Bévinda
Luz

"It is not I who sing the fado, it is the fado that sings in me"

It is born in hidden places and becomes a dancing vibration in the air, reaching us to transform into a light, dramatic, sweet, and intense electricity that crosses the entire body in an instant with the sole purpose of moving us. It is the fado (from the Latin fatum, fate), a song that speaks to the soul, because it comes from the soul. No one knows exactly how and when it was born, but everyone identifies it with one land: Portugal. And it is precisely in this country rich in history, traditions, cultures that Bévinda Ferriere was born, although she left it to go to France when she was just a child. This, however, did not prevent her from becoming over the years one of the most important and original interpreters of this ancient yet still alive music. And it is evident, listening to her, that she must have carried her land within herself to make it shine today, also in light of her current "French" status, in new sounds, full of grace and suggestions.

Her latest and beautiful studio work, "Luz" (Chant Du Monde – 2005), is a clear example of how it is possible to interpret in a modern key a music with deep and mysterious roots, reminiscent of the sea and nostalgia. Thus, starting from fado, Bévinda's voice departs from tradition and flies from France to Portugal, then skims Spain before crossing the Mediterranean and looking eastward. Listening becomes a way to travel with the mind and imagine fascinating worlds far away in space and time. Thus in "Luz" we do not find a single culture reflected, because this music lives on different colors like those that stand out on the meaningful cover. Some can be found in the opening track of the album "Estrada nº 4", in which the singer's voice gives the idea of a happy walk amidst the confused chatter of people. An immense vitality is perceived in this passage and it is immediately understood that her music should not be identified exclusively with drama. It is, in fact, not only a crossroads of cultural references, but also of different feelings harmonized by her wonderful voice. This does not detract from the fact that there are also spaces on the album for poignant moments ("Punta") or delicate melancholies, as in the lullaby "Dorme Amorino" in which Bévinda's voice manages to become a warm embrace that consoles and enchants, also thanks to the backdrop of second voices and Arabic percussion.

Throughout the listening, the guitars of Philippe de Sousa (classical, Portuguese, cavaquinho) and Mathias Duplessy (flamenco, lute) appear prominently, representing not so much an accompaniment as a necessity for the melodic developments of the Franco-Portuguese singer, just like the rhythmic section of Philippe Foch, which stands out for the use of tabla, udu, and cajon. But over every note, over every small musical moment, Bévinda's voice rises, managing to be sensual, impetuous, delicate, sweet, profound, elegant, giving us an album of clear beauty that perhaps many will not hear unless fate decides otherwise.