Natalino de Jesus

Born and raised in a popular Lisbon neighbourhood, Natalino de Jesus experienced the entire fado environment created by his neighbours’ singing, and frequently visited popular associations to watch fado performances.

One of those Sundays he was preparing to catch a bite and watch the fado performance at the association when, due to the lack of fado performers, he was invited to sing. Surprised, since he had never sung in public, Natalino de Jesus and the instrument players practiced the tone in which he should sing and so the show began, with the interpretation of two fados: "Fado Laiva" and "Ser Fadista". It was a success. After that, as he told us: "I got excited and during the week I learned another fado. The next Sunday I went there intending, not to eat, but to sing another little fado, and so I began…”

Later, in 1985, he competes in Grande Noite do Fado and wins. At this time of his life, fados were amateurish, since Natalino was a business partner in a company where he worked everyday. Fado only happened on weekends. The recognition following his victory in Grande Noite gives place to the first contracts and shows; "winning Grande Noite do Fado had a great impact, greater than it has today; at the time we were first page news in newspapers an magazines…” Consequently, Natalino de Jesus chooses to start a professional artistic career, finally embracing the fado genesis.

His pathway visited some of the most iconic fado houses in Lisbon. He joins the casts of "Adega Mesquita", "Botequim do Rei", located in Parque Eduardo VII, "Taverna D´El Rei" and now sings at "Severa". He occasionally sang in "Parreirinha de Alfama", "Faia", "Lisboa à Noite", "Luso" and "Adega Machado", where he met some remarkable figures he still recalls nostalgically: Manuel de Almeida, Fernando Farinha and Fernando Maurício.

From his travel experience – he travelled through most of the world, except Asia – Natalino admits fado is in a rising line, national and internationally. To the fado singer there will always be a gratitude debt to Amália Rodrigues because: "... she really was the pioneer, the one who divulged fado at a world level...".

In the several recordings of his career, the first of which in 1985, Natalino de Jesus has been accompanied by great instrument players, among which José António, Arménio de Melo, Carlos Macieira and Joel Pina.

In 2004 he releases the CD "Fado para dois" with Lenita Gentil, under the label Ovação, leading to a series of shows, a very good experience, and a record which marks the fado singer career. In 2005, to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of his career, he releases the CD "Fado à solta", a retrospective featuring some of his hits, such as "Silêncio, morreu um poeta" by Rui Manuel Oliveira.

In the 30 years of his career, Natalino has performed to several Portuguese communities abroad, with highlights in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, United States, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Holland, England and Spain. Also in national territory Natalino has gone through several stages and made numerous presentations on television, having recently performed in a show held at Aula Magna (2013) and shared the stage with Lenita Gentil to present the project “Fado para Dois”, in 2014 at CCB .

In October 2017, Natalino de Jesus released the album "Foi Assim ...", a compilation of the best themes that the singer has recorded in the last 30 years solo and in duet.

Source:

Museu do Fado – interviewed on the 29 August 2006;

Data provided by Natalino de Jesus.