Sofia Rosa

Fernando Sofia Rosa was born in Ambriz, northern Bengo province. He grew up in the Samba district of Luanda, where he learned the Kimbundu language and traditions from fishermen and tradeswomen. He was a unique star and great popular singer. In 1963 he joined as a singer the "Agrupamento Teatral Ngongo", founded by José de Oliveira Fontes Pereira, and travels with them to Portugal where he appears on TV. He records his first single in 1970 and seven follow later. He was a great composer and interpreter of songs in Kimbundu, expressing the life and feelings of common people. In the theme "Kalumba" praises the beauty of the woman. He became famous for his songs, his extraordinary look wearing African textile. Sofia Rosa was also linked to "Os Corvos" band, but all her artistic talent came to light with "The Astros", recording "Kalumba", "Ngue Xile Ku Tunda Bu Sambila", "Makuinhadi ya Mivu", "Imbua Iolo Bosa. Day by day, the whining spoken by the people of the bairros, sanzalas and musseques, the feeling of love and perseverance are contained in their passages that transport the public to the world of "saudade" in Angolan watercolors, labor day, kutonocas, farras where Sofia Rosa was dragging crowds. He moved to Lobito in 1973. When in November 1975 the UNITA forces took the town, Sofia Rosa, who had never concealed his sympathies for the MPLA, was murdered, probably by Savimbi's troups.