Ana Moura

Ana Moura Bio

Ana Moura (born in the historic city of Santarem, on the Tejo River north of Lisbon) is an award-winning and chart-topping vocalist. She is the most successful and beloved fadista to appear in the 21st century.

As a girl, Moura was steeped in fado and its traditions, brought up in a family where the music was valued and loved, sung at home and at family gatherings. Though she experimented in adolescence with pop and rock music, singing in local bands, Moura’s commitment to fado never waned.

Moura’s shift in emphasis toward her national music began at age 20 when she wandered into one of the many fado houses in her region with a group of friends. Encouraged by friends to sing for the guitarists and aficionados who were gathered there, Moura sang and was received warmly. She became a regular in the local fado culture.

At a casual Christmas party that same year, Moura was discovered by the famous Maria de Fe, who invited Moura to come and sing with her at her house. Her love for the music grew with her reputation, and she began appearing on local television and throughout the regional press. Her debut album, Guarda-Me a Vida Na Mão from Universal Music, appeared in 2003 and garnered critical acclaim. Her sophomore release, Aconteceu, was even bigger, placing her on the international charts and laying the ground for her breakthrough, Para Além da Saudade, in 2007.