Morna emerged in mid-19th century Cape Verde as the nation's signature music, expressing themes of cruel fate, lost love, and longing through melancholic guitars and violins. The slow, soulful genre features quiet, sensitive vocals delivered with deep emotional expression, often in Cape Verdean Creole. Morna reflects the Cape Verdean experience of emigration and saudade, with Cesária Évora becoming its most celebrated international ambassador.