Singer and producer Nelson Freitas craves crisp, new sounds. Born in the Netherlands but eager to pay tribute to his Cape Verdean roots, he incorporates and updates the archipelago’s breezy rhythms. His velvety choruses are smoothly woven into cola-zouk and kizomba patterns, while his flair for genre-crossing beats often results in intriguing collaborations. He alternates sensuous verses in Cape Verdean Creole with Mayra Andrade on “Nha Baby”—a mesmerising encounter from the hit album Four—and brings a touch of electro latino with Juan Magán, among other R&B, hip-hop and Afrobeats blends.