While the Dutch artist of Cape Verdean heritage is no stranger to the scene, Nelson Freitas’ new music reintroduces him with an evolution of his previous output. As a legend in the scene, he’s amassed a global fanbase over the years with his unique sound fusing Kizomba and Zouk with R&B and Hip Hop. Get to know him deeper with this VIPER interview…
What five words define your sound?
Afrobeats, sexy, smooth, good music.
Tell me something unique about your creative process.
I start creating by selecting a good beat. After that, I just open up the microphone and start vibing out to melodies and lyrics until I get the song up to 60%. Only then do I sit down to write the lyrics, but by then, the song is already almost finished.
Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?
This is a tricky question because I have so many songs. If you’ve never heard my music, my previous songs will still sound fresh. But if I have to select one now, it would be “O.G Energie.”
What inspired you to make that song?
The inspiration came from the state that I am in right now. The song speaks about the fact that I have been doing this for a minute, but it sounds very now. But that comes with a price. It comes with hard work, no days off, and my struggles with anxiety, doubt, and all those sorts of things, just like other people. I really wanted to touch on that subject so that people understand that we are all human.
What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?
Again, I would have to go to the song ‘O.G Energie’. In a sentence in the song I say: “I’ve been fighting my demons, believe me, no ceiling to what I do!” Meaning, I go through the motions, but there is no stopping me. That’s me putting it out there, saying, it’s not all that you see on Instagram. There is a lot behind the artist.
What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?
Best: When me and my team produced my first sold-out concert at the Coliseum of Lisbon, I cried of joy when the show was over. It was one of the best feelings I had in my life.
Worst: A fan jumped on stage to hug me, and she ran into me. I hit the microphone on my lip and busted it. Blood was gushing out and I had to stop the show.
What is your favourite song to perform?
I have a few: ‘Miúda Linda’, ‘Bo Tem Mel’ and ‘Rebound Chick’.
Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?
Michael Jackson.
What’s the meaning behind your name?
There is no meaning behind my name. It’s actually my official name.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?
I would definitely be an entrepreneur of some sort. In reality, it’s already what I do because I also take care of the business side of my company.
What’s success to you?
Success is achieving what you set out to do and feeling good about it.
What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?
I remember vividly in 2007 when I released my first solo album that I had a moment where I thought, “this is it, I gotta go 100% on this in order for this to succeed.” Up until that time, it was just a hobby, and that’s when I decided I was going to focus only on my music, and I am glad I did.
Where can people keep in touch with you?
