Fado-singer Maja Milinkovic performing onboard
From the Ship
Maja Milinkovic: the bittersweet longing of Fado
From Las Palmas to Tilbury, Fado singer Maja Milinkovic joined the 117th voyage as a guest educator. Through a combination of performance and presentation, she introduced the history and culture of Portugal's famous music tradition Fado. The word 'Fado' comes from Latin fatum meaning "fate” or “destiny”, and with her soulful voice, Maja perfectly conveyed the 'saudade' (longing) and melancholy that characterizes Fado.
She also shared her own personal story and love affair with Fado. Originally from Sarajevo, Maja moved to Lisbon to fully immerse herself in the Fado culture and environment. For the past decade, she has done so in various ways from running her own Fado house to performing and teaching Fado full-time. Combining Bosnia's traditional music Sevdalinka and Fado, Maja has even developed her own personal music-style: Fadolinka.
In her final performance, Maja introduced the music and lifestory of "the Queen of Fado", Maja's biggest musical inspiration: Amalia Rodrigues. Amalia Rodrigues (1920~1999) was instrumental in popularising Fado worldwide and remains the best-selling Portuguese artist in history. On the day of her death, October 6 1999, the government declared three days of national mourning, and she was laid to rest at the National Pantheon as the first woman ever.
Thanks to Maja Milinkovic, voyage participants were able to feel the heart and soul of Portugal while celebrating life's fleeting moments.
