- country:Cape Verde
- region:Dakar
- style(s):World
- label:Sheer Sound
- gender:female
- artist posted by:Georg Leitner Productions GmbH
Maria de Barros' music transcends taste, preference and even language. Melodies melt off her tongue with the same richness and maturity of a contemporary Cape Verde club singing Ella Fitzgerald, except that this songstress's club is bursting with a taste of Latin spice, serving Creole and African cuisine with dancers to match and audiences swinging their hips to Maria's sensual Coladeira beats.
Her latest release Morabeza is an eclectic blend of sounds with songs alternating in tempo, beat and style, making for an exciting tantalization of the ear drums. In 2010, Morabeza was nominated for "Best World Music Album" by NAACP Image Awards and in 2011, it received 4 nominations by Cabo Verde Music Awards (CVMA), for which her song "Reggadera" received an award for Best Coladeira. In 2009, "Reggadera" was placed in the international hit HBO series "Entourage". Her 3 releases "Nha Mundo," "Danca Ma Mi" and "Reggadera" have been part of several compilations such as Putumayo, Starbucks, Rough Guide, among others.
Following in the footsteps of her mentor and Godmother Cesaria Evora, Maria has performed in prestigious festivals and venues in over 25 countries and 70 cities worldwide. Her achievements include a nomination by Essence Magazine as the Face of World Music in its June 2004 issue; the Cape Verdean Artist of the Year in 2005; the Miriam Makeba Award for Excellence in Music in 2006 and in 2008, she received the highest honor given to an artist by the Ministry of Culture in Cape Verde: the Cultural Certificate of Merit. In 2006, she also hosted the "Soul of Africa" program on BET Jazz television. The recognition of this songstress's talent is a testament to her global appeal. In 2013, Maria was the recipient of the Francophonie Special Prize for her contribution of promoting French culture through music.
Maria de Barros: Songstress, collaborator, explorer, philanthropist, cultural Ambassador of Cape Verde, feeder of souls.
WHAT THE PRESS SAYS ABOUT MARIA:
-“… She is an eclectic soul who is breaking through to mainstream audiences by daring to be different. … we’re so smitten with her sound.” -- Essence Magazine
-“… There’s a breezy confidence in her voice and a resolute optimism in her songs … she’s irresistible.” -- New York Times
-“… de Barros enhanced the traditional rhythms with other elements … always enlivening them with the dark, velvet timbres of her voice, her emotive phrasing and her sheer enthusiasm for making music.” -- Los Angeles Times
-“… she effortlessly communicates joy and pleasure with her cool, lustrous voice, whether one understands the lyrics or not” -- Boston Globe
-“… De Barros’ voice soars and seduces, adorning her band’s rhythms with an elegant strength that brings about unconditional surrender to its charms.” -- The Beat Magazine
-“… Her voice is like a kiss …” -- Islands Magazine
-“… Maria de Barros is a fitting, successful and probably ideal musical envoy of the Cape Verde archipelago … There’s a sensual, sophisticated sway to de Barros’ performances…” -- Sing Out Magazine
-“… De Barros is fully human, although her crystalline, soulful voice and otherworldly appearance defy reality.” -- Global Rhythm