There is a charm, a mystery, a transcendence in the voice of Amália Rodrigues. She is the voice of fado, the voice of Portugal. Born in Lisbon in 1920, she is considered the most successful Portuguese artist of all time. All the twists and turns of this music begin and end with this central figure. She has inspired and continues to inspire hundreds of musicians every day. Fado houses breathe her life. She brought fado to a more “consensual place”. Amália was a disrupter, she broke through all the established barriers and lived many lives within her own. As well as being the voice that exists in all our hearts, Amália opened doors for all the female fado artists who followed. And she has left us a profound legacy that we can only honour. |