Between modest childhood and difficult beginnings
Yet nothing predestined this woman to one day become "a rainha da morna", the queen of the morna. Born into a very modest family and one of 7 siblings, Cesária was placed in an orphanage from an early age. It was there that she was introduced to music by singing in the choir, and became familiar with the traditional music of her country.
Cize's father was himself a guitarist of the morna, a plaintive blend of fado and blues that conveys the suffering of the people. It was in 1958, on the death of her father's cousin, the poet Francisco da Cruz, nicknamed B. Leza, that she began to develop her distinctive artistic sensibility, performing in bars where her remuneration was usually reduced to tobacco and a few glasses of grogue.
A stroll through the streets of Mindelo takes us to meet the humble woman behind the star. Her face plastered on the walls indicates that we are in front of places that counted in her life, such as the Café Royal. The stage, decorated with a fresco of her likeness, takes us back to her youth, when she met her first love, João Chalino, who became her serenading companion. Her voice was in demand in bars such as Salão Gia and Piano Bar, and on the harbor boats.
His talent finally revealed to the public
In the 60's, a talent scout, Gregorio Gonçalves, known as Ti Goy, composed an original, tailor-made repertoire for her, with melodies she would continue to perform to the end. "I've been singing them for so long that they're part of me, maybe they've brought me luck," she says. In the 70s, after a stint on the radio, her fame spread as far as Portugal, and two albums were released. But she didn't make much money from it, and disillusionment and alcohol caused her to disappear from the music scene for eleven years, during which she took refuge with her children at her mother's house.
At around 45, her luck began to change when music impresario Bana invited her to perform in the Portuguese capital with other compatriots. It was there that she met José da Silva, her future manager, mentor and friend, who was won over by her talent and charisma. He lifted her out of poverty and addiction, and led her to fame.
International recognition late in the game
Her international debut came in 1992, the year she was discovered by the public with the release of her third album, Miss Perfumado, and it was then that she embarked on an itinerant life and was finally catapulted to global stardom.
In 2009, she released the album Nha Sentimento to rave reviews. At the age of 67, she was awarded the Légion d'honneur medal by the French Minister of Culture, who told her: "Your story has become a legend. It's about the victory of talent over fate. Conjuring fate through music, that's what you've done all your life"
But between tours, she always returned to her beloved little country. On Plaça Estrela, where women sell vegetables, she would go with her apron full of escudos to buy fresh produce to give to the needy, whom she helped tirelessly. In the small Núcleo Museológico Cesária Évora, inaugurated in 2015 and managed by her granddaughter Janette, is a collection of personal objects that speak to us of the two facets of Cize: her more human side, such as the clothes she wore when walking the streets of Mindelo, her ashtray, her favorite grogue glass..., and mementos of her professional career, such as her diplomatic passports and dresses worn at her shows. The Palacio do Povo also houses a permanent exhibition of objects that once belonged to the artist.
The barefoot diva
Nicknamed the "barefoot diva" - for some, because of her aversion to shoes, for others as a gesture of solidarity with the poor - she used to reply to journalists that she saw nothing wrong with that. Now, on August 27, her birthday, her fans have decided to pay tribute to her by spending the whole day barefoot.
Despite 5 million albums sold worldwide and the admiration of artists such as Madonna, who invited her to sing at her birthday party, Cesária has always refused to be part of the star system and the world of glitter, preferring simplicity. Her immense popularity has not prevented her from living in Mindelo, always faithful to her native island, far from luxury, as a lambda person, close to the people and enjoying spending time in the bars she has never stopped frequenting.
A simple woman who became a legend
December 17, 2011 was a day of national mourning in Cape Verde. Cesária, the woman who was born and died in humility and who rests beside her mother in an unadorned grave in Mindelo cemetery, passed away at the age of 70. Instead, the star of a myth has been lit up, and now shines in every corner of this archipelago.
Cesária Évora established herself as the figure who helped popularize a little-known style. She was soon adored by all generations and continues to inspire young artists. Singer Stromae paid generous tribute to her with a whole song entitled "Ave Cesária". For the record, it's the singer's musicians who accompany the Belgian singer.
It's rare that an artist does more for his people than the political class. That's what happened with Cesária Évora: since her performance in a Paris theater, people have learned to place the nation-archipelago on a world map. She paved the way for other generations of musicians, who, in her wake, now enjoy a social and commercial impact beyond national borders.
Inextricably linked to her roots, Cize sang poignantly of the sea, of love and the heartbreak of exile, of death and oblivion, in her unmistakably swaying voice. No doubt all her songs will continue to celebrate Cape Verde around the world, with an air of sodade..
