Although Maria de Barros spent her childhood in Mauritania, she has fully conformed to Cape Verdean traditions musically. She brings melancholic mornas and up-tempo coladeiras as if she never left the islands. The fact that she now lives in Los Angeles has also had no audible influence: on Dança Ma Mi she has remained faithful to the Cape Verde tradition. Where on her first CD (Nha Mundo) the
… longing for Cape Verde was central, this time love is sung. Being in love, waiting for your loved one, lost loves and the famous 'saudade' (homesickness / longing) comes along when she declares her love to Cape Verde in the song Um Tem Um Amor. Dança Ma Mi gives a good impression of the versatility of Cape Verde music and will interest anyone who wants to delve further into the genre after hearing Cesaria Evora. (MH)more