If I make you cry I'm happy

Fado undoubtedly is Portugal’s most famous music. The mournful tunes and lyrics usually performed by one singer and one or more guitar players can be heard in the taverns of Lisbon’s working class city sectors every night. According to Portuguese Fado enthusiasts this music is probably the oldest Folk music in the world, however it is not music for old people only.

In the beautiful little streets of the Alfama quarter of Lisbon signs with the promise “Fado tonight” written on them in big letters are placed in front of every tavern. A young Portuguese woman with long black hair and brown eyes talks to tourists who meander through Alfama. With her black t-shirt and her jeans, she does not look different from other modern young women in Europe. But when she closes her eyes and starts to sing, her music goes right into your heart and touches your soul and suddenly you understand that the lady standing right in front of you is really special. Raquel Tavares is one of the most popular young Fado singers in Portugal at the age of 23.

“I started to sing Fado when I was five years old”, the Fadista says. “I performed in the bars and I loved it.” Asked why she started to sing the Portuguese traditional music she answers “I just had to”, and explains: “ You cannot learn Fado, you have to have it in you ”. Raquel Tavares grew up in Alfama within half a kilometre’s distance from the “House of Fado”, a museum dedicated to the Portuguese music, so her career as a Fadista does not seem surprising but rather predestined. It was actually not her parents who brought her to Fado though. “My mother is a Fado singer as well, but she started later than I did. So she came to Fado through me, not the other way round”, the multi talented artist who won the Portuguese version of ´Dancing with the Stars´ says and laughs. Since the age of 18 Raquel has been a professional Fadista performing all over Europe and also in America. She is very proud of the characteristic music of Portugal. “It is our culture, our tradition. We have to show you what we have.”

Although Raquel is a member of a new generation of young Fado singers, she does not like the experimental Fado which is mixed with other music styles. “I do not believe in the new Fado”, she says firmly. Apparently that does not do any harm to her popularity among young people. According to her, the age spectrum of her fans is wide and there are young and old people who come to hear her sing. “We have very young songwriters and very young poets as well”, the Fadista stresses that not only singers or fans of Fado are members of a new generation.

She has been a professional Fado singer for quite some time now, but Raquel is still not really used to her fame. She finds it strange that people stop and look at her or ask her for autographs because in her opinion she is the same person that she has always been. “When I walk through Lisbon and people ask me if I am Raquel Tavares, I am always a bit embarrassed. If on the other hand my mother is with me she would always be very proud and say ‘yes she is’”, the singer laughs.

Asked about the secret of Fado the 23year old explains: “Fado is a way of being in life, but the most important thing is emotion. Many people do not understand one word of what I am singing about, but they feel my feelings.” Her songs thus mostly are about feelings, emotions and life and also about her hometown. “Lisbon is my inspiration”, the beautiful woman tells. As sharing your feelings with strangers sounds very intimate one might think it is hard to perform in front of a big crowd. Raquel though prefers a big audience to a little one: “I love to sing in front of many people. It is way harder for me to do it in front of a small group.” A success for the young lady is when she sees that she could really touch the hearts and souls of her listeners: “If I make you cry, I am happy”, the Fadista says.
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The music one does not just play or sing, but feel

Antonio Cardoso has been selling Fado in his green truck in the Rua da Prata in Lisbon for 15 years. If you want to learn something about Fado, he’s the man.

Sabine Stang: What is the most important thing one has to know about Fado?
Antonio Cardoso: Fado is the traditional music from Lisbon. For us Portuguese, Fado is what Tango is for Argentinians or Flamenco for the Spanish.

Who are the most famous Fado singers?
Amália Rodrigues was the queen of Fado, she is the number one. From the young generation, Mariza is the most famous.

Who are your customers?
I sell especially to tourists, young and old people. The young customers like the new generation of young Fado singer a lot.

Are there conflicts between traditionalists and fans of the new Fado?
Some of the old people don’t like the new Fado. Mariza for example looks like a pop star, not a Fado singer. The costumes the young singers wear are made by designers. Some people say that is not traditional Fado.

What is the secret of Fado?
Fado is the kind of music that one doesn’t just play or just sing, but most important – feel.

Feel – what?
Love or things connected to it, for example, jealousy.

Text: Sabine Stang
Photos: 1) Damiano Razzoli, 2) Diletta Pignedoli