Fado, Portugal’s special brand of folk music, has been considered “the most genuine expression of the Portuguese culture” by the country’s President Cavaco Silva.
“Fado is a characteristic trait of our culture. It is one of the elements that better defines our culture’s soul,” he said, during a ceremony in which he distinguished Fado singers Argentina Santos and Vicente da Câmara as well as guitarist and Fado songwriter Carlos Gonçalves.
During the same speech, he also stressed the role of “older” Fado singers who kept the genre alive during times that were even harder than they are today.
He also had praise for the new generation of singers who have been boosting Fado’s appeal abroad. It was only two years ago that UNESCO classified Portugal’s traditional music as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
