Buba Espinho, an Alentejo-born singer, stated in an interview with Alentrium.pt that the Alentejo today represents "an oasis of peace in the middle of chaos," arguing that the region's authenticity, expressed through music, gastronomy, wine and the way of welcoming visitors, constitutes one of its greatest attractions. In the interview, conducted at Quinta do Paral, in Vidigueira, the artist cited alentejo singing, traditionally performed by groups of men, and regional gastronomy as examples of this simplicity.
The Alentejo Autêntico project was born from a conversation between Buba Espinho and José Manuel Santos, president of the Regional Tourism Entity of Alentejo and Ribatejo, during the Lisbon Tourism Fair. According to the singer, the Alentejo Tourism authority was responsible for attracting tourism sector professionals to the region, while his role involved building the artistic program. The program includes a total of 12 gatherings through June 2027, held at different tourism facilities and venues across the region.
The Alentejo Autêntico stop at Quinta do Paral featured Luís Trigacheiro, accompanied by the Vidigueira Choir Group, in a performance directed at invited guests, journalists and tourism sector professionals. Buba Espinho also took to the stage for a shared moment with his colleague, with whom he grew up musically close and with whom he has participated in several joint projects.
Buba Espinho acknowledges that the visibility achieved by alentejo singing has helped spark curiosity about the region, bringing new audiences to personally experience the places portrayed in the songs. The artist also emphasized that the appreciation of the Alentejo results from a collective effort that goes beyond musicians and stages, highlighting the contribution of professionals, public entities, media and cultural agents who work on promoting the region.
