Évora's music has received many accolades, including a Grammy Award in 2004, and it has influenced many Cape Verde diaspora musicians as well as American pop singer Madonna.

She saw relative popularity within Cape Verde over the following years, but she retired from singing when it did not provide her with enough money to care for her children.

Here, she met music producer José "Djô" da Silva, who signed Évora to his record label, Lusafrica.

Cesária Évora was born on 27 August 1941, in Mindelo, São Vicente (then a colony in Portuguese Cape Verde), as one of seven children.

[2][3]: 84  Living in Mindelo provided her with an advantage, as its status as an international port town meant that the city had a large nightlife scene.

To express her frustration, she sometimes wrote songs specifically about these problems, knowing that most of her foreign audience would not understand the lyrics.

[1][5]: 59  While performing there in 1987, she was discovered by the France-based music producer José "Djô" da Silva, who had her accompany him to Paris.

This album was a major success, selling hundreds of thousands of copies and bringing her large followings in France and Portugal.

She began touring globally, visiting Brazil, Canada, and the United States, as well as countries in Africa and Europe.

[2] Her first major concert success took place this year, when she sold out a performance at the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris.

[5]: 61  In 1995, after a successful tour in the United States, Évora released her fifth album, Cesaria Evora, with the American label Nonesuch Records.

[2] This album was more positive in tone than the previous ones,[7] and it earned her international acclaim, including her first nomination for a Grammy Award.

[3]: 92  She received the Portuguese Grand-Cross of the Order of Prince Henry in 1999,[14] and was awarded the French Legion of Honour in 2009.

[2] Many of her songs also cover topics like homesickness and nostalgia, which are common themes in morna, in line with the tradition of sodade.

[15]: 73  Évora's band was led by Nando Andrade,[3]: 93  and composed entirely of younger Cape Verdean men.

[16] After achieving global popularity, Évora saw herself as telling the story of the oft-forgotten Cape Verde to the world.

[5]: 58  Évora played a significant role in increasing the global profile of Cape Verde and its music.

[15]: 69 Évora is also an influence for music artists with no connection to Cape Verde: the American singer Madonna developed an interest in Portuguese and Cape Verdean music after meeting her, which influenced Madonna's studio album "Madame X" (2019) and the subsequent Madame X Tour.