With nearly 30 years of career, 19 released albums and countless concerts all over the world, Cristina Branco is an tireless ambassador for Portuguese culture and language. Traditional music is her main aesthetic root, but the influence of jazz, literature, and the musicians she shares the stage with lend her music a universal character and sublime charm.
She began her artistic journey in the Netherlands with “Cristina Branco in Holland” (1997), an album that became a true success in that country. In the following years, her name resonated throughout Europe, with sold-out dates in numerous cities. “Murmúrios” (1998) and “Post-Scriptum” (2000) reinforced this successful moment, and Cristina was awarded two Prix Choc by the magazine Le Monde de la Musique.
This was followed by Abril (2007), an album featuring versions of songs by José Afonso; Kronos (2009); and Fado Tango (2011), her iconic tenth studio album, which included collaborations with several renowned Portuguese authors and foreshadowed the artistic rebirth that would arrive a few years later with Menina (2016). Considered the Best Album of the Year by the Portuguese Society of Authors (SPA), it became the first chapter of a trilogy that includes Branco (2018) and Eva (2020). Across these works, Cristina Branco brought together unusual collaborations that blended styles and genres, resulting in unique and innovative interpretations of fado.
In 2022, marking her 25-year career, she performed over 40 concerts across Europe and released “Amoras numa Tarde de Outono“, an album in collaboration with pianist João Paulo Esteves da Silva. The most recent album, “Mãe“, released in 2023, is a unique musical creation in which Cristina Branco lends her singular and expressive voice to a variety of authors, continuing her artistic tradition. Both on record and on stage, “Mãe” offers audiences an original repertoire that takes them on an immersive journey of rediscovering fado, exploring its emotional depths and nuances. “Senhora do Mar Redondo“, the lead single, is proof of this.
In 2024, “Abril – Cristina Branco canta José Afonso” returned to national stages in an engaging show with arrangements and musical direction by pianist Ricardo Dias. Póvoa de Varzim, Vila Real, Covilhã, Grândola, Loulé (Festival MED), and Lisbon (São Luiz Teatro Municipal) were some of the venues that, as part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, had the privilege of hosting this tribute to the repertoire of the singer-songwriter of Freedom.
In 2025, the show has been enriched with new versions and arrangements, maintaining its essence while offering a renewed experience. The new singles “Teresa Torga” and “Canção da Paciência” are the latest and vibrant expression of this project. The present tour that will continue throughout 2025, with a highlight being the performance, in December, at the Casa da Música in Porto.
CRISTINA BRANCO CANTA JOSÉ AFONSO
The careful choice of songs on “Abril” is a reflection of Cristina Branco’s intense connection with José Afonso’s work. In concert, the singer revisits the album, including emblematic themes such as “Menino d’Oiro”, “Venham Mais Cinco”, “Redondo Vocábulo”, “A Morte Saiu à Rua” or “Índios da Meia Praia”. The single “Teresa Torga”, published in April 2025, is the latest and most vibrant expression of this project.
AMORAS NUMA TARDE DE OUTONO, WITH JOÃO PAULO ESTEVES DA SILVA
Cristina Branco and João Paulo Esteves da Silva brought together unique live experiences, seen and heard by distant audiences. This was the genesis of ‘Amoras numa Tarde de Outono’, an album that seeks to record, like a photographic document, the work the duo has been doing on stage for the last 20 years.
PRESS QUOTES
«You can listen to this record as if it were a ballet (…) The result is always surprising. And beautiful, it has to be said.« Time Out
«Cristina Branco’s new album is called “Mãe” (…) Once again, It is a diamond. (…) Branco returns to traditional fado and keeps what is fundamental: the truth.» Valter Hugo Mãe (writer), in Notícias Magazine
«When Cristina Branco chooses to, she is a stunning fadista. Just not an orthodox one.» Songlines
«It is perhaps her most emotionally profound album: Cristina Branco is back with “Mãe” (“Mother”) and penetrates the depths of human existence with her fado.» Hr2 kultur
«Magical music that reaches the heart!» Music
«A breathtaking musical masterpiece […] This album invites the listener on a journey of rediscovery and reinvention of Fado.» Rhein Main Magazine