Katia Guerreiro

Katia Guerreiro was born on February 23rd, 1976, in South Africa, to Portuguese parents. Soon after her birth, her family returned to São Miguel Island, in the Azores. At age of 15, she learned to play a local type of instrument called “viola da terra” (a traditional instrument in the Azores) and began playing with a group called Rancho Folclórico de Santa Cecília. Years later she moved to Lisbon, where she attended medical school and graduated in 2000. During these academic years, she maintained, however, an intense connection to music: first as the lead singer of a rock band from the 60’s, Os Charruas, and later, through João Mário Veiga, in charismatic Fado gatherings and evenings in the capital.

And it was in 2000 that her musical career in fado began, when she performed at the concert in honour of Amália Rodrigues, at Lisbon’s Coliseu. At the time, both the critics and the public surrendered to her interpretation of “Amor de Mel, Amor de Fel” and “Barco Negro”, being considered the best performance of the night.