Arlindo Rodrigues, the voice that takes Brava to the world
Nova Sintra, September 26, 2025 (Bravanews) - The Brava City Council issued a statement highlighting and honoring the remarkable career of the island's native artist, Arlindo António Barbosa Rodrigues, affectionately known as Dunda. The recognition comes as a thank you for his significant contribution to Cape Verdean culture and for elevating Brava's reputation to international prominence.
Born on December 31, 1980, Arlindo Rodrigues demonstrated an innate passion for music from an early age, transforming everyday objects into instruments and improvising in small bands during his childhood in Braga. This precocious talent and creativity would later shape a successful career.
Arlindo Rodrigues' musical journey gained new momentum in 2009, when he moved to Praia. Starting out modestly, singing in restaurants, he quickly won over audiences and became one of the most sought-after artists livening up the capital's nightlife.
The turning point in his career came in 2019, when he joined the legendary group "Os Tubarões." Since then, the artist has toured stages in Cape Verde and abroad, participating in renowned festivals such as Morna Fest, Festival Músicas do Mundo (Sines, Portugal), and I Love CV (USA). These performances have solidified Arlindo Rodrigues as a leading figure in morna—the musical genre that is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
With his own recorded mornas and frequent appearances at major events, the singer is considered an ambassador for his homeland.
The Brava City Council expresses its deep pride in the artist who "honors his roots and elevates the tradition of morna to the world's stages."
With his career on the rise, Arlindo Rodrigues is already preparing his first solo album, scheduled for release in 2026. The municipality reiterates its gratitude to the singer for carrying the island of Brava "in his heart, representing it with pride on national and international stages."
