Ana Bacalhau in Singapore

Thanks to the initiative of the Portuguese Embassy in Singapore, led by H.E. the indefatigable Ambassador Carlos Pires, the famous Portuguese singer-songwriter Ana Bacalhau performed at Singapore's Botanic Gardens on June 13th, 2026. This was a special concert to celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations between Portugal and Singapore, and was held on the Saturday after Portugal Day on June 10th.

Ana Bacalhau initially rose to widespread national and international prominence as the charismatic lead vocalist of the platinum-selling, neo-fado group Deolinda, which she fronted for a decade starting in 2006. Since launching her solo career in 2017, she has cemented her status as one of Portugal's most acclaimed contemporary vocalists. Known for her unique blending of fado, pop, and indie rock influences, she continues to release charting music and routinely plays to sold-out audiences.

Ana Bacalhau performing at the open-air Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage

This concert in Singapore was Ana Bacalhau's debut performance in Asia. The audience was a mix of dignitaries (including Singapore's Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs), Portuguese and Lusophone expats living in the city-state, and curious Singaporeans. The singer performed a range of music, from pop to fado, commenting in Portuguese and also explaining lyrics and musical styles in fluent English. June 13th happens to be the Feast Day of Saint Anthony, the patron saint of Lisbon, and the origin of a long tradition of street parties in June called the festas populares. The iconic music played during these "popular festivals" is called pimba, and Ana Bacalhau performed a song from this genre as her last encore.

There is another interesting Singapore-Portugal historical link. In 1836, Dr. José d'Almeida—a Portuguese naval surgeon who became one of early Singapore’s most prominent merchants—became a founding member of the Singapore Agricultural and Horticultural Society. This society was the predecessor to the organization that eventually established today's Singapore Botanic Gardens in 1859, nine years after d'Almeida's death. To learn more about this fascinating man, check out these posts!