1950s – 2020sPeak: 1990s
Morna
About Morna
Morna is the soul of Cape Verde, a slow, melancholic song form built on longing, the sea, and sodade, the Kriolu word for aching nostalgia. Sung in Cape Verdean Creole over guitar, cavaquinho, and violin, it was shaped by composers like B.Leza and carried to the world by Cesária Évora. UNESCO inscribed morna on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2019.
Key Artists
Bana
1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s
Cesária Évora
1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s
Hermínia
1980s, 1990s, 2000s
Ildo Lobo
1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s
Mayra Andrade
2000s, 2010s
Nancy Vieira
2000s, 2010s
Os Tubarões
1970s, 1980s, 1990s
Simentera
1990s, 2000s
Tcheka
2000s, 2010s
Tito Paris
1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s
Travadinha
1960s, 1970s, 1980s