​Singer Sara Tavares passes away at 45 after battling brain tumour

Portuguese singer Sara Tavares, who competed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994, passed away at the age of 45 on Monday.

Tavares, who represented Portugal in the contest, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2009, forcing her to take a break from her music career.

Born in 1978, Tavares’ parents emigrated from Cape Verde to Almada, Portugal in the 1970s.


In 1994, the musician won Chuva de Estrelas, a national television song contest in Portugal, after singing Whitney Houston’s One Moment in Time.

She was also the winner of Festival da Canção, which led to her selection to represent Portugal at the Eurovision that year.

She secured the eighth spot with her song "Chamar a música," while Ireland emerged as the winners with Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan’s "Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids."

SIC Notícias, a Portuguese cable news channel, reported her passing nearly 30 years after she participated in SIC’s Chuva de Estrelas singing competition.

Her debut album, "Mi Ma Bô," was released in 1999. Six years ago, in 2017, she unveiled her most recent album, "Fitxadu."

In 2012, she candidly discussed her diagnosis on the channel’s SIC Alta Definição program, revealing the emotional impact of missing her grandmother.