Helder Moutinho

In Portugal, fado is not simply a musical genre, it's the very essence of traditional Portugese culture and one of the most prominent 'fadista' of modern times is Helder Moutinho. Helder and his two fado singing brothers Camané and Pedro come from a long line of fado performers. Their great grandfather José Júlio da Silva Paiva was a famous fado composer and singer in the late 19th century. In his youth Helder, no doubt influenced by Moutinho family traditions, attended fado gatherings with other poets, musicians and singers until eventually being asked to join the cast of a traditional Lisbon fado house. After serving his fado apprenticeship in and around Lisbon, Helder Moutinho recorded his first studio album Sete Fados E Alguns Cantos, released in 1999. By the time he released his second album Luz De Lisboa in 2004 Moutinho was an international fado performer performing shows all over the world. Due to the efforts of performers like Moutinho, fado is now recognised by UNESCO as part of World Cultural Heritage and in recognition of his work Portugal's Museu Do Fado appointed him manager of their Casa De Severa, a heritage site showcasing traditional fado.

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