Rosa Mestre

Rosa Mestre was born in Angola, and her childhood in São Nicolau, Cape Verde, was where she first learned to love music.  However, it was on the island of São Vicente that her career began; she had the good fortune to perform with renowned artists like keyboardist Chico Serra, to participate in the Baía das Gatas Music Festival, and to grace Mindelo’s main entertainment centers with her voice. With the help of Hermani Moreira of the tourist group Oásis, Rosa recorded her first CD, Horizonte Azul (2003). With the release of this album, she became one of the most prominent figures in music on the Cape Verdean island of Sal.

Through Oásis Atlântico and with the support of ORKKA music, Rosa more recently recorded her second album, Solera d’Nha Vida (2018). Solera provides a tasting menu of the diverse musical flavors of Cabo Verde, including genres like funaná, batuque, mazurka, talaia baxu, morna, coladeira and reggae. It features Rosa’s captivating voice, alongside those of beloved Cape Verdean artists like Djosinha and Zeca di Nha Reinalda, and on compelling compositions by Calu di Guida and Glânzer Ramos, among others. A musical highlight is the album’s title track, "Solera D'Nha Vida," a song featuring an African-rooted musical arrangement,  dedicated to Cesária Évora and created by Glânzer Ramos and Djim Job. Soon after Rosa Mestre released the album, she was invited to perform at the Atlantic Music Expo in Praia, and at the  Santa Maria International Music Festival in Sal. Rosa was also awarded Best Album of the year by the U.S.-based Red Carpet Awards, and the 2019 Cabo Verde Music Awards (CVMA) nominated one of Rosa’s songs as the best in traditional Cape Verdean music.