Ricardo Ribeiro was born in Lisbon. He began singing among his friends and made is public debut with 12 years, at Académica da Ajuda, on his neighborhood of birth, accompanied by the guitar players Carlos Gonçalves and José Inácio, who was to become one of the major references for his carreer.
The Fado singer considers the fadistas Fernando Maurício, Manuel Fernandes and Alfredo Marceneiro Fernando as his main references. Ricardo Ribeiro reveals himself: "When I heard Fernando Maurício for the first time, that singing was so intense it made me feel part of the history."
With 15 years of age becomes part of the cast of the Restaurant Os Ferreiras, at Rua de S. Lázaro, along with his master Fernando Maurício and the guitar player Adelino dos Santos. Also in 1996 he wins the second place in the competition of the Grande Noite do Fado in Lisbon. In the next two years, 1997 and 1998, he was the winner of the same contest.
Later he performed at the typical restaurant NóNó, at Bairro Alto, fado house that opened the doors for him to perform in the mythical places like Faia and Luso.
By an invitation of the French Ministry of Culture, he represented Portugal in a festival of cultures in Alu, at the house of Maria Casares, in southern France, in 2001.
In 2004 he sang a theme on the album tribute to Amália Rodrigues, an edition of the World Connection label, and later that year, he launched his first album - "Ricardo Ribeiro", an edition of CNM Anthology Collection.
In 2005, Ricardo Ribeiro received the award Revelação Masculina (Male Revelation), atributed by the Amália Rodrigues Foundation and participated with two songs on the movie "Rio Turvo", directed by Edgar Pêra, along with Teresa Salgueiro and Nuno Melo.
That same year, by an invitation of the director Ricardo Pais, he takes part in the show "Cabelo Branco é Saudade", along with Celeste Rodrigues, Argentina Santos and Alcindo de Carvalho. The show premiere is at the Teatro Nacional de São João and then is presented in the most important concert halls of Europe and Portugal such as Cité de la Music (Paris), Teatro de la Abadia (Madrid) Frankfurt Opera, Theatre Mercandante (Naples) and Casa da Musica (Oporto).
The Casa da Imprensa gives him the Revelation Award in 2006.
In addition to made part of the cast for the film "Fados," directed by Carlos Saura, Ricardo Ribeiro has collaborated on projects of the biggest names in the Portuguese music: João Gil, Rão Kyao or Pedro Jóia.
The fadista came to the attention of the international critics when, in 2008, collaborated on the album "Em Português", from the composer and lute player Rabih Abou Khalil, edited by ENJA Records. On this album all the themes are composed by Rabih Abou Khalil and the poems written by Mário Rainho, Silva Tavares, José Luis Gordo, Tiago Torres da Silva, Rui Manuel and António Rocha.
The interpretation of Ricardo Ribeiro receives the best acclaims and the album "Em Português" was voted for the 10 best albums "Top of the World" in the British magazine "Songlines", where Ricardo Ribeiro is referred to as "the rising star of ... Lisbon Fado ".
In 2010 he sings two themes in the movie “Filme do Desassosego”, directed by João Botelho.
“Porta do Coração”, his latest album, was released on April 19, 2010 and went directly to the 5th place of the national top sales. This album was produced by Ricardo Ribeiro, Pedro de Castro (Portuguese guitar) and Jaime Santos (Guitar) and has the support of Joel Pina on bass guitar. The magazine "Songlines" once again surrender to his interpretations, giving it the stamp of quality "Top of the World Album" and praising its ability to overflow emotions, and grading his work to "absolutely extraordinary and rare."
The Amália Rodrigues Foundation distinguishes again Ricardo Ribeiro, in 2011, this time with the award Melhor Intérprete (Best Singer).
Ricardo Ribeiro is undoubtedly one of the most prominent figures of the younger generation of Portuguese fado, and is fado that he sees himself: "Fado is all that happens. When we laugh or cry when you remember or forget. When one loves or hates. It’s an artistic way of shaping the Fado to the voice. The fate of a fado singer is to be the fortune of us all. "
Selected information sources:
http://www.facebook.com/RRibeirofado
http://ricardoribeiroportadocoracao.blogspot.com/
www.myspace.com/ricardoribeirofado
