10 Jul Cristina Branco Earns Two Nominations at the PLAY: Traditional Music Awards
With the album Mulheres de Abril (Women of April), Cristina Branco has been nominated for the second edition of the PLAY: Traditional Music Awards in the categories of Best Traditional Album and Best Recreation of Traditional Roots Music. The winners will be announced on 19 July during a ceremony at the Royal Cloister of the Batalha Monastery, as part of the Artes à Vila festival.
This second tribute to José Afonso, following Abril (2007), focuses on a specific and revealing perspective: the female universe. The album shines a light on the women portrayed in José Afonso’s songs, their intimate stories, and his progressive vision of women’s role in a society undergoing profound change. The album was awarded the José Afonso Prize 2026.
In Mulheres de Abril, Cristina Branco revisits and reinterprets José Afonso’s repertoire, highlighting the human and social dimensions of his songs while bringing into the present the stories of the women who shaped his poetic universe. The project stands as a sensitive and contemporary tribute to the musical and cultural legacy of the iconic singer-songwriter. The album features eight emblematic compositions: Endechas a Bárbara Escrava, De Não Saber o Que Me Espera, Canção do Desterro, Teresa Torga, Canção da Paciência, Mulher da Erva, Verdade e Mentira, and Verdes São os Campos.
Following its live premiere in 2025 at the Auditório Carlos do Carmo in Lagoa and its acclaimed performance at Casa da Música in Porto, the concert Mulheres de Abril — Cristina Branco Sings José Afonso returned to the road this year with performances in Fafe, Almeirim, Alcanena, Castelo Branco and Lisbon, where it was presented at A Voz do Operário with the special participation of the institution’s Children’s Choir. Additional tour dates will be announced soon.
Both on the album and on stage, Cristina Branco is joined by Ricardo Dias (arrangements, production and piano), Alexandre Frazão (drums), Bernardo Moreira (double bass), Mário Delgado (guitars), and Tomás Marques (saxophone).
