Celebrating Marta Lima – A Rising Star from Lagos

Marta Lima, a talented singer/songwriter, has emerged as a vibrant voice from Lagos, drawing inspiration from her enchanting upbringing in the city she calls her “paradise”. In this exclusive interview with Tomorrow, Marta opens up about her music, an unconventional childhood and her journey to becoming an artist.

When I speak to Marta, she is slightly flustered, having to rush to the interview from her job as a project manager for the digital department of Sumol Compal. Sadly, she has not yet been able to give up the day job but has begun to make waves with her unique sound and emotive music, which acts as an outlet for her inner emotions.

Marta’s story starts with a twist. “My upbringing is a bit unusual. My parents are married, but they don’t live together. We only come together on weekends.” Growing up in Lagos with her mother and brother Afonso since her birth in 1999, Marta reflects fondly on her childhood: “I’m incredibly lucky to have been born here. Lagos was the best place to grow up, and it continues to inspire me.”

Her memories of Lagos are filled with a sense of freedom. “I remember asking my mother if I could go outside to play with my neighbours and she would always let me. We’d play until nightfall, without a worry in the world. I’m not sure if that kind of safety still exists, but it was a beautiful time.” As she grew older, she enjoyed being able to hang out on the beach, which was only a couple of minutes from her house. “We would even sneak off to the beach between classes – how lucky were we?”

Marta’s artistic journey began at age six when she started learning music alongside her other passion, handball. After school, she would attend the Academia de Música de Lagos, which set her on the path to mastering the guitar, mandolin and piano.

“At 15, I moved to Lisbon to live with my father while preparing for university. I was passionate about handball and believed joining a Lisbon team would give me a leg up.” After graduating in 2020 with a degree in public administration, Marta began a master’s in international relations but found it unfulfilling. “I realised that studying wasn’t my passion.”

Injuries can alter life’s trajectory, and for Marta, an unfortunate shoulder injury sidelined her handball dreams for several months. “That’s when I turned to music. I needed something to fill the void, so I began singing and writing songs.”

The turning point came in late 2019, when she enrolled in the Erasmus program and spent six memorable months in Lithuania. “It was the best time of my life. When I returned to Portugal, I felt a deep sadness and realised that I truly wanted to pursue music full-time. So, I decided to focus on my passion and left my master’s programme behind.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marta continued to nurture her music and enrolled in the Hot Club of Portugal jazz school, where she honed her songwriting skills. Influenced by Portuguese musical icons like Valter Lobo, Luiz Severo and Maro, she began crafting her own unique sound.

With help from her brother, a professional musician and guitar player, she began recording her music. A chance encounter with producer Cristóvam while singing on a rooftop allowed her to solidify her artistic vision. “Cristóvam became well-known for his song ‘Andrà Tutto Bene’ during the pandemic, and I was lucky enough to collaborate with him.” As an independent artist without a record label, Marta released her first EP, Murmúrio, in 2023, showcasing her heartfelt artistry.

*Marta Lima at Arte Doce in 2023 courtesy of Município de Lagos*

Marta’s first performance at the Centro Cultural de Lagos will forever hold a special place in her heart. “My entire family, including my grandparents, attended, with all my friends from Lisbon. It was their first time seeing me perform. It was simply beautiful, surrounded by the people I love.”

Her captivating song ‘Postal em Branco’ taps into feelings of confinement and the yearning for liberation. When asked if these feelings are personal or imagined, she responds candidly, “It’s entirely personal. I’ve always struggled to express myself – the kind of struggle I’ve worked on in therapy. Writing music is my way of communicating my feelings; it’s therapeutic for me.”

One of the highlights of her young career came when she received an invitation to perform at the renowned NOS Alive festival in Lisbon. “When I got the message, I ran around my house screaming! Playing there in 2023 was one of the best moments of my life.”

This year, Marta released her second EP, reflecting her musical evolution. “While my first EP was peaceful, reminiscent of Lagos and the sea, my new songs are vibrant and celebratory. I wanted to create music that inspires joy and makes people want to dance.”

Marta has been touring the country this year, performing at various small venues. She enjoys this life on the road: “I am a free soul and I like to discover my country.” She sometimes travels with musicians but often has to do the gigs alone as there isn’t enough money to take backup musicians.

Her dream is to be a professional musician and tour with a band. At the moment, she manages her role in the office along with being a music teacher to make ends meet and shares an apartment with her brother ten minutes from the centre of Lisbon.

“One day I would like to live in Lagos but at the moment I need to be in the country’s music capital so I can get to play gigs at short notice,” she explains. She admits that being a Portuguese musician is hard, but she feels that her unique sound comes from the Portuguese language and couldn’t imagine singing in English.

Her song ‘Passos marcados’, released this year, was based on a Japanese legend according to which a red thread ‘connects two soul mates from birth’. Marta says she believes “in the existence of a plan for all of us and that everything has a reason for being/occurring”. In other words, everything is predestined.

We can only hope that Marta’s destiny is to climb to the top of Portugal’s music charts so that this Lagos-born songbird reaches a larger audience from Lagos and beyond.

Marta is hoping to perform a concert in Lagos in September, follow her on Instagram or subscribe to updates on her website to keep updated.

Upcoming 2025 Concerts: