Sara Correia makes Fado ‘her life’

ISTANBUL

Sara Correia, one of the most successful representatives of Fado in the young generation, who won a Latin Grammy nomination with “Do Coração,” will meet her fans at Istanbul’s Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall on May 17.

Growing up in a Fado family helped Correia be surrounded by music and musicians and to live this life in a very natural way. “Everything happened very quickly. I've been going to Fado houses since I was little, I come from a Fado family and I started singing at a young age,” she says.

The artist, who recently released her latest album “Liberdade,” answered questions ahead of her Istanbul concert.

At the age of 13, what was it like to win a contest and start making music? How did you fall in love with Fado?

I've always known I wanted to sing Fado. My family was always involved with Fado; my aunt was a Fado singer and my mother and grandparents were regulars in Fado houses. I was the one who went to Fado school, where they helped me get my bearings and taught me the basics. When I won the Big Fado Night, I went out and declared, "I want to make this my life." And that is a decision that I have made until now.

You started singing in Fado houses. Do Fado houses reflect the spirit of this music better?

The Casa de Fados is the basis for everything, it’s the Fado singer's school, serves as the foundation for everything. It's like practicing a religion, which is our Church. But you are a Fadista both inside and outside of Casa de Fados, on stage and in life.

We know that Amália Rodrigues is a very important artist in the history of Fado. Are there any other names you can suggest to understand Fado?

Amália is one of the biggest references, of course. She revolutionized Fado a lot and influenced all generations to follow. She sang everything she wanted, without ever ceasing to be a Fado singer. And that was revolutionary. But I have other references, people with whom I have privileged and sponsored me in Fado, such as Beatriz da Conceição, Maria da Nazaré or Celeste Rodrigues. To understand Fado, you need to listen to Fernando Mauricio or Carlos do Carmo from another perspective.

Is there a moment that you define as a turning point in your career? What were your dreams and what are your current dreams now?

The Great Night of Fado was a decisive moment in my career, the moment I decided that this was the life I wanted. But I also point out the moment when I decided to record my first album and let myself be led by the hand of Diogo Clemente, my producer and musical director, or the moment when my label called me to say that I had been nominated for a Latin Grammy. Back there I dreamed of, one day, stepping on the stage of the Coliseu dos Recreios. Recently I debuted there and we exhausted three nights in a row. I dream and continue to dream run the world and take my Fado and my truth always with me.

How do you define and explain the style and sound of the album “Liberdade”? What are your criteria when choosing new songs for the album?

This was the album where I was more involved in the selection of themes and, therefore, it is also the album in which I feel more accomplished, more me. I just decided to sing songs that tell me something, in which I see myself, because only then can I base everything we live on stage. And also because of that, regardless of the sound, this is also my most Fadista album.

What music genres do you prefer besides Fado?

I hear many different things, a lot of Portuguese music, of all genres, a lot of Brazilian music, of all genres, but also urban music, hip-hop, music that comes from the neighborhood, the street, such as Fado, such as me.

You are also a mentor in “The Voice” competition, what do you think is the most important feature of a voice and a singer?

The attitude, the grit that gets one into things, and, above all, the essence. We can’t want to be singers or to be famous if we have nothing to give others, nothing that distinguishes us and that we need to be true to ourselves. Only this will differentiate us.

What kind of repertoire awaits us in Istanbul? Do you have any impressions about Türkiye?

I will take the songs of my new album, "Liberdade" but also some songs from my first two albums. You can expect a lot of passion for what we do. I think the Turks are a bit like the Portuguese, passionate, intense. This is what I expect from the audience, this is what you can expect from my concert.