Carminho grew up surrounded by the sound of guitars and fado voices, as the daughter of renowned fado singer Teresa Siqueira. She sang in public for the first time at the age of 12, at the Coliseu dos Recreios. With a degree in Marketing and Advertising, she traveled the world and participated in humanitarian missions before dedicating herself entirely to music.
In 2009, she released her first album, “Fado ” , which went platinum (a significant milestone for a debut album) and was named Best Album of 2011 by the British magazine Songlines . She performed at Womex 2011 (Copenhagen) and at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, as part of the application for fado to become a World Heritage Site. In the same year, she became the first Portuguese artist to reach the top of the Spanish charts, when she collaborated with Pablo Alborán on “Perdóname ” .
In 2012, she released “Alma ” , her second album. After touring the main venues in Europe and around the world, she fulfilled her dream of recording with Milton Nascimento, Chico Buarque and Nana Caymmi, which led to a Brazilian reissue of the album with three previously unreleased tracks. Her establishment as one of the most international Portuguese artists was consummated, being distinguished in Portugal with a Golden Globe and the Carlos Paredes Award, while her two albums reached double platinum status.
In 2014, he released his third album, “Canto ” , and his connection with Brazil became even deeper. This album marked his first collaboration with Caetano Veloso and his youngest son, Tom, who offered him the previously unreleased song “O Sol, Eu e Tu ” . This album also features “Chuva no Mar”, a song with a special guest appearance by Marisa Monte, who co-wrote the song with Arnaldo Antunes.
In 2016, she was invited by the family of Antônio Carlos Jobim, an undisputed legend of Brazilian music, to record her fourth album, “Carminho Canta Tom Jobim ” , alongside the last band that accompanied the composer during his last ten years. In it, Carminho shares songs with Chico Buarque, Maria Bethânia, Marisa Monte and Fernanda Montenegro, achieving great success and awards, including platinum certification and a Golden Globe for Best Album.
Released in 2018, “Maria ” is Carminho’s fifth album, which she produced herself and includes several of her own songs. The album reflects her fado roots, respecting tradition but with a contemporary vision and reinterpreting the fado she learned from childhood.
In 2023, she released “Portuguesa ” , reaffirming her artistic identity. The year was marked by significant moments, including the interpretation of her original composition “Estrela ” for Pope Francis at World Youth Day, in front of 1.5 million people live and 600 million homes around the world. In the cinema, Carminho made a special appearance in the acclaimed film Poor Things , by Yorgos Lanthimos, winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. The film was nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Original Score. In her participation, Carminho performed a moving version of “The Room”, singing and playing Portuguese guitar live on stage.
In the same year, she was also invited by Coldplay to sing the fado “Coimbra ” , alongside Chris Martin and Bárbara Bandeira, at the Coimbra Stadium.
In 2023, Carminho was invited by Caetano Veloso to join his Meu Coco tour , where they performed “Você-Você ” , a song written by Caetano, inspired and made for Carminho, and in their discussions about the Portuguese language.
With an extensive tour to present her album “Portuguesa ” , Carminho’s work was recognized with a nomination for a Latin Grammy in the category of Best Portuguese Language Roots Album and a Golden Globe for Best Live Performance.
In 2024, Carminho released her first EP, “Carminho at Electrical Audio ” , recorded in analog format with renowned producer Steve Albini in Chicago. The EP was born after a day at Electrical Audio, where four songs were recorded. It includes two original fados composed by Carminho, a song for the poem “Gota de Água ” , by António Gedeão, and “OsArgonautas ” , by Caetano Veloso, with the participation of Caetano himself, an icon of Brazilian music. The music of this EP and PORTUGUESA was featured in her acclaimed performance on TINY DESK, which was broadcast in January 2025, and currently available on youtube and NPR.
Carminho is currently working on her new album, which is scheduled for release on her new label, SONY, in the fall of this year (2025)
With a career full of achievements, Carminho continues her path of creation and live performance with her striking voice, talent and unwavering artistic dedication.
