Helena Sarmento referred to “Tanto Mar” as her “most feminine album ever,” not only because she wrote two of the lyrics, but also because she interprets words written by other women.
Fado singer Helena Sarmento returns to national stages
Saturday, 11 April 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
Fado is a traditional Portuguese music genre characterized by melancholic singing and themes of longing and fate, with distinct Lisbon and Coimbra styles; it was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2011. For expats, fado is both a living cultural tradition and a common tourist experience — attending a small fado house in Lisbon or Coimbra offers insight into Portuguese history, language and social life.
