“Joana Amendoeira is considered one of the most important fado singers in the last ten years.
In her singing, Fado gains a new glow, a new attitude, yet without deviations from tradition.
Born in Santarem in Septembre 30th 1982, since very young she initiated her voyage throughout Fado’s world by the hand of her parents and brother, Pedro Amendoeira, himself one of the grand and talented Portuguese Guitar players that Fado earned in these last years.
In 1995, she conquers the 1st Juvenil Prize in “Grande Noite do Fado” (Oporto’s edition). That award allowed her to start a series of shows all over Portugal.
It follows the unavoidable recording of her first album, “Olhos Garotos”, and she departs to the rest of the world, in representation of Portuguese Music. Abroad, she performs at the event "Dias de Portugal", organized by ICEP, at the cities of Budapest and Kesckemet (Hungary).
In 2000, she releases her second album, "Aquela Rua", which receives the best references from specialized review. She is invited to participate in the most prestigious national anthologies’ records, such as “Novas Vozes, Novos Fados” (EMI/VC); “Nova Biografia do Fado” (EMI/VC), an homage album to Moniz Pereira (Universal); and takes part in the soundtrack of TV series “Joia de Africa”.
In 2003, she signs up with CNM and records her third album, “Joana Amendoeira”, which conquers immediate recognition from all Fado’s community, specialized review, and from the public.
This album’s tour takes her to several countries such as Holland, Spain, France, Austria, Japan. And allows her to be selected, among innumerous candidates, to present her show at professional fairs of World Music, like Mercat de Musica Viva de Vic (Spain) and Strictly Mundial (Canada).
Meanwhile, she participates in the homage album to Carlos do Carmo, “O Novo Homem na Cidade”, along with some of the most important interpreters nowadays: Ivan Lins, Camane, Sara Tavares, Mariza, Martinho da Vila, Tito Paris, among others.
Joana Amendoeira, the young lady once a promise, is now a certainty in the panorama of national and international contemporary music. A fact confirmed by the attribution to her of the 2004 Revelation Award from Casa da Imprensa and reconfirmed in her forth album, “Ao vivo em Lisboa”, released in July 2005 – her first solo show, recorded at one of the most prestigious rooms in Lisbon, Teatro Municipal Sao Luiz.
The success of this show can so be enjoyed and shared by all those who appreciate Fado and the talent of the artist Joana Amendoeira: in her voice, Fado reaches moments of sublime harmonies, subtle and sensual at a time. Joana Amendoeira is Fado in all its splendour!
With this new show, the years of de 2005, 2006 and 2007 where marked by a series of tours around the world, in some of the most prestigious national and international rooms and festivals, such as: Casa da Musica (Oporto, Portugal), Atlantic Waves festival (London, UK), Eurocultured Street Festival (Manchester, UK), Millenaris Park (Budapest, Hungary), Pancirfest Festival (Croatia), Concergebouw (Amsterdam, Holland), International Book fair of Turim (Turim, Italy), Festival Ile de France (Paris, France), Tour in Sweden (25 concerts), Festa do Fado (Lisbon, Portugal), Royal Opera House (London, UK), Cine-Teatro Sao Jorge (Lisbon, Portugal), and recently the participation at the 40 years of career commemoration show of the famous Hungarian musician Zoran, as his special guest.
By the ending of 2006, she edits her last album, which also names her last show: “A Flor da Pele”.
This particular moment pictures an intense involvement, filled with true intentions.
The main idea is to create a group of Fado and not just the usual fado singer with her accompanist musicians. Pedro Amendoeira in Portuguese Guitar, Pedro Pinhal in Fado’s Guitar and Paulo Paz in Contrabass and Acoustic Bass, instrumentalists and composers of some of the themes, show us that, to produce such a strong and characteristic project, one needs to live each moment as if it was the last one.
In this work, each of them impresses his particular mark, revealing all the feelings that are actually “a flor da pele” (under the skin).”
Biography at
http://www.hmmusica.com
Last Update: June 2008
По материалам Музея Фаду, Лиссабон
