Ave Cesaria Lyrics in English Stromae

Ave Cesaria is Stromae’s heartfelt love letter to the legendary Cape-Verdean singer Cesária Évora, nicknamed “the barefoot diva.” Over an infectious blend of Afro-beat, rumba, and electronic grooves, he calls out to her with the hypnotic refrain “Evora, Evora,” as if trying to summon her smoky, rum-tinged voice from across the ocean. The lyrics swing between playful teasing—“You don’t love me anymore or what?”—and deep admiration for her raw, soulful power that once made him and “millions of soldiers” fall under her spell.

The chorus of “sodade” (Creole for saudade, a poignant longing) captures Stromae’s nostalgia for Cesária’s humble grace and for the dignity she carried despite hard times and empty bottles. By mixing French with Cape-Verdean Creole, he turns the track into a cross-cultural celebration: part prayer (“Ave”), part reunion party, and part lesson in humility. In the end, “Ave Cesaria” is both a tribute and a promise that her music—and the feeling it evokes—will never truly disappear.