Mariza was born Marisa dos Reis Nunes on December 16, 1973, in Lourenço Marques, Portuguese Mozambique. Her father was Portuguese, and her mother had partial African heritage. At the age of three, her family moved to Metropolitan Portugal, where she was raised in Lisbon's historic quarters of Mouraria and Alfama.
As a young child, Mariza began singing in various musical styles, including gospel, soul, and jazz. Her father encouraged her to adopt fado, believing that participating in the traditional music would grant her greater acceptance in the Portuguese community.
