Amendoeira was born in Santarém, Portugal in 1982, making her the youngest singer from Portugal performing fado around the world today. Her singing style is classic and traditional, yet her unique vocals bring a bright, new glow to fado.
In 1994, a young Amendoeira participated in the Lisbon Grand Fado Gala, where she received enthusiastic praise from the jury and the audience. In the following year, she won the “Female Interpreter Award” at the Oporto Gala. From that date on, she has been performing non-stop around Portugal and the world. Some of her favourite experiences include travelling to Budapest to perform in front of a remote Portuguese community, performing with fado legend Carlos do Carmo at the Radio Alpha Auditorium in Paris, and her first time in the Americas as a headliner at the Commemorations of the 500th Anniversary of the Discovery of Brazil.
Four years later her first album was released: 1998’s Olhos Garotos (Playful Eyes), thereby giving her the honour of being the youngest fado singer with a published CD. Her second CD followed shortly thereafter in 2000, when Aquela Rua (That Street) was released to outstanding reviews. This was also the year that Amendoeira began singing regularly at Clube de Fado (The Fado Club), one of most renowned fado houses in Lisbon.
Her growing international acclaim brought the fadista to more corners of the world, receiving invitations to sing in Japan, Moscow and Holland (at the prestigious Muziekcentrum Vredenburg). Meanwhile, back in her homeland of Portugal, Amendoeira was asked to take part in some of the top fado anthologies, such as Novas Vozes, Novos Fados (New Voices, New Fados) and Nova Biografia do Fado (Fado’s New Biography). She also contributed to the Moniz Pereira homage album, as well as the soundtrack to the TV series Jóia de África (African Jewel).
In 2003, her third CD, the self-titled Joana Amendoeira, received enthusiastic praise from fado devotees, reviewers and audiences alike. The album’s promotional tour sent Amendoeira once again through Europe, this time performing in Spain, France and Austria, to name a few. The tour also brought her to Canada for the first time, where she performed at Montreal’s Strictly Mundial.
Amendoeira achieved further success when she received the 2004 Revelation Award from Casa da Imprensa (The Portuguese Press Association). That same year she presented her first solo show at one of Lisbon’s oldest and most illustrious stages—The São Luiz Theatre. This performance would later be turned into her first live album, Ao Vivo Em Lisboa (Live in Lisbon), released in July 2005.
The complete biography and more info about this singer can be found on www.joanaamendoeira.com
Fado Rosa Maria
Joana Amendoeira Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Para poder antes do sol chamar ao dia mostrar a rosa maria quem e que tem coração
Ela chegou com xaile atado na cintura tudo parou para escutar o seu lamendo
E foi entao por vergonha ou por loucura senti não estar a altura desse momentou
Ela cantou como se faz na moraria e eu guardei a minha foz dentro de mim
Porque eu não sou nem vou ser a rosa maria e não sei se saberia cantar assim
Numa noite em que fez frio foi foi cantar ao desavio mas não cheguei a cantar
Porque a guitarra não sei ser o que não sou e da forma que cantou a rosa vez me chorar
Sem aceitar os parabens de algum purista
E eu percebi que a rosa ficara sentida
Porque eu dar-me por vencida foi mais fadista
Pela manha corri toda a mouraria para te pedir que me perdoe por ter falhado
Mas na verdade a minha foz apodrecia sempre que a rosa maria cantava o fado
Numa noite em que fez frio foi foi cantar ao desavio e voltei de la sem nada
um de voces va dizer a rosa maria
que não volto a moraria para cantar a desgarrada
Numa noite em que fez frio foi foi cantar ao desavio e voltei de la sem nada
um de voces va dizer a rosa maria
que não volto a moraria para cantar a desgarrada
In the song "Fado Rosa Maria," Joana Amendoeira tells the story of a night when she went to sing in the Mouraria district of Lisbon. It was a cold night, and she went to compete in a "desgarrada," a type of singing contest where two singers take turns improvising verses. The aim is to outdo the other singer, and the audience listens intently to the lyrics, cheering each time a particularly clever turn of phrase is delivered.
When Joana arrived, she encountered another singer, Rosa Maria, who had already begun singing. Rosa Maria was dressed in a shawl, and her voice was so powerful and moving that it seemed to stop time. Joana was overwhelmed, feeling that she could never compete with such a talented singer.
Despite her fear, Joana tried to sing, only to find that her voice could not keep up with the powerful delivery of Rosa Maria. She felt ashamed and embarrassed, knowing that she could never match Rosa Maria's talent.
The next morning, Joana tried to apologize to Rosa Maria, but she was nowhere to be found. Joana knew that she had failed, and she vowed never to return to the Mouraria district to compete in a "desgarrada" again.
Line by Line Meaning
Numa noite em que fez frio foi foi cantar ao desavio na rua do capelao
On a cold night, she went to sing spontaneously in the street just to showcase her talent.
Para poder antes do sol chamar ao dia mostrar a rosa maria quem e que tem coração
She wanted to sing before the sun rose to show Rosa Maria who had the real heart for singing.
Ela chegou com xaile atado na cintura tudo parou para escutar o seu lamendo
As she arrived with her shawl on her waist, everyone stopped to listen to her soulful singing.
E foi entao por vergonha ou por loucura senti não estar a altura desse momentou
Out of shyness or craziness, the artist felt she was not skilled enough to match that moment.
Ela cantou como se faz na moraria e eu guardei a minha foz dentro de mim
She sang in the traditional Moorish style, and the artist held back her voice inside her.
Porque eu não sou nem vou ser a rosa maria e não sei se saberia cantar assim
The singer understood she was not Rosa Maria and doubted her ability to sing as well.
E vi depois que a rosa já estava de saida
Later, the singer noticed that Rosa Maria was leaving.
Sem aceitar os parabens de algum purista
Rosa Maria didn't accept any compliments from a traditionalist.
E eu percebi que a rosa ficara sentida
The artist realized that Rosa Maria was upset.
Porque eu dar-me por vencida foi mais fadista
The artist realized giving up was a more fado-like attitude, and it disappointed Rosa Maria.
Pela manha corri toda a mouraria para te pedir que me perdoe por ter falhado
The morning after, the singer raced through the Moorish quarter to apologize to Rosa Maria for not singing well.
Mas na verdade a minha foz apodrecia sempre que a rosa maria cantava o fado
In truth, the artist's voice fell apart every time Rosa Maria sang fado.
E voltei de la sem nada um de voces va dizer a rosa maria que não volto a moraria para cantar a desgarrada
The singer left without anything to show and asked someone to tell Rosa Maria that she won't return to the Moorish quarter to sing off-the-cuff songs (desgarrada).
Contributed by Sophia O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.