Biography
Formed as a tribute to the poet José Carlos Ary dos Santos, the Portuguese supergroup Rua da Saudade launched their debut recording Canções de Ary dos Santos to immediate commercial success in 2009. The lineup consists of four of Portugal’s most renowned female vocalists—Susana Félix, Viviane, Luanda Cozetti, and Mafalda Arnauth—who alternate lead performances throughout the project. An homage to the revolutionary Portuguese poet, the album was produced by Renato Jr. and features jazz-pop compositions from Fernando Tordo, Nuno Nazareth Fernandes, and Tózé Brito. Issued twenty-five years after Ary dos Santos’ passing in 1984, the hit collection reached number two on the Portuguese charts and remained in the Top Ten for ten weeks. Canções de Ary dos Santos continued a recent wave of blockbuster Portuguese releases in which supergroups honored iconic national figures; earlier entries in the pattern were the chart-topping Humanos (2004), saluting António Variações, and Amália Hoje (2009), dedicated to Amália Rodrigues.
Albums