Eurovision singer Sara Tavares dies aged 45 after brain tumour diagnosis

The singer famously represented Portugal at the 1994 Eurovision Song Content.

By Molly Moss

Published: Monday, 20 November 2023 at 11:55 AM

Sara Tavares, a singer who competed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994, has died at the age of 45 after a battle with a brain tumour.

Tavares, who famously represented Portugal when the competition was held in Dublin, passed away in Lisbon on Sunday (19th November).

Her death was announced by her family, according to local media.

Born in Lisbon in 1978, Tavares’s career took off when she won a national television song contest in Portugal in 1994, called Chuva de Estrelas, after performing Whitney Houston’s One Moment in Time.

She also won the Festival da Canção the same year, which led to her being named as the representative for the country at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest.

She came in eighth place with her song Chamar a Música, with Ireland taking the crown with Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids by Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan.

In 1996, Tavares released her debut album Sara Tavares & Shout!. 

She went on to release six studio albums over the next two decades including Balance in 2005, for which she received a platinum record nomination at the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards. Her most recent album, Fitxadu, was released in 2017.

The late musician was also known for singing the European-Portuguese version of God Help the Outcasts for Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which won a Disney award for the best rendition of the original song. She also won a Portuguese Golden Globe for Best Portuguese Singer.

Tavares was forced to take a hiatus from her music career when she was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2009.

Tributes have been flooding in for the late singer following the tragic news of her passing.