Cristina Branco: Portuguese fado, jazz fascinations and a collaboration with Custódio Castelo

Suffering, longing and helplessness in the face of unyielding fate are the emotional shades most often explored by fado songs, which originated in the poor districts of Portugal’s port cities. The voices of Amália Rodrigues, Ana Moura and Mariza, a recent guest at our festival, have made the genre famous worldwide. For almost a decade, Portuguese-born Cristina Branco has also belonged to this distinguished circle of young, talented singers.

Before turning to fado, Cristina Branco’s interests centred on jazz and other forms of traditional Portuguese music. Her grandfather introduced her to the world of melancholy songs through the work of the genre’s queen, the aforementioned Amalia Rodrigues. Like Mariza, Branco is unafraid to experiment with lyrics and sound. Rather than breaking with tradition, she seeks its finest qualities and presents them in a deeply personal, emotional way. Her earlier fascination with jazz is particularly audible. She regularly composes with Custódio Castelo, the guitarist who accompanies her in the studio.

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