Tété Alhinho, a renowned artist and musician, was born in Mindelo, a small and impoverished seaside town on the island of Saint Vincent. Mindelo is Cape Verde’s most culturally diverse town, attracting people from all over the world due to its bay. The town’s population is broad-minded, and its music is sensually distinctive. Tété inherited the rhythm and feeling of the sea, which gives her an enormous sense of freedom that she expresses in her music.
During the early nineties, Simentera, a music group, rose to global prominence, with Tété Alhinho’s voice being the standout performer. Her singing and compositions are extremely calming, and once an individual experiences her live performances, they can never return to their daily routine with ease.
Tété’s music is characterized by a melancholic tone that is not necessarily sad. According to her, “you compose better about love when you are melancholic than when you are happy.” When you are happy in love, you are so filled with affection that you have no space for anything else. But when you are melancholic, you need to share it with others, so you compose to express what you feel. However, the other side of melancholy is hope, believing in better days to come. It is with this simplicity that Tete wins the hearts of her audience, with a velvet voice composed of threads from Cabo Verde, Cuba, Mexico, or even Portugal, where her father was born. Her natural fiber is pure magic, inspiring all those who hear her singing.
Tété’s album “Mornas Ao Piano” was digitally released worldwide by SONY Music on April 7, 2017, and it received critical acclaim from the press in Portugal. The single “Mindel de Mae Auta” was awarded the prize for “Best Morna” at the Cabo Verde Music Awards (CVMA). Her other albums include “Sentires” (1998), “De-Cor-a-Som” (1999), and “Voz” (World Connection, 2001).
Discography:
Sentires (1998)
De-Cor-a-Som (1999)
Voz (World Connection, 2001)
Mornas Ao Piano (Trem Azul, 2017)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.