Amália Rodrigues

Amália Rodrigues, a central figure in Fado, also achieved distinction as an actress and as a performer of folk music, rumbas, tangos, sambas, and Mexican rancheras. She brought innovation to Fado by setting to music the works of classical Portuguese-language poets, including Luís de Camões.

Amália da Piedade Rodrigues was born on 23 July 1920 in Lisbon.

In 1939, she made her debut as a professional Fado singer and, the following year, gave her first performance at the Teatro de Revista. In 1943, she began her international career with performances in Madrid and Brazil, where she recorded her first albums in 1945. In 1947, she starred in the film Capas Negras.

From 1949 onwards, her international career expanded significantly, with performances across Europe and Africa, as well as in Mexico and the United States. At the same time, she appeared in theatre productions, films, and documentaries. In 1961 she met Alain Oulman, the composer who would profoundly influence her artistic path.

She died in Lisbon on 6 October 1999. In 2001, her remains were transferred to the National Pantheon.