Mônica Vasconcelos (Lead Vocals, Percussion, Composition) began her career in Sâo Paulo, where she was born, performing in bars, clubs, at parties and at festivals from the age of 17. At the age of 18 Mônica went on to study publishing at Sâo Paulo University, where she worked on jingles for TV and radio, and recorded many backing vocals. She joined the vocal/drama group Beijo, which specialized in large vocal arrangements of Brazilian and world music before coming to England in 1992 where she set about forming a band..

The first musician to join her band was the young German sax ace Ingrid Laubrock, with whom he started doing duo gigs around London under the name "As Meninas" (the girls). The empathy between them was apparent from the start and is still going strong. Dave Gelly noted in his review for the Observer newspaper, that "the voice of Monica Vasconcelos and saxophone of Ingrid Laubrock are so well suited that words and notes seem to melt into one another."

Next came Ife Tolentino, whose gentle guitar sounds like breaking waves on the shore. The fourt member of "As Meninas" was percussionist Chris Wells, whothough young, was alrady a veteran with several tours under his belt (Paul McCartney, Pavarotti and Randy Brecker). The four piece gelled very well together but Monica still had an urge to grow musically, hence she continued adding musicians until her band was a nine piece. The band name, Nois (meaning 'us' or 'we') has held firm every since. Also on board are piano star Steve Lodder and Ashanti Paul Jayasinha.

Nois specialise in the unadulterated sound of Brazil, the only Portuguese speaking country in Latin America, where the sounds coming from Africa and Europe blended with the native soul to produce truly great music – from Samba to Bossa Nova, Music Popular Brasileria to the more rootsy north-eastern forms.