[Encountering Portuguese Music] Exploring MARO with AI After the World Cup: Music That Comforts the Heart, Taught by "Saudade"
Watching the FIFA World Cup naturally sparks an interest in countries I don't usually think about.
This time, my attention was drawn to Portugal, which made it to the knockout stage.
Actually, I visited the capital, Lisbon, in 2009. At the time, I was captivated by the cityscape, the delicious food, and the historic scenery, but while watching the World Cup, I found myself wondering, "By the way, what kind of music is in Portugal today?" That was the starting point for this deep dive.
That's when I discovered the singer-songwriter MARO.
When I first listened to her, I was struck not by flashy sounds, but by a singing voice that gently comforts you. She is an artist with a charm that, while not a loud anthem, strangely lingers in your heart.
This time, while organizing information with ChatGPT, I used NotebookLM to dig deeper into MARO's profile, musicality, signature songs, and live performances.
I am re-exploring the Portugal I traveled to 17 years ago, this time from the perspective of music. I am putting this article together with that feeling in mind.
When you think of Portugal, many people might think of soccer or Fado, but I hope you will enjoy discovering that modern Portugal also has such a wonderful singer.
First, this song: saudade, saudade (Live)
Let's start with the song that made her known to the world. It is a song that can be called her soul, performed as the Portuguese representative at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, the largest music festival in Europe.
In a word, this song is a "prayer to a loved one." She is said to have written it immediately after losing her beloved grandfather, while carrying a sense of loss that had nowhere to go. The title "saudade" is a word at the root of Portuguese culture. It is difficult to translate directly into English or Japanese, but it contains nuances such as "a bittersweet longing for something that will never return" and "the presence of an absence."
Also, since the article has become long, please choose the items you are interested in from the table of contents to read.
1. MARO's Basics, Characteristics, and History
From "Dreaming of Being a Veterinarian" to "Musical Salvation"
MARO, whose real name is Mariana Secca, was born in 1994 into a musical family in Lisbon. Her mother was a music educator and her father was an avid music fan. She started learning piano at age 4, wrote her first song at 11, and taught herself guitar at 12; for her, music was as natural as breathing.
Surprisingly, however, her dream until she was 19 was to become a veterinarian. She was a science-oriented girl who loved living things, especially animals. But one day, just before entering university, a fateful click (inspiration) occurred. The moment she heard the Brazilian masterpiece "Cais," she was convinced that "I have to do music."
Berklee, and a Fateful Encounter
Having changed her dream, she went to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. What she valued there was not "competition" but "cooperation." She produced a video series called "Berklee People," where she jammed with students from all over the world, expanding her network.
After graduation, she moved to LA in search of further opportunities, where she was met with an encounter with the modern genius Jacob Collier. Jacob, who fell in love with her guitar work and rare sense of harmony at first sight, immediately invited her to join his band. The experience on this tour pushed her musicality to a world-class level.
Why is she loved all over the world?
MARO's music is a borderless sound that blends jazz, folk, soul, and R&B, all while rooted in the melancholy of traditional Portuguese "Fado." Her singing voice is a smoky, velvet-like, and warm alto.
The biggest reason she is supported is her "overwhelming sincerity." Her music, which she says is only released when it is something she truly loves and finds exciting, harbors raw, unadorned emotions. Her fragile yet strong singing voice quietly nestles into the hearts of modern people who carry loneliness and anxiety.
2. Timeline
1994: Born in Lisbon, Portugal.
2015: Enrolled at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
2017: Graduated from the same university. Began full-scale musical activities.
2018: Solo debut. Released three consecutive albums, "MARO, Vol. 1-3." Signed a management contract with QJP, led by Quincy Jones.
2019: Participated as a member of Jacob Collier's world tour. Gained global recognition.
2022: Appeared in Eurovision with her signature song "saudade, saudade," placing 9th. Released the album "can you see me?"
2023: Released the acoustic album "hortelã," focusing on Portuguese-language songs.
2024: The album "hortelã" won Portugal's prestigious José Afonso Award (Album of the Year).
