Mariza Liz

Tomorrow goes backstage at Festival F with the wonderful Mariza Liz

Marisa Liz is one of the most popular figures in Portuguese music and, as a former mentor on RTP’s The Voice, she’s become a household name. We caught up with her before and after her performance at one of the nation’s premier music festivals.

“Let’s meet again after the show in Faro,” said Marisa Liz.

Both my colleague Cristina Ribeirinho and I have seen Marisa Liz so many times on television, performing as a solo artist (or with the band Amor Electro) and as a supportive mentor on the prime-time show The Voice, and so we are excited to talk to her.

Marisa’s influence extends beyond music; she’s someone who has helped shape popular culture in Portugal. Her music resonates with a wide audience, from younger generations seeking something new and fresh to older listeners who appreciate her respect for tradition. In many ways, she represents the evolving nature of Portuguese culture – a blend of the old and the new, the traditional and the modern.

Marisa Liz was born Marisa Pinto in Lisbon on 22nd October 1982. Her love affair with music began at an early age, with her singing in the privacy of her home before showcasing her talent in school performances and, later, in local clubs. It was during these formative years that she developed her ability to connect with audiences, something which has become a defining feature of her career.

In 2010, she became the lead vocalist of the band Amor Electro. The band, which fuses traditional Portuguese sounds with modern electronic influences, quickly gained popularity, with Marisa’s voice (and looks) helping it stand out among its contemporaries. The band’s debut album Cai o Carmo e a Trindade (The Fall of Carmel and the Trinity), released in 2011, was a critical and commercial success, catapulting the band to the forefront of the music scene.

Marisa’s popularity was such that, in 2014, RTP asked her to be a mentor on The Voice, a role she undertook for nine seasons until 2023. It was here that her personality came to the fore, with Marisa showing herself as a hard-working and nurturing mentor. She’s also been a popular mentor (in 2021) on The Voice Kids, a role that helped endear her to the younger generation.

With Amor Electro not releasing any new music since 2018 (Marisa told us they are ‘resting’), Marisa has struck out on her own, releasing her debut solo album titled Girassóis e Tempestades (Sunflowers and Storms) last year. It was this album and her recent EP, titled Mensagens de Amor (Messages of Love), that formed the basis of her headline (and rousing!) performance at F Festival.

Marisa expressed her gratitude for the chance to appear in Tomorrow and her love of the Algarve, describing it as “a magical place”. We also discovered we had something in common, as she describes herself as being “completely crazy about The Beatles”.

Marisa was very generous in organising backstage access for me at the festival, where the vibe was very chilled. Other artists were there preparing to go on stage – Carolina Deslandes being one – and staff helped with interviews and last-minute arrangements. One of the acts she’d mentored on The Voice, Romeu Bairos, was also there. He told me how appreciative he is of all the support he’s received both on the show and since.

When we’d spoken with Marisa a few days before the show, she’d told us that she is someone who suffers from ADHD and “wants to be everything and anything, all of the time”. In order to relax, she told us, “I think making food for someone is an act of love. Happiness for me is dedicating hours of my life to doing something that the people I love will enjoy.” Marisa certainly has a caring nature about her, both on and off stage, generously taking the time to speak – and share a joke with Cristina’s daughter, Bruna.

As for the next few months, it promises to be an exciting period. Marisa has more concerts scheduled (see the link below to her Facebook), including two massive concerts at the Coliseum Auditoriums in Lisbon (10 February) and Porto (24 February). Judging by the reaction to her performance at Festival F, they promise to be very special occasions. Marisa also told us she is working on something else for the early months of 2025 and said it would be “very special”. She didn’t quite say it would be a new album, but it certainly sounded intriguing.

Marisa is understandably keen to share her music and bring happiness to what can be a somewhat troubled world. As she said, “We might not be able to change the world or the person in front of us, but we can change the way we think and the actions we take. I would like to wish love to everyone reading the magazine and that the heart of each one of us is filled with understanding, acceptance, and love so that we can have a more beautiful life surrounded by peace and freedom.”

Marisa Liz is a vital force in Portuguese music and culture, inspiring a new generation of musicians and listeners alike. Not just through her ability as a performer, but also as someone who cares deeply about the world, she has inspired a new generation of musicians and listeners.