CUCA ROSETA

CUCA ROSETA | BIOGRAPHY 2013

We will come back to that. For now let us spend some time getting acquainted with Isabel Cuca Roseta in order to understand why, when writing about fado, words such as, fate or soul, for example, seem trite but essential.There is nothing in Cuca Rosetas life to foretell that, one day, the fado would choose her. There is no family history of fado singers and art music was the genre to which she grew up listening. Until the day she visits a fado house at the age of 18. Here, she felt the first shock, the first small onslaught to Cuca Rosetas soul: although the fado did not, yet, completely seduce her, she began to need it in her life. I went to fado houses mostly for the emotion because it was so intense, she recalls. Without her knowing, it was already too late; the fado had chosen her absolutely.

She began to sing timidly. Once, a special listener recognized the truth in her voice; a truth she was beginning to express. It was Carlos Zel who insisted, You must learn more fados. She promised to do so.

Life, however, has this tendency of getting in the way of our best-laid plans and, suddenly, Cuca is a member of a pop band - Tiago Bettencourts Toranja - which, with only a small repertoire, was leaving its mark on Portuguese mainstream music. Those were exciting times, a successful adventure. But an emptiness remained, always an emptiness.

Having completed a degree in Psychology, she decides to participate in a fado competition held in Oporto. She learned eight songs. But Cucas most important reward came in the form of an unwavering certainty. This is what I want to do, she thought at the time. And, determined, she set out in search of her fate.She spent a year wandering around Lisbon, singing and learning; always learning. She became a frequent presence at places where fado was being performed; she spoke to other musicians, other fado singers. There was a world of things to learn which had to do with poetry, with emotion. She met Ana Moura who encouraged her to continue. And one night, she is introduced by Nobre Costa to Joo Braga, known for his propensity and vision for launching new fado singers in his concerts

Next followed a stint in Clube de Fado. Mrio Pacheco, guitarist and proprietor of the club, has a keen ear for new voices. He liked the new fadista and she quickly became a member of the prestigious ensemble. During this time, she absorbed every single second of fado to which she was exposed. And it was during one of those nights, when she wasnt even supposed to be there, that justifies the reason for these lines. Just so, without any planning or hope.  A night when, unforeseen, by mere chance, luck or mystery, Cuca Roseta met the Argentinian Gustavo Santaolalla: musician, producer and renowned soundtrack composer (Oscar-winner for Babel and Brokeback Mountain). That dogged fate in which Cuca believes in more and more. As if reliving that night for the first time, she confides slowly but assuredly, I believe in fate. Everything happened naturally, taking me almost by surprise.

Cuca Roseta establishes herself as a new voice in Fado. A voice everyone wants to hear."