3. Five Representative Songs
we’ve been loving in silence (2022)
In a word, it is "serene indie pop." A single from the 2022 album "can you see me?," it is one of her signature songs that made waves on European indie charts. The stripped-back arrangement highlights her smoky vocals. As the title suggests, the worldview, which delicately depicts "love in silence" that cannot be put into words, has a beauty that makes you want to slowly immerse yourself in it alone in the silence of the night.
am I not enough for now? (2022)
This is the "ultimate monologue song," exposing her own fragility. As one of her representative works, it is an important track that deepened her emotional connection with fans. The earnest question, "Am I not enough for now?" is the very embodiment of the anxiety that everyone has felt at least once. In live performances where her true-to-life lyrics and guitar plucking resonate, there is a moment when the audience holds their breath to listen to her words.
can you see me? (2022)
In a word, it is a "message to heaven." It is the title track of the album born from the sense of loss after her grandfather passed away, and it is a song that shows her resolve as an artist. The lyrics, which describe glancing at the dining chair where her grandfather used to sit when he was alive and singing, "I feel like you are there," strike a chord. Her musical curiosity, which seeks to find a ray of light within sadness, is condensed here.
Better Now (ODESZA feat. MARO) (2022)
MARO's singing voice fused with dance music, a new electronic frontier. A collaboration with the super-popular American duo ODESZA, it is a global hit that has recorded over 40 million streams. A complete departure from her usual acoustic style, her transparent vocals blend with glittering electronic sounds. You will be surprised by her versatility and the breadth of her vocal performance, which dyes any genre in her own colors.
oxalá (2023)
A "prayer folk" song infused with the wish "I hope it will be so" in Portuguese. It is a track that symbolizes the album 'hortelã,' which marks her return to her native language. It is a song woven with modern sensibilities while still retaining the lingering scent of traditional Portuguese music. In live performances, it is often presented in a trio arrangement accompanied by two guitarists, and the moment the resonance of the strings and her singing voice overlap, a warm yet bittersweet scene emerges, much like a sunset on a street corner in Lisbon.
Recommended live video: NPR Tiny Desk Concert - MARO
This is a performance from the famous "Tiny Desk Concert" series by the American public radio broadcaster NPR.
In the very intimate and unadorned space of an office corner, MARO performs a perfectly synchronized trio set with two guitarists (Dario Barroso and Pau Figueres). The highlight is, above all, the "harmony of the three, overlapping as if they were breathing." Precisely because there is no perfect acoustic equipment like in a recording studio, the raw texture of her singing voice is conveyed directly.
If you are watching for the first time, please pay attention to her "hands" and "eyes." The gentle smile she occasionally shows while playing the guitar, and the moment she closes her eyes as she becomes immersed in the music. Rather than relying on the energy of the audience, the "love for the music itself," born from the deep trust between the performers, overflows through the screen.
The world of "Saudade," both bittersweet and warm, nurtured by the rich climate of Portugal. When you finish watching this video, a quiet and gentle lingering feeling will surely remain in your heart.
4. Summary of this article! Artist understanding check quiz (10 questions in total)
Did you enjoy the world of MARO? The more you know about her music, the more you will surely become captivated by her sincere singing voice. Finally, I have prepared a quiz to test your "MARO fan level." Please try it while looking back at the article!
Question 1: Where is MARO from?
A: London
B: Los Angeles
C: Lisbon
D: Rio de Janeiro
Correct answer: C: Lisbon. Explanation: She was born and raised in 1994 in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, in a family filled with music.
Question 2: What profession did MARO dream of before she decided to pursue a career in music at the age of 19?
A: Professional boxer
B: Veterinarian
C: Diplomat
D: Architect
Correct Answer: B: Veterinarian. Explanation: She is a science-loving girl who loves animals, and she has a surprising past where she dreamed of becoming a veterinarian until just before entering university.
Question 3: What was the fateful song that convinced MARO that she "had to do music"?
A: The Beatles' "Yesterday"
B: Milton Nascimento's "Cais"
C: A traditional Fado song
D: A song by Jacob Collier
Correct Answer: B: Milton Nascimento's "Cais". Explanation: At the age of 19, the moment she heard the Brazilian masterpiece "Cais," a "click" occurred, and she decided to switch to music.
Question 4: What is the title of the video series she produced during her time at Berklee College of Music to encourage "cooperation" rather than "competition" among students?
