nCesária “Barefoot Diva” Évora would arguably stand out as the most famous musician from Cape Verde, credited for popularizing “Morna” music, a popular melancholic yet warm and lyrically rich genre that is the backbone of Cape Verdean music. In following Évora’s footsteps the archipelagos of West Africa have witnessed a lot of compositions that have equally become popular and helped keep the culture alive.
One of the artists who have stood out as the true voice of Cape Verde would be Elida Almeida, the 23-year-old has caused quite a stir in her home country and across Africa, Elida has put out a number of songs that have seen her get mentioned in the same line as the great musicians from Cape Verde, despite her young age. Her music catalog speaks of sincerity, and life lessons based on her personal experiences, with poetic lyrics that are reflective of the troubled childhood she has been through.
Elida’s first album Ora Doci Ora Margos (2014) translated to mean (Sweet Times Bitter Times), is a well-packaged personification of her life and personal experiences showcased by her alluring soulful, deep, sensual yet powerful vocals coasting through various emotions that would help in understanding her personality and character. Kriolu (the creole language of Portuguese basis) is the main tongue on the whole album.
Lebam Ku Bo, is one of the tracks off “Ora Doci Ora Margos”, it is a gorgeously bold performance with a love theme and exemplary guitar that swings between somewhat fast dance melodies to the relaxed slow paced gaping structure. Nta Konsigui on the other hand bears a sorrowful tune laid on a low tempo representation of vocal harmonies and an incredible guitar arrangement. Joana is about a girl who had to deal with her pregnancy and the anger it brought to her mother, the theme mirrors Elida’s life and how she dealt with her pregnancy at a tender age. Tomam El on the other hand is a love ballad that speaks of the intrigues in relationships. The 13-track album is basically a touchy compilation of straightforward incredible music and an introduction to the person and artist that is Elida, with an incredible blend of various genres including; “batuque”, “funana” and “morna” elements and the skillful guitarist Hernani Almeida’s input.
Her most recent release “Txika”, released July 22, under Lusafrica is a single that speaks of a young woman who dreams of a magazine life; fame and success but doesn’t want to work hard to earn it.