Amália Rodrigues

Amália da Piedade Rodrigues was born 23 July 1920, and grew up to become the face and voice of fado at a time when the form was still largely confined to Lisbon's streets and taverns. She didn't just sing it; she carried it across borders, touring internationally through decades and proving the music could hold a room anywhere. The world started calling her Rainha do Fado — Queen of Fado — and the title stuck because no one else had done what she did: turn a national tradition into a commercial and artistic force beyond Portugal. By the time she died on 6 October 1999, she had sold more record…