- country:Portugal
- region:Porto
- style(s):Funk, Soul
- label:Record Kicks
- type:Band
- instrumentation:percussion, woodwind, singer songwriter, guitar
- artist contact:Mosto
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The Marta Ren hurricane is back! Marta was born in Porto in 1981. She grew up in Senhora da Hora, peeking into rehearsals in her home’s basement and putting on shows in the living room. Marta Ren’s musical journey follows its own timeline, closely connected to the music of a chosen era. She began as the vocalist and co-founder of Sloppy Joe in 1996, and her path as a singer also includes collaborations with Dealema and Sam The Kid, as well as appearances with historic bands such as Mão Morta, Trabalhadores do Comércio, Wraygunn, and as a guest of GNR.
“Stop Look Listen,” her first solo album, was released in 2016 on the Italian label Record Kicks and established her as one of the genre’s talents, receiving radio airplay and reaching major European stages on a tour of more than 100 concerts. “Recalling the tough and righteous stance of Vicki Anderson, Marva Whitney, Lyn Collins and others, songs like ‘Don’t Look,’ ‘Let’s Talk About The Kids’ and ‘2 Kinds Of Men’ showcase Ren’s soaring vocals and a band clearly paying attention to the right kind of funk 45s. Porto got soul, baby!” (Paul Osborne, Shindig! Magazine – the review awarded the album four-star rating).
Marta Ren performed intensely and extensively across the continent, appearing on key stages such as Transmusicales (France) and Eurosonic (Netherlands)—showcase festivals for new artists where she was considered a breakthrough act at both. She also performed at the Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival (UK), the Sziget Festival (Hungary), and was a guest singer with the UMO Jazz Orchestra in Finland. One of her singles, “Worth It,” was mixed and produced by the talented Emerald Razz, who over 20 years has worked with names such as Mark Ronson, Lily Allen, and even Kylie Minogue. The result of this collaboration is yet another classic in her career.
“On stage, Marta Ren and her musicians are the real deal: classic soul-funk supported by a lived-in voice, feline and sensual presence, sweat-releasing horns, and a razor-sharp beat that compels dancing. Feverish yet overwhelming, in a dirty, compact, timeless sound.”
(Vítor Belanciano, Público).
In 2019, Marta Ren performed with the Matosinhos Jazz Orchestra, which interpreted her repertoire as well as classics from the American Songbook, and in 2025 she joined the show “Try a Little Tenderness – The Music of Otis Redding,” with the Espinho Jazz Orchestra, in a concert that pays tribute to one of the greatest figures of 20th-century soul and rhythm and blues. In 2025, the artist also received a Carte Blanche from the Constantino Nery Municipal Theatre, in Portugal, to present a show revisiting very special moments from her already long career.
“Marta took that ‘blank page’ and filled it with her heart. She ‘opened the chest of time’ and revisited her journey and influences to offer us a unique and carefully crafted performance—a celebration of the exceptional artist she is. In it, we follow her path: from the C+S schoolgirl who, to the sound of her favorite records, dreamed of stepping onto a stage, to the soul diva and ‘stage animal’ we all know today. And, as great artists do, she surrounded herself with talented people—from the musicians to the lighting design, from video to every detail that makes this show a complete celebration. I am very lucky and proud to share roots with such a talented artist, for whom I have deep admiration, and I had the joy of seeing this show open the first season I created from scratch for the municipal theatre of the city where we grew up.”
(José Nunes, Artistic Director of the Constantino Nery Municipal Theatre, Matosinhos).
In Portugal, the artist has performed at Festa do Avante, EDP Cool Jazz Festival, Centro Cultural Olga Cadaval, Festival Rock à Moda do Porto, Paredes Jazz & Blues, Almada Feliz, Festival F, Festival Junta-te ao Jazz, among many others over recent years. Embracing references to the styles and eras she pays tribute to, Marta Ren uses her own term to describe her music: Funk ’n’ Roll! In 2026, the artist celebrates 30 years of career and returns to the stage with new songs, ten years after Stop Look Listen. New album will be released in 2027!