Vange Leonel was born in São Paulo in 1963; great-granddaughter of General Ataliba Leonel, who fought in the 1932 Constitutionalist Revolution, and cousin of former Titãs member Nando Reis, her first musical ventures were with the post-punk band Nau (Portuguese for "carrack"), which was founded in 1985. Nau released an eponymous album by CBS in 1987, and also took part in the compilation "Não São Paulo, Vol. 2", released by Baratos Afins; however, it would disband in 1989, after plans for a second studio album fell through, and Vange followed with a solo career.