Lura, born Maria de Lurdes Pina Assunção, is a singer and musician from Lisbon, Portugal, who identifies as Cape Verdean. Born in 1975 to Cape Verdean parents, she has family links to Santiago through her father and to São Nicolau through her mother.

Her music draws on traditional Cape Verdean styles, including morna, funaná and batuque, alongside African influences and contemporary Western music. Although she initially wants to become a dancer or swimming instructor, she begins singing at 17 after Juka, an artist from São Tomé and Príncipe, invites her to record a duet for an album. The record is successful and leads to work with artists including Bonga, Tito Paris, Paulo Flores and Paulinho Vieira.

In 1996 she records her first album, Nha Vida, which contains her own compositions. The following year she takes part in the AIDS awareness project Red Hot + Lisbon alongside artists including Caetano Veloso, Marisa Monte, Djavan, Bonga and Teresa Salgueiro. She continues to record and perform across Europe, and in 2007 her song “Morna” appears in Carlos Saura’s film Fados.