Kino Cabral formed in 2007 around singer-songwriter Ivo Costa and multi-instrumentalist Pedro Costa. They started playing shows around Lisbon, working out a sound that mixed traditional African music with contemporary arrangements. Their track "Badja" became a local favorite, and they've released four studio albums since 2012, including the 2017 album also called Badja.
Their music pulls from African rhythms and Portuguese melodies, with songs like "Belita" and "Humano" showing their range. The lineup includes Filipe Carvalhinho on keyboards and Diogo Santos on drums and percussion.
In 2015, a video for "Badja" drew some criticism for its imagery, though the band maintained it was about empowerment. They've kept recording since, putting out Mandrágora in 2020 with tracks like "Mudansa."
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