Pontes was born in 1969 in
Montijo, a town in the
District of Setúbal, near
Lisbon. In 1991, she won the Festival RTP da Canção with her song "", (known in English as "Tell Me"), which led her to at the
Eurovision Song Contest 1991. She finished 8th in the competition, which was at the time the third-best finish for a Portuguese performer. Later that year, she also
represented Portugal in the
OTI Festival 1991 with the song "". Her interpretation of famous fado themes like "Lágrima" e "Estranha Forma de Vida", earned her in the press the name of "successor and heir to
Amália Rodrigues". Dulce Pontes started her career as a mainstream pop artist, but over the years she has evolved to become a world music singer. She blends traditional fado with contemporary styles and searches out new forms of musical expression. She sang in prestigious concert halls like
Carnegie Hall in New York and the
Royal Albert Hall in London, among many other places worldwide. In June 2006, Pontes prepared her double LP
O Coração Tem Três Portas (
The Heart Has Three Doors). It was recorded live without an audience in
Convent of the Order of Christ in
Tomar and St Mary Church in
Óbidos. Her versatility in music styles shows also in her performances of Latin-American
tango's of
Astor Piazzolla (for example "Balada para un Loco" and "Maria de Buenos Aires" or "
Volver" by Carlos Gardel). ==Personal life==