Cape Verdean singer Ceuzany is earning growing international recognition with her powerful voice and deeply personal music, using her latest album to speak out against domestic violence while celebrating the rich musical traditions of her homeland.
According to AFP, the 35-year-old singer delivered an emotional performance of the title track from her fourth album during a concert in Mindelo on São Vicente island in late May. Performing barefoot with her arms raised, Ceuzany moved the audience with a song that has become a symbol of resilience for women facing domestic abuse.
As she sang, many women in the crowd joined in with the chorus: “Enough! We’re calling it quits, go your own way, I am happy without you.” The emotional performance brought Ceuzany to tears, while passers-by who recognised the singer stopped to watch the concert.
Known for her remarkable vocal range, Ceuzany effortlessly moves between crystal-clear high notes and rich, deep tones. Her performances blend jazz, slam and traditional Cape Verdean music, while her latest album combines saxophone, percussion and the cavaquinho, a popular four-stringed instrument. Some tracks feature only her voice with acoustic piano, while others embrace the rhythmic sound of zouk and the warmth of the ukulele.
“I started singing at age 12 in a competition in Cape Verde, and I haven’t stopped since,” Ceuzany Pires told AFP.
The mother of two credited her grandmother for inspiring her musical journey.
“My grandmother had dreamed of becoming a renowned artist in Cape Verde, but her parents didn’t want her to sing,” she said. “She was always singing serenades at home and I was always listening. It is thanks to her that I have this taste for music and that I deeply love singing.”
Ceuzany is frequently compared with the late Cesária Évora, the legendary “barefoot diva” who introduced Cape Verdean genres such as morna and coladeira to international audiences.
Producer José Da Silva, who worked with both artists, told AFP that Ceuzany is one of Évora’s musical heirs.
“Ceuzany is one of Cesaria Evora’s heirs, as she is a great morna singer,” he said. “Ceuzany is capable of injecting a bit of rap into coladeira. She is just as comfortable with urban music artists as she is with traditional ones.”
Da Silva also described her as “a true daughter of Mindelo”, praising the spontaneity she shares with Évora.
Ceuzany said she feels “immensely honoured” to perform with the Cesária Évora Orchestra, which continues to celebrate the late singer’s legacy around the world.
Musician Hernâni Almeida, who arranged her latest album and composed several of its songs, said her voice carries a rare emotional quality.
“When Ceuzany sings, you feel soul coming through,” Almeida told AFP. “It really touches people.”
Her songs explore life in Mindelo, the highs and lows of love, and social challenges including the devastating impact of crack cocaine on the island nation.
However, Ceuzany said her latest album holds special significance because it addresses domestic violence, a subject rooted in her own experience.
“I’ve been through it,” she said, revealing that she found the strength to leave a toxic relationship that lasted nearly five years.
The album’s title track, No tchal te li (“We stop here”), tells the story of a relationship that descends into physical and emotional abuse. Since its release, Ceuzany said she has received messages from women experiencing similar situations and hopes the song will inspire them to reclaim their lives.
“I believe women deserve to be treated like queens. That’s the message I want to share with all women, in Cape Verde and across the world, because if I managed to leave a toxic relationship, you can do it too,” she said through tears.
AFP reported that Ceuzany’s international profile continues to grow. French singer Christophe Maé discovered her in 2022, leading to the recording of their duet Le Pays des merveilles (“Wonderland”), a tribute to Cape Verde. In 2024, she joined him on a 40-date tour across France.
Earlier this month, Ceuzany also won the Traditional Music of the Year award at the Cape Verde Music Awards.
Looking ahead, the singer said she hopes to record more music, release more albums and take Cape Verdean music to an even wider audience.
“I want to record more music, release more albums, take Cape Verde further, bringing myself along. And continue singing for my people,” she said.
