Ramana is an internationally acclaimed recording artist and a northern California native of Portuguese descent. She also is a stunning vocalist, a proficient pianist, and a gifted songwriter who has composed, performed, and recorded many of her own original Fados. Several of these have been nominated at the largest Portuguese music awards organization: the International Portuguese Music Awards (IPMA). She has performed throughout California, San Francisco, Los Angeles, the Central Valley, SLO, Portugal, Macau, China, East Coast including New York, Hawaii, Florida the Pacific Northwest, and Mexico. Ramana just returned this summer of 2023 headlining in her parents’ homeland of Madeira, Portugal at the Art’Camacha festival. She was also featured on the RTP international network while in Madeira.

Over the course of her 20-plus-year musical career and five album releases, she has opened for Mariza and headlined at several World Music festivals. Performed for the President of the Azores, Portugal at the invitation of Congressman Jim Costa. Her original composition, “Unido Para Amar,” was played at the awards ceremony for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. Her music has been chosen to be featured on TAP Airlines, the flag carrier of Portugal with over 2500 nights per week to 34 countries. Her new album, Tudo De Mim will be out in early spring of 2023. Most recently her new single, Fado La La La, ranked #4 for song and her latest new video ranked 3# in North America on the Ethnocloud music platform.

The critics have heaped praise upon Ramana. The San Francisco Chronicle said “Ramana is the rising star in World Music” and “No one in the United States is doing more to breathe new life into Fado than Ramana Vieira, a sultry dramatic singer.” Andrew Gilbert of The Boston Globe said “Raman Vieira deserves a prominent place in the front rank of today’s Fado singers” Vieira was born in San Leandro, California with the beat of Portuguese rhythms coursing through her veins. Her parents had immigrated to the United States from Portugal, where her grandfather was a well-known musician and composer from Madeira Island. She grew up listening to American pop, alongside traditional Portuguese music. “During my childhood, I sang with my mother to Amália Rodgrigues and other fabulous fadistas that were part of her special record collection,” said Vieira.

Early in life, it was apparent that Vieira possessed exceptional musical talent and went on to study at The American Conservatory Theatre. However, a spontaneous trip to Portugal shifted her professional vision and catalyzed an exploration deep into the world of fado.

In Portugal, Vieira connected with her roots and found that fado ignited her spirit and set her soul aflame. She began to study intensively with local fado musicians and had the opportunity to perform. She was loved by her fans in Portugal; her authentic and individual style was refreshing and well-received.

Vieira’s brilliant musicality and colorful heritage appeal to a global audience. In addition to the traditional fados, and her masterful original compositions, Vieira has now compiled a synergetic repertoire that reflects the full scope of her identity by incorporating her background of American theater, blues, and soulful classics into her sets. Through this multifaceted fusion, Vieira has finally fulfilled her fado, fate.
In her own words, “I love being Portuguese and singing my roots. I just feel now is the time for Ramana to embrace “all of me”–my American and Portuguese heritage. I am sitting at the precipice of something amazing and excited to see where this is going to take me and my group. Yes, it’s time.”

She is joined by a very talented cast of musicians: Jeff Furtado, a Portuguese American guitarist and singer/songwriter who lives in California. His mother is from Madeira and his father is from San Miguel. David Parker on bass, Vincent Tolliver on violin/viola/Portuguese Mandolin who taught the famous Zendaya music while teaching in Oakland, and Joe Sam on percussion.

Website: http://ramanavieira.net