Profile
I am devoted to early music and fado.
I believe that songs from distant times and places still resonate here and now,
carrying the unchanging emotions of the human heart.
Erika Fujisawa is a vocalist specializing in early music, performing repertoire from the Medieval, Renaissance, and early Baroque periods across Western Europe, as well as Sephardic (Spanish-Jewish) songs. She is also a fado singer (fadista), dedicated to the traditional music of Lisbon, Portugal.
With a clear, supple, and expressive voice, she interprets repertoire ranging from sacred and secular early music to traditional and popular songs, tracing emotions that endure across time.
Her early music work centers on pre-17th-century repertoire, including medieval Galician Cantigas, Sephardic songs, Italian monody by composers such as Claudio Monteverdi and Tarquinio Merula, Spanish songs by José Marín, and English lute songs by John Dowland. After encountering early Italian Baroque music following her university studies, she devoted herself to historical performance practice for over a decade. She has appeared in recordings such as Cantigas de Santa Maria and Music of the Tenshō Embassy to Europe, as well as in Baroque operas including L’Orfeo, L’incoronazione di Poppea, and La Calisto. She is a member of the medieval music ensemble IberoLibero.
In 2019, she undertook a period of artistic exploration in Lisbon, performing in local casas de fado. Supported by musical connections, she presented her fado across Bairro Alto, Mouraria, and Alfama. She continues to expand her repertoire and performance venues across Japan, sharing the spirit of fado and the richness of Portuguese culture.