Born in 1978, Tavares' parents immigrated from Cape Verde to Almada, Portugal, in the 1970s. In 1994, the musician achieved victory in Chuva de Estrelas, a national television song contest in Portugal, with her rendition of Whitney Houston’s "One Moment in Time."Her success continued as she emerged as the winner of Festival da Canção, earning her the opportunity to represent Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest that same year.
