach, which became one of the most iconic music video images of the late '80s. : It was famously marketed as the "Forbidden

The transformation began in 1988 when two French producers, and Jean Karakos , visited Porto Seguro, Brazil. They heard a fast-paced, Portuguese-translated cover of the song by Brazilian artist Márcia Ferreira and saw the sensuous Lambada dance that accompanied it.

While the song remains a summer staple, its legacy is tinged with tragedy. In 2017, Kaoma's lead vocalist, , was found dead in a burned-out car in Brazil, a victim of a horrific robbery-murder near her inn.

In 1981, the Bolivian folk group released a song called "Llorando se fue" (Crying He/She Left). Unlike the high-energy club hit we know, the original was a sad, slow track performed in the Saya rhythm, featuring traditional panpipes and a deeply nostalgic tone. The French Connection