Vânia Fernandes

Vânia Fernandes is a singer from Portugal. She was born in Funchal, Madeira, on September 25, 1985. She has worked in fado, jazz and pop music.

Fernandes achieved national recognition in 2007 after winning the entirety of the fourth season of Operação Triunfo, a talent show on RTP. Because of her victory, she performed “Senhora do Mar (Negras Águas)” at Festival da Canção in 2008. The song by André Indiana, in addition to lyrics from Carlos Coelho, won the competition.

Portugal was victorious. They earned a place in the final. This importantly occurred in Belgrade at the Eurovision Song Contest of 2008. In the final, Senhora do Mar received 69 points, resulting in a 13th place finish.

Fernandes has kept performing in Portugal. Fernandes has also performed in other countries since Eurovision. She plays both typical Portuguese music and several modern kinds. She has taken part in many projects that show Portuguese culture, as she has worked with many musicians.

Fado has roots in Portuguese musical tradition. She frequently incorporates elements of fado into her vocal style. Having explored the genre, she studied jazz at the Madeira Conservatory. Over the years, she has performed at multiple festivals along with cultural events.

In 2012, Vânia Fernandes completed her bachelor’s degree in Music, specializing in jazz, at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa. She also holds a professional singing course from the Conservatório de Música da Madeira and has studied jazz at the Hot Clube – Escola de Jazz Luiz Villas-Boas. Throughout her career, she has been involved in various musical projects across different genres. Notably, she collaborated with guitarist António Côrte-Real and actor Pedro Giestas in a series of performances titled “Uma Guitarra e Dez Canções de Amor” (“A Guitar and Ten Love Songs”). This project paid tribute to significant Portuguese love songs and included poetic readings, celebrating the nation’s rich musical and literary heritage.

Even though she hasn’t released a full album, Fernandes has recorded songs and is actively working in music. She has also worked as a vocal coach and a mentor for young artists with potential.

In 2022, she collaborated with the Orquestra de Jazz do Algarve to present “The Great Voices and The Great Orchestras,” a performance celebrating iconic 20th-century vocalists such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan. This event took place on April 14, 2022, in Faro, Portugal.