The opening theme, ‘Menino de Saudade’, written by Acácio Barbosa and interpreted through the melody of Fado Cravo by Alfredo Marceneiro, encapsulates the singer’s life “in a fado,” stated the fadista in an interview.
Besides these original works, Bruno Mega recorded other songs including ‘Sol do Teu Olhar’ (Jorge Ataíde), ‘Quero Viver Contigo’ (Miguel Coelho Ramos), ‘Minha Luz, Meu Paraíso’ (José Patrício/Fado Maria Rita, by Armando Machado), ‘Lembranças do Meu Passado’ (José Patrício/Fado Oliveira, by Arménio de Melo), and ‘Ninguém é de Ninguém’ (João Alberto/Joaquim Campos da Silva).
For Bruno Mega, this album represents “a defense of traditional fado,” as he explained: “Nowadays, there is a lot of blending, a lot of connection—which is not bad, I don’t judge—between fado and other musical styles, but I believe traditional fado must remain prominent.”
The album also features recreations of themes such as ‘Entrega’ (Pedro Homem de Mello/Carlos Gonçalves), a creation of Amália Rodrigues, ‘Lamentos’ (Domingos Gonçalves da Costa/Maximiano de Sousa), and ‘Noite’ (Vasco de Lima Couto/M. de Sousa), creations of Max, which have also been recorded by other fado singers.
The selection of Max’s works arose naturally as Mega’s grandfather was “the greatest friend” of the Madeiran singer and composer.
Regarding the album’s lineup, Bruno Mega mentioned that “[his] colleagues and [his] wife” imagined it more than he did.
Max (1918-1980) is one of Bruno Mega’s reference voices, along with Fernando Maurício (1933-2003), Marina Mota, and Lenita Gentil.
Son of fadista Fernando Mega, Bruno began singing at the age of 14, taking a ten-year hiatus when he was 30.
He married, moved to Ericeira near Lisbon, and distanced himself “a bit from fado,” returning now with a second album, following ‘Sonho Realizado’ (2013).
Currently, the singer is part of the ensemble of the fado house Tasquinha Canto do Fado in Lisbon and describes himself as “a man of dreams, with firm ideas and objectives.”
“Fado, nowadays, is my life; it was something I gave up some years ago, but I shouldn’t have,” he said in the interview.
Asked about the album title, ‘A Vida Paga’, Bruno Mega stated: “Now in my 40s, if we are true to ourselves, if we do things well, with humility, truth, and kindness, I believe that sooner or later ‘life pays back’, that’s what I say to myself.”
The fadista acknowledges that the fado environment “is difficult,” but believes “there is room for everyone.”
“Fado is a competitive environment, but I don’t want to step over anyone. It’s a small community, if there are 300 people singing and playing fado, it’s a lot. It is truly competitive, where, unfortunately, people always want to step over each other,” he declared, adding: “If we act with humility, we achieve the goals we set.”
