Throughout her career, in which it is clearly traced and expressed a deep respect, understanding and humbleness before Fado, Mísia developed a new style: she stripped the Fado off the shawl of the "amalian" type, and adds to the traditional instruments (bass guitar, classical guitar and Portuguese guitar) the sensuality of the accordion and the violin, and borrows from the best Portuguese poets their finest verses. The piano was often used in fado before, and this she also uses.
Her 2003 album "Canto" may be considered her masterpiece. Mixing pieces of the best works of the Portuguese guitarist Carlos Paredes with poems of Vasco Graça Moura (and some of Sérgio Godinho and Pedro Tamen), Mísia has built a piece of music that she would describe as belonging to her "gallery of impossible things". Mísia is also known for covering other artists' songs in a very "fadoish" way. The classic "As time goes by", and some of the songs of Luis Eduardo Aute ("De Alguna Manera", for instance) are some of the examples.
Mísia is a polyglot. Despite singing mostly fado (which is sung in Portuguese), she sings some of her themes in Spanish, French, Catalan or even English. One of the examples is her last album "Drama Box", a collection of tangos, boleros and fados, sung in Portuguese and Spanish. In "Drama Box", Mísia depicts herself as a cabaret dancer living in the "Drama Box Hotel" with her musicians. It's a very personal album, simultaneously a tribute to her mother and a real description of her life: travelling through the world, taking fado everywhere.
In spite of being famous in Portugal, her music has from the beginning been greatly appreciated in foreign countries: France and Japan for example.
Discography
1991 — Mísia
1993 — Fado
1995 — Tanto menos, tanto mais
1998 — Garras dos Sentidos
1999 — Paixões Diagonais
2001 — Ritual
2003 — Canto (music by Carlos Paredes)
2005 — Drama Box
2009 — Ruas
Cicatrizes
Mísia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Na pele, na alma e fundo nas entrañas / Marcou-me a vida com as suas garras / E deixou-me à mercê das suas
Manhas / Com mordaças algemas e amarras / Com erros e acertos e verdade / E lágrimas e risos e cantigas / Fui
Provando o sabor da liberdade / Contrapondo poemas a intrigas / Porque a alma era branca em seus matizes / Porque
A pele era branda em seu veludo / Guardei como trofeus as cicatrizes / De pôr as mãos em lama em fogo em tudo /
Teus beijos a molhar cada rasgão / Ao menos que refresquem seus sinais: / As marcas da que fui 'inda lá estão / Mas
Cicatrizam bem,não sofro mais.
The lyrics to Mísia's song Cicatrizes speak about the scars left by a past relationship. The singer describes how this person left marks on her skin, soul, and deep within her being which were painful and left her vulnerable. She was at the mercy of this person's manipulations, with constraints and restrictions placed upon her. She experienced both success and failures, truth and deception, tears and laughter, and music, all while seeking to assert her own freedom and challenge the discord. Throughout it all, she held fast to the memories and the marks left behind, yet sought to heal and overcome the hurt. She acknowledges the continuing presence of these marks, but takes solace in the fact that they have now faded and no longer cause her pain.
The lyrics in Cicatrizes presents a complex, emotional tale of love, loss and healing; it highlights the depth of emotional scars and the journey towards recovery after enduring a traumatic relationship. The use of poetic metaphors and imagery to describe the effects of the past relationship on the singer are significant. For instance, the scars are described as trophies and the spirit is said to be free with white tones. Additionally, the use of phrases like "mordaças, algemas, e amarras" portray the current state of vulnerability of the singer. The song is marked by its ability to communicate raw emotions, despite the language barrier, and the poignant delivery by Mísia.
Line by Line Meaning
Na pele, na alma e fundo nas entrañas / Marcou-me a vida com as suas garras / E deixou-me à mercê das suas Manhas / Com mordaças algemas e amarras
I was marked deeply on my skin, soul, and even within me, leaving me vulnerable to the claws, tricks, and restraints of life.
Com erros e acertos e verdade / E lágrimas e risos e cantigas / Fui Provando o sabor da liberdade / Contrapondo poemas a intrigas
I tasted the bitter and sweet flavors of life along with its ups and downs, and while dealing with conflicts, I expressed myself through poetry.
Porque a alma era branca em seus matizes / Porque A pele era branda em seu veludo / Guardei como trofeus as cicatrizes / De pôr as mãos em lama em fogo em tudo
Despite experiencing hardship, my soul and skin remained pure and delicate. I chose to keep my scars as trophies, representing my ability to overcome challenges, whether big or small.
Teus beijos a molhar cada rasgão / Ao menos que refresquem seus sinais: / As marcas da que fui 'inda lá estão / Mas Cicatrizam bem,não sofro mais.
Your kisses healed my wounds, at least in some way, so that although the scars of my past remain, they no longer cause me pain.
Contributed by Alexander M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.