24 Mar Do Cabo do Mundo – an immigrant tribute to Fausto
“Do Cabo do Mundo – an immigrant tribute to Fausto” is a new musical project that revisits the work of Fausto Bordalo Dias through the perspective of immigrant artists who live and work in Portugal, bringing together the voices of Luca Argel, Nani Medeiros, Nancy Vieira, and Selma Uamusse. Conceived by musician and musical director Carlos César Motta, in collaboration with Fred Martins, the project blends African and Brazilian roots in a contemporary interpretation of one of the most important songbooks in Portuguese music. It premieres live on April 11 at the Teatro-Cine de Pombal.
At a time marked by divisive rhetoric, reinforced borders, and identities set in opposition, “Do Cabo do Mundo – an immigrant tribute to Fausto” stands as an artistic gesture of encounter. The project departs from the idea of crossing—so central to Fausto’s work—and reinscribes it in the present, bringing together different stories, accents, and senses of belonging as creative material, while affirming their active contribution to Portugal’s cultural landscape. Its aim is not merely to revisit a repertoire, but to activate it: to return it to the public sphere as a space for listening, dialogue, and mutual recognition.
It is within this context that the Atlantic emerges as a symbolic and structural axis. More than a geographical space, it is understood as a territory of connection between Portugal, Africa, and Brazil—a historical and cultural point of convergence that Fausto’s work uniquely traverses, and which this project extends through new perspectives.
This crossing is expressed through a musical language strongly shaped by rhythm and polyrhythm, where percussion plays a central role and the arrangements explore the coexistence of different traditions—from samba to maracatu, from funaná to morna. Within this sonic landscape, emblematic songs such as “Por Este Rio Acima”, “Lembra-me um Sonho Lindo”, and “Rosalinda” are revisited, revealing new layers of interpretation and reaffirming the timelessness of Fausto’s songwriting.
The musical direction is led by Carlos César Motta, a drummer and percussionist with more than three decades of experience, widely recognized for his sensitivity, versatility, and artistic rigor. Over the course of his career, he spent 12 years as a member of Maria Bethânia’s band and collaborated with artists such as Elza Soares, Simone, and Zélia Duncan. Based in Portugal since 2018, he has been developing work that bridges tradition and contemporaneity, and is also a close collaborator of Luca Argel.
Carlos César Motta – ©Ana Carvalho
The voices shaping this project reflect the diversity that sustains it: Luca Argel, a Luso-Brazilian musician, poet, and writer whose work bridges artistic creation and historical reflection; Nani Medeiros, a Brazilian singer with Portuguese roots who organically blends the tradition of Brazilian popular music with fado; Nancy Vieira, one of the most renowned interpreters of Cape Verdean music, deeply connected to morna and its legacy; and Selma Uamusse, a Mozambican artist based in Portugal, whose artistic presence is marked by intensity and a strong, distinctive identity.
Together, these artists construct an interpretation that sets Fausto’s work in motion, revealing its ability to engage with the present. Born in the heart of the Atlantic, Fausto developed an artistic path in which journeys, encounters, and historical tensions are transformed into musical expression. A legacy that is extended here—not as an exercise in memory, but as a living practice.
The project premieres live on April 11 at the Teatro-Cine de Pombal, marking its first encounter with the public and anticipating its disc release. The stage presentation precedes the launch of the first single, scheduled for April 24, which in turn anticipates the digital release of the full album, distributed by Symphonic and set for May. The record is co-produced by Casa Varela and the Teatro-Cine de Pombal.
“Do Cabo do Mundo – an immigrant tribute to Fausto” thus stands as a tribute to Fausto’s body of work that is also an artistic statement: a project that, through music, proposes a space of listening where diversity is not noise, but language.
