Ramana Vieira
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer of the traditional Portuguese Fado
Fado
Fado is a music genre which can be traced to the 1820s in Portugal, but probably with much earlier origins. Fado historian and scholar, Rui Vieira Nery, states that "the only reliable information on the history of Fado was orally transmitted and goes back to the 1820s and 1830s at best...
.
Early life
Vieira was born to Portuguese immigrants who settled in San LeandroSan Leandro, California
San Leandro is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is considered a suburb of Oakland and San Francisco. The population was 84,950 as of 2010 census. The climate of the city is mild throughout the year.-Geography and water resources:...
, just east of San Francisco, California. She attended local San Leandro schools, then studied the performing arts at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Vieira said that as a young singer she had no interest in performing fado until she visited Portugal when she was 16 years old.
Career
Vieira recorded her debut album, Sem Ti (Without You) in 2000. In 2004, she self-released a CD titled Despi a Alma (I Undressed My Soul). The album included the song Para Amar which was included in a video montage for the 2006 Winter Olympics. Vieira was among the performers who sang at the 2008 MusiCares Person of the YearMusiCares Person of the Year
The MusiCares Person of the Year is an award presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the same organization that distributes the Grammy Awards, to commend musicians for their artistic achievement in the music industry and dedication to philanthropy...
ceremony. In 2009, she released the album Lagrimas De Rainha (Tears of a Queen), which (according to Vieira's press releases), reached number 43 on the World Music Radio charts.
Discography
- Sem Ti (Without You), 2000, Simply Smokin' Records
- Despi a Alma (I Undressed My Soul), 2004, Ramana Vieira
- Lágrimas De Rainha (Tears of a Queen), 2009, Pacific Coast Records