Mariza

▪ 2004

      In 2003 music lovers worldwide continued to awaken to the joy of melancholy through the powerful yet nuanced artistry of Portuguese fado singer Mariza. “Fado is an emotional kind of music full of passion, sorrow, jealousy, grief, and often satire,” the Mozambican-born vocalist explained. Mariza appeared on the world music scene in 2002 with the international release of her critically acclaimed debut album, Fado em mim, which had been released in Portugal in 2001. Because of its success she was soon dubbed “the new voice of fado,” and avid fans of the music even began comparing her talent to that of the legendary fadista Amália Rodrigues.

      Mariza Nunes was born in Mozambique c. 1974 to parents of Portuguese, Spanish, German, African, and Indian heritage. Her family moved to Lisbon when she was three years old. There her parents ran a restaurant located in the neighbourhood where fado was said to have been born. Mariza began singing along with fado performers at the family restaurant even before she learned how to read. When she was 15, her adolescent interest in more “modern” music genres led her to explore rock, blues, jazz, and bossa nova, but by adulthood Mariza had returned to her first love. She was discovered by musician and producer Jorge Fernando when he heard her sing a fado one evening, and he persuaded her to record an entire album of fados. She appeared on Portuguese television as part of a special program in honour of Rodrigues, who died in 1999. The Portuguese public was thrilled with Mariza's performance, and in 2000 she was presented with the Voice of Fado award by Central FM (the national radio station of Portugal). Later the popular Portuguese television program Hermansic asked her to perform for pop star Sting in order to introduce him to fado music.

      In early 2003 Mariza was the recipient of the BBC's Radio 3 world music award for best European act. Her second album, Fado curvo, was released in May, and she continued to tour throughout the year, appearing in major venues all over Europe and beyond.

Shanda Siler

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▪ Portuguese singer

in full  Mariza Nunes 

born Dec. 16, 1973, Mozambique

 

 Mozambique-born Portuguese singer, who popularized fado, a traditional Portuguese musical genre that combines a narrative vocal style with acoustic guitar accompaniment, to a global audience.

      Mariza and her family moved to Lisbon when she was age 3. There her parents ran a restaurant located in the neighbourhood where fado was said to have been born. Mariza began singing along with fado performers at the family restaurant before she learned how to read. When she was 15, her adolescent interest in more “modern” music genres led her to explore rock (rock and roll), blues, jazz, and bossa nova, but by adulthood Mariza had returned to her first love. She was discovered by musician and producer Jorge Fernando, who heard her sing one evening and persuaded her to record an entire album. She appeared on Portuguese television as part of a special program in honour of legendary fadista Amália Rodrigues (Rodrigues, Amália da Piedade Rebordão), who died in 1999. Mariza's performance drew praise, and in 2000 she was presented with the Voice of Fado award by Central FM (the national radio station of Portugal). Later the popular Portuguese television program Hermansic asked her to perform for pop star Sting in order to introduce him to fado music.

      Mariza's debut album, Fado em mim, was released in Portugal in 2001 and garnered widespread critical acclaim when it was released internationally the following year. In early 2003 Mariza received the BBC's Radio 3 World Music Award for best European act. She released her second album, Fado curvo, that year, and she toured extensively to support it. Her third album, Transparente (2005), angered some purists by breaking with the traditional fado sound and including sweeping orchestral string arrangements and up-tempo, Django Reinhardt (Reinhardt, Django)-inspired guitar accompaniment.

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