Rising star of the world music scene, Mayra Andrade

Only 26 years old, the young star’s new live album release, “Studio 105,” a fusion of improvisational jazz tunes infused with multicultural musical influences, has seen widespread critical appraisal on the world music scene.

Having taken the first steps to a life of music at the age of 10 when she began writing her own songs, the Cuban-born star often performed as a teenager, winning the prestigious Jeux de la Francophonie songwriting contest at the age of 16. With high expectations on her shoulders, Andrade started voice lessons in Paris in her late teens and began collaborating with various European artists. Now at an exciting juncture in her musical career, the young singer has touched down in İstanbul for a performance on Monday at the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall. She speaks to Today’s Zaman about her brand new live album, her fascination with İstanbul and her personal musical preferences.

You have been to İstanbul before for a live performance, but what do you remember most about the city and how would you describe İstanbul?

I feel like İstanbul is very different from many big cities on various levels. First of all it has this wonderful, unique quality and doesn’t feel at all superficial. It has a very romantic history also, which I love. My last visit to İstanbul was very romantic, too. I did a lot of shopping, hanging around the historic Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar buying beautiful Turkish handcrafted souvenirs. I have many souvenirs in my living room reminding me İstanbul. I even edited a short movie from my cell phone made up of all my special moments in İstanbul.

Your latest release, “Studio 105,” is your first live album but instead of performing your songs only, you also came up with very different arrangements, so can we say that it presents a brand new Mayra Andrade?

I’d rather say it presents a different side of me as opposed to saying a brand new Mayra. I love jazz and I love playing with jazz improvisation musicians. In reality we started off with the vision of recording some bonus tracks live, but then it developed and turned out to be a live album. I love the jazzy arrangements of the new album.

“Kenha ki ben ki ta bai,” the opening track of your latest album, refers to regional rivalry between the two islands Santiago and São Vicente, but interestingly your mother is from Santiago and your father is from São Vicente, so would you say you are a child of peace?

It’s not exactly being like a child of peace, because there’s no war at all between these two different communities, but I can say that it’s more of a funny competition, and regarding this competition my parents’ marriage is ironic in a way. All this competition is a consequence of our historical background, and it’s natural, but I have no such boundaries.

You also came up with a beautiful cover of The Beatles song “Michelle” for this album, so do you love The Beatles and why did you pick up this song for the album?

Of course, I love so many beautiful songs of The Beatles but I guess this song is most of all a beautiful love song. I really don’t care about the style or language. What I care about is a beautiful melody. As long as it’s a beautiful melody, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a song from The Beatles or whatever, for me “Michelle” is simply a beautiful love song.

Although your music is far from pop music, as a young singer, do you listen to some pop singers, too?

Pop music is not my musical background at all, so I have no strong recommendations for pop music, but I love some pop singers too. I love Yael from Israel and Asa from Nigeria, and they are also my very close friends.

Since you covered a Beatles song for your latest album, which pop song would you love to reinterpret most, if you had such an opportunity?

I feel like pop songs sound very similar to each other, but there are some very stylish singers too. Lauryn Hill is one of my favorites, I guess I should research her songs a bit -- I would love to have some of her songs in my repertoire. I also listen to Ben Harper a lot.

Cesaria Evora has retired and will no longer be performing. Do you feel like you’re the next diva for Cape Verdean songs?

Absolutely not. The idea of following up and being “the next” something is not an idea I find very appealing. While of course I respect Cesaria Evora a lot and I like her songs, I prefer to be my own entity and be celebrating my own songs in concert.