São Vicente: Djosinha says goodbye to the stage in Mindelo after a career spanning more than seven decades

Born on May 25, 1934, with the baptismal name José Vieira Duarte, the artist is now more than nine decades old and "pretty tough", as he likes to stress, since his only vice has always been the "little ones" [girlfriends].

He has now chosen to make his departure from the stage official, but guarantees that it is not a definitive farewell, but rather "a closing of doors", leaving open future appearances, mainly for social causes.

However, as he emphasized in an interview with Inforpress, he wants to mark this moment in his homeland, after almost 74 years as an artist who needs no introduction.

The story of the name Djosinha goes back to his childhood, on the soccer fields, where he shared the name José with two other teammates. To avoid confusion, the monitor decided to differentiate them with names.

"He said that from then on it would be José, Djosa and Djosinha," said the singer, who, because he was last in line, took the diminutive name that would become an inescapable trademark of Cape Verdean music.

The artistic path began early, at the age of seven, at the old Cine Éden Park, led by the hand of guitarist Olavo Bilac, who encouraged him to sing.

It was on that stage that, initially placed discreetly in a show, he would end up shining as the star of the night, with his interpretation of the Brazilian song "Deusa do Asfalto", in a memorable debut.

It was also the first time she wore shoes, made by a shoemaker friend of her mother's.

Since then, she has never stopped, and her career has spanned 74 years, touching generations and crossing geographies.

He stood out in the group Voz de Cabo Verde, which he joined at the age of 22, invited by the founding members to bring versatility to a repertoire dominated by mornas and coladeiras.

With the group, he toured countries such as Holland, Portugal and Spain and several others, until it was disbanded.

Then, as a solo artist, the "show man" of Cape Verdean music, as he is also known, built up a very solid career, with 17 albums and CDs published, and countless shows in Cape Verde and the diaspora.

In addition, for 42 years he was an announcer for Rádio Globo in the United States, where he has lived and built a family for several years, extending his connection with the emigrant public.

Known for his contagious energy on stage, Djosinha has starred in memorable moments such as the famous "ratcha camisa", which also earned him another nickname.

This happened in Angola, when at a show she tore her own shirt during a rendition of James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World", throwing the pieces to the ecstatic audience.

"It was a total delirium, many of the girls who were there came up with pieces asking me to put autographs on them," she recalled with a smile about the episode that earned her days of forced anonymity, such was the enthusiasm of the fans.

Between stories and rhythms, his passion for Latin music also stands out, especially cumbia, and he is considered one of the pioneers of the genre in São Vicente.

His first major international tour took place during colonial times, under the aegis of the then Minister of Overseas Territories, Adriano Moreira, which brought together names such as Luís Rendall, Agostinho Fortes, Dani Évora, Celso Estrela, Titina Rodrigues, Arlinda Santos and Mité Costa.

"They've all gone, but I'm still here," she recalls with emotion.

In addition to music, he also played soccer, and was even a champion as a player for Clube Mindelense in 1954.

From soccer to music, he performed memorable duets with some of the biggest names in Cape Verdean music, but he likes to highlight what he said was his first duet, when he was still a teenager, with the late Titina Rodrigues, at a show at Castilho, in São Vicente, with the Brazilian song "Quase certo".

He is now preparing to take to the stage in Mindel for one last big meeting with his audience, the same audience that has always welcomed him "very well" and of which he is also a fan.

The show will take place at the Jotamont Academy, organized by Serenata Produções, which, through producer Kicas Silva, promises a farewell to match his irreverence, with guests such as Rui de Bitina and Carmen Silva.

But before she puts down the microphone, Djosinha still has plans to perform in Portugal and Luxembourg later this year.

Because, as he himself said, "it's not the end, it's just a pause, a closing of doors, leaving the music to echo as always in his heart and soul".

Inforpress/End