The New Voice of
Contemporary Fado Music
The New York Times
has recognized
Vieira as
an American at the forefront
of the Fado music resurgence.
“The conservatory-trained singer
Ramana Vieira adds a New Age
sensibility
and instrumentation
of the music...”
—New York Times
Events for 2024
Come enjoy an evening with Ramana Vieira—
the new voice of contemporary Fado music.
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Time-Herald writes,
“Vacaville-based singer and pianist Ramana Vieira specializes in fado, the traditional Portuguese folk music likened to American blues, but lately she and her backing quartet expanded their song list in surprising ways.
In the past six months, the ensemble’s repertoire, while still showcasing contemporary fado, has folded in songs to reflect “Basia to Sade meets Santana meets Portugal,” she wrote in an email to The Reporter.
This new tapestry of sounds will be in full effect from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday in the Speakeasy at Makse Restaurant on Main Street in downtown Vacaville.
She called the restaurant venue an “intimate lounge where folks can get an up close and intimate encounter with our band and just like the dueling pianos that performs regular at Makse Speakeasy, we, too, as a band, can honor a few musical requests, so come down and try us,” she added.
Take a peek at Ramana Vieira and Ensemble's new promotional video!!
Take a deeper look into our live performances of Fado music and more!!!
Review by Toronto Cultural Media Network with World Music Report!
Ramana Vieira: Tudo De Mim
"There is no doubt that being separated from the cultural topography of her soul only intensifies the sense of longing for her beloved Portugal. This seems quite evident not only in the chosen repertoire of Tudo De Mim by Ramana Vieira, the astute practitioner of Portugal’s traditional exquisitely bluesy song-form. It is also quite clear that artistically speaking, Miss Vieira has grown enormously since she burst on the scene on the West Coast of the USA, where she was born and continues to reside. The dictionary translation of the word ‘fado’ is ‘fate’. The meaning invested in this four-letter word by the Portuguese is, however, rich, deep, and complex. The resulting music – at least in Lisboa – may be defined as an urban, café style and parallels may be drawn with rembétika, blues and the original tango."
Welcome to our newest videos!
This song, Fado La La La reached the Ethnocloud charts of #3 top video in North America.
Performance in Madeira, Portugal at Art Camacha Festival 2023
We were delighted to perform this song, "Trago Fado Nos Sentidos," with a fabulous Fado trio in my mother's village of Camacha, Portugal.
Journey to the world of Portuguese Fado
Ramana Vieira captures the traditional Fado music and influences from the Portuguese diaspora in a musical tapestry that ranges from the whispering, haunting ballads of Fado, to American classics and original creations.
Vieira is a northern California native of Portuguese descent. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Portugal, where her grandfather was a well-known musician and composer from Madeira Island.
She also is a proficient pianist and a gifted songwriter having penned and composed her own original Fados, of which several have been nominated at the International Portuguese Music Awards.
Her music has been featured on TAP Air Portugal. She has opened for the legendary Grammy artist out of Portugal, MARIZA and her song, “Unido Para Amar” was performed at the Winter Olympics in 2006.
She released her fifth album, Tudo de Mim released on May 1, 2023 on all digital outlets.
Ramana Vieira Highlights
• A New York Times feature on Fado mentions Vieira making her mark in the music world: “Conservatory-trained singer Ramana Vieira adds a New Age sensibility and instrumentation to [Fado] with cello and drums.”
• Featured on Good Day Sacramento CBS TV
• Music featured on TAP AIR PORTUGAL
• Nominated for best Fado performance in 2016 with the International Portuguese Music Awards
• Vieira has shared the stage with Grammy-nominated Fadista Mariza
• In 2010, Vieira received the honor of being invited to Macau, China to headline the huge “Encontro Festival,” where she wowed the audience during closing ceremonies and was chosen to appear on the front cover of the Macau Journal
• Vieira’s original song “Unido Para Amar” was included in the video montage for the 2006 Winter Olympics
• Made an international debut on RPT TV Portuguese network
Chosen to sing for the Grammy’s 50th Awards special MusiCares Benefit to honor Aretha Franklin
• Toured the East Coast including performances at New Bedford, MA’s Feast of The Blessed Sacrament – the largest Portuguese Festival in the world, plus a show at New York’s prestigious City Winery
• Nominated for the International Portuguese Music Awards in Two Categories, Best Fado and Best World Music song both featured on the site "Nem As Paredes Confesso and Cabo Verde
• Performed for the President of the Azores Dr. Vasco Cordeiro Oct. 2015
Fado Resurgence
The New York Times has recognized Vieira as an American at the forefront of the Fado resurgence. "The conservatory-trained singer Ramana Vieira adds a New Age sensibility and instrumentation of the music..." —New York Times
Vieira has been described by Mundo Portugues newspaper as the “New Voice of Portuguese World Music.”
Her original composition, “Unido Para Amar,” was played at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Recently, United States Congressman Jim Costa expressly invited Vieira to perform for the President of the Regional Government of the Azores, Portugal.
Vieira has also headlined the largest Portuguese festivals in the world. She has received multiple International Portuguese Music Awards (IPMA) nominations for her original compositions.
Reviews
The New York Times has recognized Vieira as an American at the forefront of the Fado resurgence. "The conservatory-trained singer Ramana Vieira adds a New Age sensibility and instrumentation of the music..."
“Ramana Vieira deserves a prominent place in the front rank of today’s Fado singers, you will feel transported to another place....maybe Bairro Alto, Lisbon... Ramana Vieira is a force in spreading awareness of Fado, having developed her style in California, abroad in Portugal, and listening to its many modes."
"Known as the Portuguese incarnation of the blues, Fado is characterized by mournful, haunting music full of longing and despair. Ramana Vieira of San Leandro, CA has been hailed as “the rising star in world music” by the San Francisco Examiner and noted for having “developed her style in California [and] abroad in Portugal” (Boston Globe). With prominent appearances on the world stage, Vieira has performed across the United States, Portugal and China."
“Ramana is a hidden gem which the world deserves to discover: Her music blends together the most unlikely basic components - Californian ease and carefree spirit, with stern, melancholy, ancient Portuguese ... and the result is a fascinating and unique style where Fado, Jazz, Groove, Ethereal, Blues, Salsa, Hip-Hop, Lounge, Classical and even Trance surprise you every time. She’s passionate and light, like a warm sunset!"
"If anyone can expand Fado’s audience and take the music from Portuguese dive bars to PBS specials, it’s Vieira."
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