My father is from Madeira, and as his old LPs of Amalia Rodrogues and other classic fado artists have been wearing out, I've been searching for new fado CDs to help replace his collection. He's liked some artists well enough, but when he put this album on, he called me immediately, and couldn't stop telling me how much he loved Mafalda's voice. He even asked me to find him anything else by her that I could.

To me, that's the highest recommendation.

This woman's eyes are deeper than the sea, and so is her music. Her voice is very strong and powerful, and yet very mellow compared to many other singers of Fado - Amalia Rodrigues, Dulce Pontes, Misia... These ladies even sound belligerent... but Mafalda is extremely feminine. Her voice slides gently over the soft waves of guitars, and her sensuality wins your heart from the very first note. My favourite tracks are "Eu Venho", written by Mafalda herself (she sings: "I came from the force of tide..." - there really is something of a mermaid in her:) and "O Voz Da Minh'Alma", a duet with another absolutely amazing singer, Monica Ferraz. I love Portugal, I love Lisbon, I love the sea... and all the beauty of this lovely country is present in Mafalda's voice. A real gem.

Although this kind of music is normally not my cup of tea, I really love this CD.
Arnauth has a beautiful clear and strong voice. The songs are gloomy, intense, romantic and melancholic but also rhythmic. Above all it is all very melodious and accessible, even for non-lovers of Fado.
For people who like this kind of offbeat music, I would also recommend Deb's "Souad Massi".

I highly recommend this CD!

I picked this up after a short listen and I'm very glad I did. I don't know much about fado, but this woman can SING! Sexy, strong, rich and passionate. Couldn't be better. I plan to buy all of her music I can get my hands on.

In sore need of a good fado fix, I picked this CD up at a bookstore yesterday after listening to a grand total of 30 seconds of it at the listening booth. Since then, it has practically melted into my CD player on a permanent basis.

Mafalda Arnauth is a "Repeat"-button puncher's wet-dream. "Encantamento", her U.S. debut, is so incredibly rich and smooth and vibrant and warm that you'll be left pining for more of it for weeks. Her singing is somewhat mellower and more expressive than the famous "queens" of fado, Amália Rodrigues and Cristina Branco. It even kind of reminded me of Christina Aguilera, especially tracks like "O voz da minh'alma" (which is a song to die for, by the way).

The picture of her on the cover says it all. Coffee-brown hair. Sexy, inviting posture. Luscious Portuguese smile.

How could you pass up a disc like this?

So whip out a smooth bottle of port. Stretch out on your couch. Cuddle for a few hours with that special someone. And bask in liquid saudade.

Five stars.