Fado may be the often pained and passionate Portuguese answer to the blues, but the world’s most popular contemporary fado singer was anything but gloomy. “I’m happier than I have been for years,” she announced, explaining how her life has changed since she released her most recent studio album, Fado Tradicional, four years ago. “I had a baby, then got married. In that order.”
As for her music, she added that there would be a new album in the autumn, with “a different concept”.
This sold-out concert turned out to be far more intriguing than initially suggested; she had announced that she would not be playing any new material – but then changed her mind. And though the set concentrated on old songs, Mariza reworked them with impressive and contagious enthusiasm. She started with Promete, Jura and a selection from her Fado Tradicional.
In the past she may at times have been over-dramatic and over-declamatory, but here she mixed passion with delicacy and humour. She was clearly enjoying herself, helped by an impressive acoustic trio playing Portuguese, classical and bass guitars.
As for her new musical direction, she kept us guessing. She was born in Mozambique, has worked in Brazil, and has long been fascinated by the musical links between the Lusophone world.
Here, one of the finest songs was Beijo de Saudade, from Cape Verde, on which she was accompanied only by a percussionist. It would have been good if she had explored more African themes, but she ended with an unremarkable fado treatment of Elvis Presley with Can’t Help Falling in Love, in English, and a powerful new traditional fado. For an encore, she performed from out in the delighted crowd.
