Nelson Freitas

Singer and producer Nelson Freitas is known for his smooth, lively blend of contemporary R&B and Cape Verdean cola-zouk tinged with hip-hop. A onetime member of zouk-influenced boy band <a href="spotify:artist:4ieLw16qihbS9EkuQNCR2H">Quatro</a> (aka <a href="spotify:artist:4ieLw16qihbS9EkuQNCR2H">Quatro+</a>), he launched his solo career in 2006 with the release of Magic. Collaborating along the way with artists such as <a href="spotify:artist:1ts2oIXKCpWSRFnR78bulp">Anselmo Ralph</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7LhPIWkSwZTK4znOQ3Eeb1">Eddy Parker</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7uriYlc9ETgOg8VPFbdnbE">Mayra Andrade</a>, his fourth solo long-player, Four, arrived in 2016.

Born and raised in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and heavily influenced by the music of his parents' native Cape Verde, Freitas formed <a href="spotify:artist:4ieLw16qihbS9EkuQNCR2H">Quatro</a> with singers Adilson Ben David, Nelson Oliveira, and <a href="spotify:artist:39D5ODXkLgywuUOHcwOHff">Nilton Ramalho</a> in the late 1990s. They appeared on a handful compilations before issuing 4 Vôz (Four Voices) in 1998. Second full-length Bem Consché followed in 2002 before the group added Nelson's brother, Edson Freitas, to the lineup and tweaked their name to <a href="spotify:artist:4ieLw16qihbS9EkuQNCR2H">Quatro Plus</a> for 2004's Último Viagem.

The band had a number of hits, and Freitas made his solo debut in 2006 with Magic. With appearances by Tó Semedo, <a href="spotify:artist:2DBaDAcrh5sf17yR1qbnsy">Kaysha</a>, and one by <a href="spotify:artist:4ieLw16qihbS9EkuQNCR2H">Quatro+</a>, it included songs in both English and Cape Verdean Creole. My Life followed on Ghettozouk Music in 2010, and his third full-length, Elevate, arrived in 2013. Its guests included, among others, <a href="spotify:artist:1ts2oIXKCpWSRFnR78bulp">Anselmo Ralph</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5IccCciXwIjKPROLcD1Qao">C4 Pedro</a>. Live at Coliseu dos Recreios appeared in 2015, and he delivered his fourth studio album, Four, in 2016. Released regionally on Universal Music Portugal, it included collaborations with Portuguese singer <a href="spotify:artist:2swvbEAfN70ZFcQB4Y7MaS">Richie Campbell</a> and Cape Verdean vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:7uriYlc9ETgOg8VPFbdnbE">Mayra Andrade</a>. Sempre Verão followed in 2019 with spots by Elji Beatzkilla, <a href="spotify:artist:62huveC2Mmi9nfW0ySqNwo">Djodje</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7LhPIWkSwZTK4znOQ3Eeb1">Eddy Parker</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0AJ7gzFhNKeCeIpFNikyWv">Loony Johnson</a>. ~ Marcy Donelson, Rovi