Traditional Fado can be sung in many different ways. The most respected names are those of Amália Rodrigues, Maria da Fé, Hermínia Silva and Argentina Santos, whilst Carlos do Carmo is one of the best-known male voices, famous for the way he sings about Lisbon.

A new generation of Fado singers has brought us fresh voices, such as Dulce Pontes, who featured in the Hollywood film "Primal Fear" (with Richard Gere), and Mariza, who won the BBC Radio Award for World Music in 2003.

Other new names in Fado are Mísia, Camané, Mafalda Arnauth and Katia Guerreiro. They all have an emotional commitment to their singing.

If you want to sample some of this traditional music, then the Grand Night of Fado is held every year in Lisbon and Porto. It’s a very special evening that showcases the best new musical talents, an event that helps to launch careers and discover unique voices.