Sadness in Land and People: Mariza and "Ó Gente da Minha Terra (Piano Version)"

Today's song, entitled Ó Gente da Minha Terra, is by Portuguese fado artist Mariza. Mariza was born in Mozambique before it gained independence from Portugal, and she is of mixed Portuguese and African heritage. When she was three her family moved to Lisbon and while young she began learning to sing in many styles, including jazz, gospel and soul. She adopted fado at the insistence of her father, who felt it would give her more acceptance in the Portuguese community. After the fado's most famous interpreter, Amália Rodrigues, died in 1999 Mariza was asked to perform a tribute in her memory, which led her to record a fado album. Fado was starting to regain popularity, and her album sold an astounding number of copies. She has since focused on fado, has released seven albums and has sold over a million records worldwide. Ó Gente da Minha Terra appears on her debut album Fado em Mim (2002). The album has two versions of the song - this version is the last track on the album and is labeled the piano version.