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Cape Verde is known internationally formorna, a form offolk music usually sung in theCape Verdean Creole, accompanied byclarinet,violin,guitar andcavaquinho.Funaná,Coladeira,Batuque andCabo love are other musical forms.
In the contrary of Cape Verdean literature, the music of Cape Verde is performed inCape Verdean Creole[1] and not inPortuguese. Therefore, the music, in Cape Verde, is considered to becreolophone and not lusophone. Songs composed in Portuguese do exist (for instance,“Mar eterno” from Eugénio Tavares,“Ponta do Sol” from António Caldeira Marques,“Separação” from Palmeirinho) but are extremely scarce.
Cape Verde is anislandarchipelago that was uninhabited until thePortuguese arrived in 1462. The sailors brought with themAfrican slaves, and the islands' population became mixed with elements of both races. Climate conditions made the islands inhospitable, and the Portuguese governments mostly ignored the inhabitants and the frequent droughts and famines that wracked the islands periodically. As a result, there are now more Cape Verdeans abroad than at home, and sizable communities exist inNew England,Portugal,Wales,Senegal,Italy,France and theNetherlands.
In 2011, it would be one of the most recent countries to have its own music award – theCabo Verde Music Awards. This recognises the greatest songs of the year by Cape Vedean and foreign artists. At the continental level, singers or artists from Cape Verde and Capeverdeans abroad are included in theMTV Africa Music Awards, hosted each year by the music networkMTV. From 2001-2011, Cape Verdeans and Capeverdeans abroad were awarded theKORA Awards, with only two singers ever winning – Cesária Évora and Suzanna Lubrano.
Morna is by far the most popular genre of Cape Verdean music, and it has produced an international superstar inCesária Évora.Morna is a national song-style, likeArgentiniantango, beloved by Cape Verdeans across the many islands of the country. Lyrics are usually in Creole, and reflect highly-variable themes, includinglove andlust,patriotism andmourning.
Morna is believed to have originated onBoa Vista as a cheerful song-type.Eugénio Tavares was an influential songwriter of the period, and his songs are still extensively performed. Morna also spread toSão Vicente, and composers likeB. Leza andManuel de Novas became popular. Solo vocalists are accompanied by aguitar,violin,bass guitar,piano andcavaquinho (similar to aukulele).
In the 1930s,Morna evolved in a swifter form of music calledcoladeira. It is a more light-hearted and humorous genre, with sensual rhythms. Performers includeCodé di Dona,Manuel de Novas,Frank Cavaquim,Djosa Marques andOs Tubarões.
Aside from Évora, popularmorna musicians includeIldo Lobo, Titina,Celina Pereira,Bana,Djosinha,B. Leza,Travadinha,Sãozinha,Maria Alice,Carmen Souza,Gardénia Benros, andAssol Garcia.
Funaná is anaccordion-based genre fromSantiago. Prior to independence,funaná was denigrated by colonial authorities, who considered it African. Since independence, however, bands likeBulimundo adapted the music for pop audiences andFinaçon, who combinedfunaná andcoladeira into a fusion calledfunacola. Other group includes Paris-basedLa MC Malcriado
Batuque is also popular in Cape Verde. Originally a woman's folk music,batuque is an improvised music with strong satirical or critical lyrics. In the 80's,Orlando Pantera has created the "new batuco" (neo-batuku), but he died in 2001 before to achieve his creative work. Performers and songwriters areOrlando Pantera,Vadú,Tcheka,Mayra Andrade,Lura,Zeca di nha Reinalda.
Tabanka orTabanca is a form of music in Cape Verde, also popular, it characterizes by having an allegro, a binary compass,[1]and traditionally being melodic only. Singers or artists and band include Os Tubarões, Zezé di Nha Reinalda,Finaçon, Orlando Pantera andSimentera.
Coladeira is a form ofdance and music from Cape Verde. Singers and musicians includesNancy Vieira, the bandSimentera, Mité Costa, Bana, Manecas Matos, Cabral & Cabo Verde Show, Ildo Lobo, Djalunga, Paulino Vieira, Dudú Araújo, Beto Dias andSuzanna Lubrano
Colá is a form of music from Cape Verde. It is mainly sung during religious festivals in the islands of Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau, Boa Vista and Brava.
In the late 1970s, the cape verdean diaspora living in Europe and North America have influenced the traditional "Coladeira" withCompas /Kompa to create a version of Zouk called Cola-zouk, a similar Compas (Kompa) fusion to the French Antillean's Zouk" or "Zouk Love". Later, the new generation who grew up in Cape Verde featured a slow mixed version of electric pop music with Cape Verdean music styles, a light Compas called "Cabo Love" or "Cabo Zouk". The Cape Verdean Zouks are typically sung in Cape Verdean creole, it is often mistaken for the Angolan kizomba. This light Compas has become popular in Portuguese speaking countries of Africa, Brazil, and the rest of the world. Most of the songs are written in Portuguese/creole.
Cape Verdean Zouk singers and producers includeSuzanna Lubrano, Nilton Ramalho, Johnny Ramos,Nelson Freitas,Mika Mendes,Manu Lima, Cedric Cavaco, Elji, Loony Johnson, Klasszik, Mark G, Tó Semedo, Beto Dias, Heavy H, Marcia,Gilyto, Kido Semedo, Ricky Boy, Klaudio Ramos, M&N Pro, Gilson, Gil,G-Amado, Philip Monteiro, Z-BeatZ Pro, Gama, Juceila Cardoso and Denis Graça.
Hip-hop is also a growing trend in Cape Verdean music both inside Cape Verde and those abroad. The music genre started outside Cape Verde and has gained popularity inside Cape Verde. Several of the artists are based outside Cape Verde and the Capeverdean communities abroad, including Portugal, France, Angola and the Netherlands. Rappers include Cape Verde-bornBoss AC,Jacky Brown andStomy Bugsy from France, Angolan-bornElizio, andNelson Freitas from the Netherlands.
Cape Verde has also symphonic music along with instrumental music, the most famous beingVasco Martins, he made Cape Verde's first symphonies, also it was one of westernmost Africa's first symphonists. He made eight symphonies including thefourth symphony titledBuddha Dharma, the sixth relating toMonte Verde, São Vicente's tallest point.
Most of the symphonies have African elements.
Other artists includeJohnny Rodrigues, an immigrant to the Netherlands, he was the first Cape Verdean artist to have his single reaching number one in another country, it was a hit in both the Netherlands and Belgium's Flanders.
Other artists of Cape Verdean descent include those in São Tomé and Príncipe such asCamilo Domingos from the island of Príncipe which mainly has elements with other African music and those in the United States such asHorace Silver whose father was born in Cape Verde, some of his songs have Cape Verdean music genre, featured in some albums includingThe Cape Verdean Blues andSong for My Father, some have elements with other foreign music mainly of the Americas.
Several of its musical instruments are of African origin including bombolom,cimboa,correpi and dondom.
Cape Verdean music are also have been influenced with foreign artist, one of them was the Brazilian quintetQuinteto Violado who made an albumIlhas de Cabo Verde (1988) which has songs that relate to Cape Verde and its music.