Cremilda Medina

Cremilda Medina was born and raised in Mindelo, on the island of São Vicente (Cape Verde), and since she was a child, music has been part of her life.

The “Morna”, queen of musical styles of the traditional music of Cape Verde, is her guiding star.

When she was nine years old, she shined at the Young Singers Gala in São Vicente, and at the age of fourteen, she integrated the youth music group “Rytmos”, which entertained parties and social events on the island.

At 19 years old, Cremilda became part of the musical band “Noites of Mindelo”. But her name became known to the general public when she became one of the finalists of the musical contest “Talentu Strela”, a TV show looking for new talent. Cremilda participated in the first and second editions, and the latter obtained the maximum score from the jury, placing her in third position overall.

Cremilda also won the Prize for Best Female Performer at the gala “Mindel Premio” in 2011.

She shared the stage with big names of Cape Verdean music, such as Morgadinho, Tito Paris, Maria Alice, Diva Barros, Titina Rodrigues, Boy Gê Mendes, Grace Évora, Mirri Lobo, Boss AC, and international singers such as the Brazilian Diogo Nogueira, the Angolan Heavy C, the Italian Rossana Casale and the American singer Shaudeh Price.

In 2012 she was the headliner of the 11th edition of the Mornas’ Festival in Boavista under the motto “Morna, nôs Símbolo, nôs Cultura”.

In 2013 she was nominated for the “Best Solo Female Performer” at the “Mindel Prémio” Gala in São Vicente.

Cremilda Medina has already performed in several stages of Cape Verde, in shows, galas and festivals. In December 2014, she made her international debut with a concert in Portugal in a sold-out auditorium, where hundreds of people gave her a standing ovation for her performance.

Having as primary references the singers Cesária Évora, Bana, Ildo Lobo, Morgadinho and Paulino Vieira, Cremilda strives to assume a career based on tradition and appreciation of traditional Cape Verdean music styles.

In October 2016, she released her first single, the morna “Raio de Sol”, in homage to her grandmother “Bia”. In 2017, Cremilda received her first international nomination in the USA at the IPMA (International Portuguese Music Awards) for “Music Video of the Year” with the single “Raio de Sol”. The same year and with the same single, she received nominations at the CVMA – Cabo Verde Music Awards for “Best Morna” and “Best Videoclip”, and she won SAPO Award for “Most Popular Artist on the Internet”.

In November 2017, Cremilda released her first album, “Folclore”, where she explored the traditional rhythms, particularly the “Morna” and “Coladeira”, but also ventured into Fado with the composition “Sou Crioula”. The lyrics are from the author José Eduardo Agualusa. The music is by Ricardo Cruz, the producer who has worked with well-known artists in the world of Portuguese Fado, such as Mariza, Dulce Pontes and António Zambujo. There is also an incursion to Brazilian rhythms, including Samba, with the theme “Berço de Morabeza”, written by João Carlos Silva, on music by Anisio Rodrigues. The album also has compositions from authors who need no introduction but for which Cremilda Medina is proud to lend her voice, such as Morgadinho, Paulino Vieira, Manuel d’Novas, Ti Goi, Antero Simas and many others. This album already deserved national and international recognition.

At the IPMA – International Portuguese Music Awards 2018 in the United States of America, the song “Divôrce Um’ Cá Tá Sená” was awarded “Best World Music”. “Folclore” also received five nominations at the CVMA – Cabo Verde Music Awards 2018. At this event, Cremilda Medina received nominations as “Best New Artist”, “Best Female Interpreter”, and “Best Coladeira” with the song “Divôrce Um ‘Ca Ta Sená”. She won the “Best Morna” category with the song “Sonho dum Criola” and the Sapo Award for the second consecutive year.

In October 2018, Cremilda published “Nôs Morna”, a homage to Morna, in a duet with Tito Paris, the first single of her subsequent discographic work. This single was recognised as “Best World Music” at the IPMA 2019 in the USA.

Due to her excellent career, in 2019, she was nominated for the “Somos Cabo Verde – Best of the Year” awards in the “Music” category.

In October 2020, for the National Day of Culture and Communities (in Cape Verde), she released the single “Tributo Final” by Manuel de Novas. In December, she released another single, “Amá Sem Mêde”, by Morgadinho, who will be part of her next album. Also, in December 2020, she released another single, “Recordai” by Teófilo Chanfre, wishing Cape Verde a happy holiday.

In 2021, she received nominations at the IPMA, in the USA, as “Best Performance in Quarantine” and also at the CVMA, in Cape Verde, as “Best Female Interpreter” and “Best Morna” and ended the year with a new single, “Xandinha”.

In 2022 she edited her third single, “Serenata”, which will be part of the next album released in the first quarter of 2023.