Joao Coelho

João Coelho grew up in the coastal town of Figueira da Foz, Portugal, where he first heard traditional fado music in the streets. He learned guitar and began writing songs that blended those Portuguese roots with contemporary sounds, which didn't always sit well with purists of the genre.

His debut album was called 'Fado do Meu Coração,' and he followed it with records like 'Fados do Mundo' and 'Memórias' that incorporated folk, jazz, and blues elements. The song 'Feridas da Alma' came out in 2010 and became his most recognized work, a spare, confessional piece about emotional wounds that resonated with listeners.

Coelho's writing tends toward the personal and introspective, dealing plainly with love and loss without much ornament. He kept working in that vein through his recordings, letting the traditional fado feeling breathe through simpler arrangements and direct lyrics.