In 2000, she sang in a concert in memory of Amalia Rodrigues. After receiving critical acclaim for her performance on the night she embarked on a career singing Fado.
She has since released 3 albums, been on several tours and has been the subject of a biographical film.
Algemas
Katia Guerreiro Lyrics
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E da angustia de viver
Somos a imagem esbatida
Do que nós quisermos ser.
Corta-se amor à corrente
Que nos prende ao que é vulgar
E afinal tudo é diferente
Sem saber porque vivemos
No mistério de existir
Nem mesmo ao sorrir esquecemos
A mentira que é sorrir
Desde sempre que conheço
Porque a vida me ensinou
Que o riso é sempre o começo
Do sorriso que findou.
Prendo o mundo nos meus braços
Quando me abraças nos teus
E por momentos escassos
A terra dá-nos os céus.
A vida fica suspensa
No nada que a fez nascer
E esse nada recompensa
Da tortura de viver.
E esse nada recompensa
Da tortura de viver.
The song "Algemas" by Katia Guerreiro speaks of the hardships and struggles of life, of being lost and not knowing why one exists. The lyrics suggest that we are slaves to the trials and tribulations of life, and that we often feel trapped and restrained by the mundanity of our routines. We are painted as a blurred image of what we want to be, struggling to break free from the chains of the banalities of life. The lyrics suggest that even when we smile, we are reminded of the lie that it represents, because we have not been able to achieve the "different" things we want in life.
The idea of "cutting love from the chain" speaks of the need to break free from the chains that hold us down, to pursue the things we truly desire. The song suggests that we should embrace those moments of joy, where we are able to forget the pains of existence and revel in the heaven on earth we create with loved ones. The sense of suspension in those moments of happiness rewards the pain of existence, even if it is just for a moment.
Overall, "Algemas" is a deeply introspective song that speaks to the human condition and the struggles that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Escravos errantes da vida
We are wandering slaves of life,
E da angustia de viver
And of the anguish of living.
Somos a imagem esbatida
We are the blurred image,
Do que nós quisermos ser.
Of what we want to be.
Corta-se amor à corrente
Love is cut off from the chain,
Que nos prende ao que é vulgar
That binds us to what is vulgar.
E afinal tudo é diferente
And in the end everything is different,
Do que queremos alcançar.
From what we want to achieve.
Sem saber porque vivemos
Without knowing why we live,
No mistério de existir
In the mystery of existence.
Nem mesmo ao sorrir esquecemos
Not even when smiling do we forget,
A mentira que é sorrir
The lie that is smiling.
Desde sempre que conheço
Since always I know,
Porque a vida me ensinou
Because life taught me,
Que o riso é sempre o começo
That laughter is always the beginning,
Do sorriso que findou.
Of the smile that ended.
Prendo o mundo nos meus braços
I hold the world in my arms,
Quando me abraças nos teus
When you embrace me,
E por momentos escassos
And for scarce moments,
A terra dá-nos os céus.
The earth gives us the sky.
A vida fica suspensa
Life is suspended,
No nada que a fez nascer
In the nothingness that made it birth,
E esse nada recompensa
And that nothingness rewards us,
Da tortura de viver.
For the torture of living.
E esse nada recompensa
And that nothingness rewards us,
Da tortura de viver.
For the torture of living.
Contributed by Sophie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.