Vânia Duarte

Born in Benavente, in 1984, Vânia Duarte took her first steps as a fado singer at the age of 12, alongside musician Carlos Garcia and fado singer Eulália Duarte.

Music, and Fado in particular, have always been present in her life and, in 2001, she participated in the contest “O Fado mora na Feira”, at Feira Popular de Lisboa. Her desire to know and learn more about the performing arts led her to take several theater courses and workshops, as well as to learn music at the Escola de Música de Santarém.

The leap into the television spotlight took place in 2003, when she was selected for RTP's Operação Triunfo II, among more than 30000 contestants. In this program, she was able to attend its music school, performing in different live galas and participated in the different tours of the program.

Two years later, she joined the Hot Club Jazz School in Lisbon. The bohemian life of the city of Lisbon, as well as her desire to tour the city's fado circuits, led her to meet some Fado Houses such as Senhor Vinho, Clube de Fado and the Marquês da Sé.

In 2006, she took part in a fado show at “Espaço 7 à 9” at the CCB and, in 2008, she graduated in Sociocultural Animation.

2011 marked Vânia's record debut. “Efeito de Fado” was produced by musician Custódio Castelo. This album, in addition to original fados, also features the theme “Lenda das Algas” in a duet with Celeste Rodrigues.

Since 2004, Vânia has settled at Casa de Linhares. She started out as part of its cast of fadistas and, more recently, Vânia became the co-owner of this mythical space in the city of Lisbon.

Vânia's life has always passed through Fado and Casa de Linhares. This is where she reveals herself to be happiest and most complete, not only singing, but being a true master of ceremonies for those who choose this space. Maybe that's why it wasn't until 2022 that she went back to editing an album in her own name. The homonymous work presents “Fados and songs of love, attachment and vulnerability. It is a reflection of perspectives between dream and reality, affirmation and passivity! And we let history happen”, in her own words, who also introduces herself as a songwriter.

On this record, she lets us know her story, inspired by many fado nights. With production and musical direction by Bruno Chaveiro, who challenged the fado singer to record this album, and production and vocal direction by Raquel Tavares, it also features arrangements by Bruno Chaveiro (Portuguese guitar), João Domingos (fado guitar) and José Ganchinho ( bass guitar) and the participation of Sertório Calado (percussion), Eduardo Espinho (electric guitar) and Carlos Lopes (cavaco).

Source:

https://www.cm-benavente.pt/downloads/assembleia-municipal/deliberacoes/outros/396-saudacao-vania-duarte/file

https://www.reverbnation.com/vaniaduarte?popup_bio=true