Mayra Andrade in Wrocław: Cape Verdean inspirations and a musical dialogue between cultures

Mayra Andrade, one of the “Four Musketeers of Cape Verdean Music”. A cosmopolitan outlook can be heard immediately in her music, where so many strands intertwine.

Born in Havana into a family with African roots, she grew up in Angola, Senegal and Cape Verde. She lives in Paris. Her sensual alto on “Alfama”, a duet with Pedro Moutinho, remains one of the most frequently heard voices on Marcin Kydryński’s radio programme Siesta. Following her debut “Navega”, the dazzling “Storia, Storia” and the live album “Studio 105”, Mayra returns with “Lovely Difficult”, on which she also sings in English and French. She invited numerous guests to collaborate, including Yael Naim, David Donatien, Piers Faccini, Tété, Benjamin Biolay, Hugh Coltman, Krystle Warren, Pascal Danae and Mario Lucio Sousa. Produced by Mike Pelanconi, the album is intended, in the singer’s own words, as a bold combination of her established style with pop and electronic sounds. “We used to call it love” was chosen as its lead single.

Beyond her album releases, Mayra Andrade has worked with Charles Aznavour (“Je Danse Avec L'Amour”), Chico Buarque, Lenine (“Amor, Cuidado!”), Youssou N'Dour, Carlinhos Brown, Margareth de Menezes, Angélique Kidjo and Pedro Moutinho, among others.

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