Singer Iza, queen of the battery for Imperatriz Leopoldinense, returns to Marquês de Sapucaí after a three-year hiatus, dealing with aftermath of a 2018 knee injury. She balances intense training with recent motherhood and prepares for the enredo honoring Ney Matogrosso. Her costume is inspired by the album Pecado.
Iza's 'chameleonic' challenges in the Imperatriz parade
Queen of the battery for Imperatriz Leopoldinense, 35-year-old Iza returns to the Marquês de Sapucaí runway this Sunday, 15, after a three-year hiatus, dethroning Maria Mariá. The samba school, a nine-time carnival winner, will parade with the enredo Camaleônico, a tribute to Ney Matogrosso's work and artistic trajectory.
From the Olaria neighborhood near the school, Iza has experience with the carnival routine but still deals with aftermath of a 2018 knee injury. “If I go a week without working out, my knee swells and hurts a lot. My preparation consists of really strengthening myself there, especially my quadriceps and abdomen, because singing and sambaing requires a lot of resistance,” she tells the GENTE column.
She balances intense training with motherhood: in October 2024, she gave birth to Nala, daughter of her relationship with ex-football player Yuri Lima. Last year, Iza announced the end of the relationship, exposed the ex for betrayal in 2024, but months later got back with him. “A queen of the battery has to have availability. It's not just the time for rehearsals, which are always very enjoyable, but time to look at the community, to know what they need,” she says.
Just before the parade, Iza spoke about her snake costume: “Incredible to honor a music icon as a singer. This is something to dream about, think, get inspired. My costume is talking about the Pecado album, I come as a snake, that story from the album cover.”
