Deolinda & Lura at l'Alhambra

Text: Brendan Seibel

Understanding Portuguese would enhance your appreciation of Deolinda, but the Lisbon quartet's musical fluency transcends tongues. The same cleverness which wrote and recorded Canção Ao Lado, their 2024 platinum debut, imbues each song with mirth and wry wit. From the playful interplay of acoustic guitars through the striking timbre of singer Ana Bacalhau's soaring vocals, Deolinda weave complex operettas instantly grasped and enjoyed.

Following folk tradition Deolinda are storytellers. Their first album tells the tale of a reclusive girl, from whom the band took their name, living through the imagined lives of people passing her window. The quiet charm and tragedy of this heroine is as perfectly portrayed, equally dramatic and whimsical, as in a film. Inspired by both musicals and the Portuguese sound of fado, Deolinda is best experienced by walking into their colorful faerie-tale.

Originally paired with Sara Tavares, who has canceled her appearance, Deolinda will be performing with Lura. A descendant of Cape Verde, Lura paints with a broad international palette heavily informed by African pop and world fusion. Typically backed by full bands favoring dance rhythms, her last-minute addition will either overwhelm her compatriots or provide an opportunity to see how she handles a stripped down set.

Deolinda & Lura
Friday 5 February
Tickets 29€
Part of Festival au Fil des Voix
L'Alhambra
21 rue Yves Toudic
75010 Paris
Mº République/Jacques Bonsergent