Mariza is a Portuguese singer/songwriter who performs the quintessentially ethnic style of Portuguese folk called fado.
With a Portuguese father and an African mother, Mariza was born in Mozambique but later moved to Lisbon, Portugal at the age of three.
As she started to mature, Mariza felt a strong affinity to music and would go on to sing a variety of genres, including soul, jazz and gospel.
She didn't really achieve success, however, until she embraced her Portuguese roots and started blending the fado style into her characteristic sound.