Lura
Cap Verde
Lura
She attracted attention in 2004 with an amazing album: Di Korpu Ku Alma. Following in the footsteps of her great elder Cesaria Evora, Lura, the most cosmopolitan of all Cape Verdean artists, is a rising star on the international music scene. The Portuguese-speaking, sun-tanned beauty with the dazzling smile and devastating dance-steps started to sing in her teens, to the rhythms of the islands, the sound of Portuguese pop music, the beats of the African communities in Lisbon and the passion of American soul music. It all came so naturally that there was not much time to think about it then. Now, at 31, there is no need to think about it either, knowing as she does that she is and always will be a singer.
Watching her wander softly through the dunes at Sal or the stone-paved streets of Santa Maria or walk on the pier among fishermen, her ebony-black eyes gazing out at the turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean, one understands the true essence of her beauty, so immediate, so warm. She walks and sings with the same innate grace. At 17, for fun, she sang background vocals for Juka, a zouk artist from Sao Tomé & Principe. Her singing and dancing soon stole the show.
She recorded a first album - mostly dance music and mainly intended for the Black and mixed-race communities living in Lisbon. She also took part in several projects, among which Red Hot + Lisbon, a compilation including Nha Vida (My Life) from her first album. A sports student at the time, she then decided to quit training and focus on the Cape Verdean music scene. Her duet with living Angolan legend Bonga (Mulemba Xangola) attracted attention, as well as her various collaborations with fellow-countrymen Tito Paris, Paulo Florès or Paulinho Vieira. Her second album (including Ma’n ba dès bès kumida dâ and Tabanka Assigo, both composed by Tcheka) definitely appealed to José Da Silva of Lusafrica.
He lost no time in signing her. And in 2004 released the fabulous Di Korrpu Ku Alma. A tribute to her Cape Verdean origins, and her first real album, the recording shows an artist who’s bound to climb to the stars. The album is hailed by the critics. Lura starts touring. Her career takes off. Acknowledging her many influences: Amalia Rodriguez’ fado, Beyoncé’s r’n’b, Caetano Veloso’s music or Cesaria Evora’s mornas, Lura is an artist open to her own heritage, to the world in which she lives and to a future which looks more than promising.
Seeing her in Cape Verde today, it is easy to understand how she got where she is now. Ever since she won everybody over with Vazulina or Na Ri Na - those who left and those who stayed alike - the whole population of Cape Verde has adopted Lura. She is very much attached to the land of her ancestors and proudly claims her roots. Her music bridges the gap between generations. Young people dance, fall in love and cry to the same beats and rhythms as their parents or grandparents. Santiago, Sal, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente or Santo Antao - all the islands give her love in return for her strong musical ties to a country that has contributed so much to the music world.
M’bem di Fora - I’ve come from far, as her second album proudly proclaims. In thirteen striking new songs and with the help of Nando Andrade (the acclaimed producer of Cesaria Evora’s Rogamar), Lura sheds a new light on the vast repertoire of her country. Like a ray of sunshine, she beams over the various beats and dance-rhythms that define Cape Verdean music. She is absolutely dazzling, yet so close - and her Creole voice sounds even more irresistible and sensuous than before.
Her close collaborator, pianist Toy Vieira, who is also the leader of her band on stage, has written and produced Mari D’Ascençon, an arrangement of a traditional mazurka, Festa di Nha Cumpadri, a song which owes much to popular Portuguese accordion music and Fitiço di Funana, a dance from the island of Santiago, where Lura’s father was born. On the album’s eponymous track, M’bem di Fora, another irresistible funana, Lura is joined by Zeca di Nha Reinalda, a living legend in Cape Verde.
From festive Midsummer’s day cola sanjon dance rhythms (Romana) to the batuque (Galanton) typical of the women on Santiago and the coladera of No Bem Fala, Lura - who has cowritten four of the songs - delivers a perfect album. Madagascan accordion-player Régis Gizavo’s flamboyant playing, Vincent Bucher’s folk-tinged harmonica (Pensa Drêt) or Pedro Joia’s flamenca guitar (Ponciana, written by the promising Tibau Tavares, who also penned As-Agua): this album is the fruit of much collaboration. Accompanied by such impeccable musicians, Lura’s voice soars to new heights.
Everybody in Cape Verde, and lovers of Cape Verdean music everywhere, see Lura as « barefoot diva » Cesaria Evora’s potential heir. She is much admired by young and old alike. Born in Lisbon in 1975, the year her parents left their (now independent) country, Lura has always been proud of her origins. Listen carefully to M’bem di Fora and you may hear a faint sadness in that sensuous voice, a whiff of saudade - all softness, though, no bitterness. Life is hard on the beautiful Cape Verde islands, a country of high emigration, a country one leaves to return to.
Lura has always been aware of this, even if she’s always lived in Lisbon. Today, she travels all over the world, singing at large open air festivals in Cape Verde, or at European or American venues. She has given over 200 concerts over the past 2 years. With her winged feet and her golden voice, Lura has come from afar and is on her way to the stars.
Line up: Lura, 6 musicians & 2 technicians
Availability 2007/2008 : all year long
Exclusivity for the whole world (except USA, Portugal & Mozambic). To know the agents for foreign countries, please consult links pages in the pro area.
Label : Lusafrica
115 rue Lamarck
75018 Paris / France
phone : +33 (0) 1 53 11 19 00
fax : +33 (0) 1 53 11 19 05
Email : info@lusafrica.com
Website : www.lusafrica.com
To know your local distributor, please consult links pages. To know the local press relations, please contact the distributor.
