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A Male Singer Shines In A Woman's World

Portuguese singer António Zambujo occupies a distinct place in the world of fado, a musical style better known for its female stars.
Rita Carmo
Portuguese singer António Zambujo occupies a distinct place in the world of fado, a musical style better known for its female stars.

Portuguese-born António Zambujo sings fado, the style of music often called Portugal's blues. For decades, the genre's mournful songs have been associated with female singers — from the late Amália Rodrigues, whose role in popularizing the genre worldwide earned her the nickname "Queen of Fado," to current superstar Mariza. But Zambujo is starting to carve his own territory with a different approach to the music, one closer in tone to Brazil's João Gilberto, or perhaps America's Chet Baker. Hear his story at the audio link.

Copyright 2024 NPR

Betto Arcos
Betto Arcos is a freelance music journalist. He writes stories about music from around the world, with an emphasis on Latin America. He has been a contributor to NPR programming since 2009, when he began reviewing music for All Things Considered on the weekends.