Fado

Portugal, and Lisbon in particular, is famous for its Fado, which celebrates what the Portuguese like to think is a uniquely Portuguese sentiment known as saudade, sometimes explained as nostalgia for things lost. This melancholic crooning was once associated with the bad old days of Salazar’s dictatorship, until a new generation of stylish artists breathed new life into the music, taking it to an international audience and sometimes fusing it with modern jazz.

The first to hit the big time was Madredeus, with the lead singer’s eerie soprano voice backed by acoustic guitars and accordion. They gained a loyal following in Europe and, perhaps surprisingly, Japan. Even Nelly Furtado (who has Azorean roots) says that she was influenced by Fado, notably on her album “Folklore”, but more traditional fadistas, like Mariza, Dulce Pontes, Camané, Cristina Branco, Mafalda Arnauth, Mísia and Katie Guerreiro have also gained international audiences. Mariza, with her trademark plaited blonde hairstyle, is perhaps the best known of all the new wave Fado singers. She originally came from Mozambique and is considered by some as second only to legendary Amália Rodrigues.