I'm probably too much of an old school right now, but I don't think so, since I believe I'm still keeping up with the flow. Bumping into the music of this determined girl, Mayra Andrade, the Creole who hails from that tiny archipelago off West Africa's coast called Cape Verde, one could not hesitate but pay attention to the kind of compositions that accompanies the rhythms of Cape Verde -- batuku and tabanka -- popularized by Orlando Pantera, songwriter, before his untimely death in 2001, which did influence Andrade as her success now catapults her to the top.Andrade's debut album, Navega is echoing everywhere and she is enjoying every bit of the attention and success that comes along with it. Born in Cuba but raised in Angola, Senegal, Cape Verde, Portugal and Germany due to the diplomatic status of her father, she somewhat enjoyed the moving around which helped her learn about other cultures within Africa and Europe.
Her music, especially the title track of her debut album reminds one of a lullaby, but in that track, like in any folklore, she sings about a fisherman's wife who's been waiting and hoping her husband returns "with a good catch and a little time to stay with me."
Andrade has continued with the footsteps of Cesaria Evora who first put Cape Verde on the map with morna ballads (blues/folklore) with series of awards to show for it. She won a gold medal for her singing at the Francophone Games in Canada. This year she won the German Critics Award and the BBC Radio 3 Award in the new comer category.
Nevertheless, spending most of her life abroad and with the Brazilian and Carribean influences in her vibes, she still keeps up with her native country's traditional pattern of music.
Andrade has gone back to the studio for her 2009 CD release and expectedly, more morna ballads will be filling the airwaves.
