Europe

Born in Lisbon in 1974, the young Mafalda Arnauth did not intend to set out on the path of professional musician - but she has made a meteoric rise as one of Portugal's most vibrant new voices in its beloved Fado genre. She has not only contributed hugely to the renewed global popularity of her country's dramatic song tradition as a vocalist - with characteristically subtle, sophisticated interpretations that rejuvenate classic repertoire - but has also refreshed and enlivened the genre itself with a splendor of her fine original compositions.

Mafalda's passion for music became evident in early childhood, and the unusually rich timbre of her natural voice drew attention at a very young age. She exhibited remarkable nuance of phrasing in interpreting the traditional Fado songs of her local culture, captivating listeners with her fresh spontaneity in rendering the familiar songs, and by the power of her pure, clear, distinctive voice. A new young fadista was clearly becoming poised for a future in music.

Her 1999 debut album gained wide European critical notice - not only for "a voice that calls for silence all around" but for the strength and breadth of her self-penned repertoire, for the creation of which she credited the encouragement and stimulation of that album's producer, Joćo Gil. The album was nominated for a Golden Globe (Portugal's equivalent of a Grammy) and Mafalda undertook a massive European press campaign and toured extensively throughout the continent. She released a second album for EMI, entitled ThIS Voice That Goes Through Me, in 2001 - produced by Amela Muge and Jose Martins.

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Mafalda Arnauth