Matilde Cid

Matilde Cid stands out from the crowd by the way she sings: a strong, charismatic woman, with immense joy when she’s on stage. Growing up in a family of musicians, Matilde soon realizes that Fado will become her great passion. Matilde’s voice, strong, sweet, and melodic, sings fado in a very particular and different way, as a result of all the musical influences she has gained throughout her life. Her first album, “Puro” (“Pure”), was released in September 2019 and was nominated for “Best Fado Record” in the 2020 edition of the Vodafone PLAY Awards. “Desassossego (Restlessness),” her second album, released in November 2023, has an impressive line-up of musicians, including guitarists Bernardo Couto, Luís Guerreiro, Bernardo Saldanha, and Francisco Gaspar, as well as pianist Manuel Oliveira, violinist Malu Garcia, Argentinian Martín Sued on bandoneón, and Brazilian singer-songwriter Fred Martins. The pared-down instrumentation gives each of the 13 tunes a deceptively simple tone, never overwhelming Cid’s nuanced vocal delivery. From the jaunty ‘Porquês (Fado Sem Pernas)’, the album builds up in intensity, ending with the hymn-like a cappella ‘A Noite’. It feels as if we’re being taken on an intimate journey, guided by love: wishful, wistful, hidden, or secret. As Cid herself reveals, “I have poured a bit more of myself into it… it’s life sung.” (Songlines April 2024)