For more than two decades, Mariza has been the world’s leading voice of fado, the traditional folk music of Portugal. Incorporating influences from Mozambique, Brazil, Cape Verde, and more, she breathes new life into fado's austere and melancholic sound. Her platinum debut album, Fado em Mim (2001), propelled her to international acclaim, leading to sold-out shows at iconic venues worldwide. Mariza's groundbreaking Transparente (2005) was the first fado album to top the Portuguese charts, a feat repeated with subsequent releases like Terra (2008) and Mundo (2015).
Mariza is [fado’s] biggest star for a reason: she sings it not as musty nostalgia but as exuberant 21st-century pop, with a low, mesmerizing alto that’s as commanding as any pop singer today.