OMIRI

With his unique, 360° approach and multifaceted sound, OMIRI stands as a vibrant homage to the ethos of remix culture. Created by multi-instrumentalist and composer Vasco Ribeiro Casais, OMIRI revives Portugal’s forgotten musical traditions by blending folk elements with electronic compositions, preserving the country’s roots while propelling them in new directions. Across his extensive discography, Casais incorporates instruments like the nyckelharpa, viola braguesa, cavaquinho and bouzouki, skilfully combining them with field recordings and electronic production to transform classic dances such as the corridinho and chotiça into modern-day floor-fillers.

Casais’ in-depth approach is central to the project: he immerses himself in the lives and stories of local people who inspire his work, conducting extensive field recordings and crafting new music that resonates deeply with their culture and identities. On projects such as Alentejo Vol.I: Évora (2019), Beira Litoral e Ribatejo Vol.I: Pombal, Alcanena e Tomar (2022), Estremadura Vol.I: Setúbal (2023) and Ribatejo e Estremadura Vol.II: Abrantes e Alcobaça (2023), he zoomed in on one specific community at a time, capturing its timeless heritage through a mix of traditional instrumentation, local voices and subtle electronics. With detailed lyrics, photographs and biographies of each participant, the accompanying booklets add invaluable ethnographic context to each project.

OMIRI’s live performances bring this concept to life in spectacular fashion. Through immersive video projections of field recordings, mapped onto historic buildings or staged with local performers, Casais transforms each concert into a site-specific tribute to the community, blending tradition with personal stories and cutting-edge sounds.

+ OMIRI will perform at Folk Alliance International 2025 in Montréal, Quebec (February 19–23)

Mynda Guevara

Luso-Cape Verdean rapper Mynda Guevara channels a revolutionary spirit both in her name and her craft. Through raw Creole (kriolu) lyrics and a fiery mix of boom-bap beats, trap and African rhythms, Guevara creates music that is as politically charged as it is deeply personal: as an Afro-descendant woman, she openly confronts the systemic racism and societal inequities that define her experience, challenging the status quo while striving to inspire other young women to embrace their power. 

Born in 1997 to Cape Verdean parents, Guevara was raised in Lisbon’s Cova da Moura, a long-marginalised neighbourhood that is historically home to African immigrants from former Portuguese colonies. Despite its socio-economic difficulties, Cova da Moura is also a vibrant melting pot, marked by self-reliance and strong cultural ties and a deep sense of belonging. It’s in this kaleidoscopic community, particularly at the renowned Kova M Studio – a space that has long nurtured young talent from Cova da Moura – that Guevara’s passion for hip-hop took root when she was just a teenager.

Her first track, 2015’s ‘Mudjer na Rap’, acted as a manifesto of sorts, proclaiming her arrival in the male-dominated world of Portuguese rap. Since then, she has continued to push for more female inclusion with her fierce, self-assured flow and unflinching lyrics, refining her sound without losing any of her grittiness. On Phoenix, her latest EP, Guevara collaborates with several prominent Afro-Portuguese artists, solidifying her place in the rap scene and offering just a glimpse of the lasting impact she’s poised to make.

+ Mynda Guevara will play SQUARE festival in Braga, Portugal (Jan 29 – Feb 1)