Mariza, “The Queen of Fado,” is returning to perform at the University of British Columbia. The internationally acclaimed singer is performing works from her most recent album, Mundo, on Wednesday, November 2 at 8 p.m. in the Chan Shun Concert Hall.
Fado music has been deeply rooted in Portuguese culture since 1820. It speaks volumes about melancholy and longing, often distilled into the Portuguese word saudade — a word deemed untranslatable, and loosely defined as a profound, nostalgic longing for a beloved and absent something or someone.
Mariza’s Mundo is no different. “This record is named Mundo … because I’m inviting all of this music to give an understanding of me now, in this moment, what I am and what I feel about music. It’s about the person I am today,” she explained in an interview for the September 2016 issue of All About Jazz.
Mariza started delving into fado during her childhood, and has grown to introduce this traditional Portuguese genre to the rest of the world. She has since been nominated for three Grammy awards, and has been awarded one of Executiva Magazine’s 20 most influential women in Portugal in June 2016.
In this concert, Mariza teams up with José Manuel Neto on Portuguese guitar, Pedro Jóia on acoustic/classical guitar, Yami on acoustic bass guitar, and Vicky Marques on drums and percussion.
Tickets are available here.