A: MARO's Friends
B: Berklee Stars
C: Berklee People
D: Cooperation Sessions
Correct Answer: C: Berklee People. Explanation: This project, which involved sessions with students from all over the world and expanding horizontal connections, became the root of her love for collaboration later on.
Question 5: In 2019, which artist, known as a "modern genius," fell in love with MARO's talent and invited her to be a member of his world tour?
A: ODESZA
B: Quincy Jones
C: Eric Clapton
D: Jacob Collier
Correct Answer: D: Jacob Collier. Explanation: Jacob was astonished by her guitar and sense of harmony and immediately invited her to his band. This became a major turning point that propelled her to the world stage.
Question 6: To whom is the prayer song "saudade, saudade," which was sung at Eurovision 2022 and became her signature song, dedicated?
A: The streets of Lisbon
B: Her late grandfather
C: Her mentor at Berklee
D: Jacob Collier
Correct Answer: B: Her late grandfather. Explanation: This is a soulful song that channels the sense of loss immediately after the death of her beloved grandfather into the uniquely Portuguese emotion of "saudade" (a bittersweet longing).
Question 7: What is the hit song with ODESZA that fused MARO's smoky vocals with dance music and recorded over 40 million streams?
A: Better Now
B: oxalá
C: we’ve been loving in silence
D: Tempo
Correct Answer: A: Better Now. Explanation: While she has a strong acoustic image, she showed a new electronic frontier with this song, surprising listeners around the world.
Question 8: What performance style did she focus on for her 2023 album "hortelã"?
A: Grand arrangements with a full orchestra
B: Acoustic trio (two guitars and vocals)
C: Sound heavily utilizing the latest synthesizers
D: A large gospel chorus
Correct Answer: B: Acoustic trio (two guitars and vocals). Explanation: She stripped away unnecessary sounds and returned to an acoustic arrangement that highlights her raw vocals alongside two guitarists.
Question 9: What is the point that first-time viewers should pay attention to in the "NPR Tiny Desk Concert" recommended as a live video?
A: The exchange of intense guitar solos
B: The harmony where the three of them breathe perfectly in sync
C: The glamorous performance of the backup dancers
D: Intense call-and-response with the audience
Correct Answer: B: The harmony where the three voices perfectly align. Explanation: The "live" harmony that the trio displays in the intimate setting of an office, while exchanging eye contact, is the greatest magic of this performance.
Question 10: What is the belief that MARO values most when creating and releasing music?
A: Incorporating trendy rhythms
B: Going viral (spreading) on social media
C: Creating only what she truly loves and finds exciting
D: Leaving everything to a famous producer
Correct Answer: C: Creating only what she truly loves and finds exciting. Explanation: She has publicly stated that she "only releases what she likes." That overwhelming sincerity is the reason why it resonates so deeply with the listener's heart.
5.📖 After reading, enjoy it with your eyes and ears too
Having read the article this far,
"I want to enjoy it more casually"
"I want to experience it through video and audio"
For those who thought this,
I have also released related content created together with AI (NotebookLM).
🎬 AI Slide Explanation Video
You can enjoy the content of the article visually, with diagrams and slides included.
🎧 Podcast
This is an audio version that you can enjoy casually like a radio show, while commuting or working.
https://youtu.be/pGHKeKOhsg0
Please enjoy the delicate singing voice of MARO and the atmosphere of her live performances, which could not be fully conveyed in the article, through the videos and audio.
6. Conclusion
Thank you very much for reading until the end.
This time, the fact that Portugal advanced to the finals of the World Cup led me to discover a wonderful artist named MARO.
Using sports as a gateway to broaden interest in a country's music, and then connecting that interest to culture, language, and the lives of the people—I feel that this kind of experience is the true thrill of this series.
MARO's music is filled with the sense of "saudade" unique to the Portuguese language and a quiet warmth. I hope you will not only read this article but also listen to her songs and watch her live performance videos to experience that atmosphere for yourself.
I will continue to dig deeper into music from around the world with the help of AI, using various triggers such as festivals, travel, watching sports, and YouTube recommendations.
I would be happy if this encounter serves as a starting point for you to broaden your interest in the country of Portugal and music from around the world.