Zouk Nation - "Zouk is the dance of the 21st Century"

Country: Lisbon, Luanda, Rotterdam, New York, Cape Verde

Genre: Zouk

Record Label: Ghetto Zouk Music

MySpace Page: www.myspace.com/nelsonfreitas

FaceBook Page: http://facebook.twi.bz/7d

Interview

NB:	You were born and raised in the Netherlands. How much of a part did Cape Verdean culture play in your life growing up?
NF:	It played a big part because my parents did not speak Dutch fluently so at home we spoke a lot Criolo and we listened to Cape Verdian music at home. At some point I got interested in learning more about Cape Verdian culture, so I attended a lot of Cape Verdian parties and stuff like that.
NB:	When did you first travel to Cape Verde?
NF:	My first time was when I was 6 months old, but I don’t remember much ( lol ). After that, the next time I went was when I was 11.
NB:	A number of Zouk recording artists I’ve interviewed have spoken about the impact of going to Cape Verde for the first time had on them. Did it have a similar impact on you?
NF:	Yes it did. It was the first time I went to a country where everybody was speaking Criolo, which was strange to me, but in a good way. I got to learn the ways of the Island and I was with family members I had never met before, but it felt like I was home.
NB:	Can you remember the first album that you bought?
NF:	That was Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
NB:	Was a career in music something that was encouraged at home?
NF:	At first it wasn’t, but that passed quickly because my mom saw how determined I was and now she’s my number one fan.
NB:	Did you have any other interests besides music when you were growing up?
NF:	Back in the days, I used to play soccer and I wanted to do that professionally, but that didn’t work out. So I got into music and here we are doing this interview.
NB:	Where did the inspiration to become a musician come from?
NF:	I come from a very musical family so that was a huge inspiration. But my grandma was my biggest inspiration because she would know everything that was going on on MTV before I did. She would record the latest videos and then tell me that I had to do a show like that with dancers and a light show on a big stage.
NB:	You got your start as a performer dancing in a group called Stylistic. I wonder if you could talk a little bit about that.
NF:	Back in the days, I used to live at my grandma’s house, so I always wanted to do what my uncles did. They did a contest with their group and they won, so in my mind that was the only thing I wanted to do. So I made my own group with my brother and good friend Nelson Oliveira. We went to the contest and we won ‘cause losing was not an option. And from that point on, we danced for a few years in several countries as Stylistic.
NB:	How old were you at the time?
NF:	15 years old
NB:	Afterward, you became one of the lead singers in the band Quatro+. How did that come about?
NF:	We were friends from school and from the neighborhood and my uncle was working on a project called Mobass. I witnessed the whole process of that because I lived with my grandma. I knew the album was gonna hit hard, so I asked him if I could do something on the album. That is when I called the guys and we created the group. We started with a sample from Tupac Shakur, blended it with zouk and created the song called ” Hoje em dia,” which is when I started rapping by the way. The rest is history. In total we did 3 albums.
NB:	Quatro+ was enormously successful, with over 25,000 copies sold. Looking back does anything in particular stand out about those days?
NF:	We had a good time and I learned a lot during that time, but the thing that was special about it was that we didn’t realize we would be heard in so many countries and touch so many people.
NB:	Curious as to how you came to the decision to leave the group and start a solo career.
NF:	We did 3 albums over a period of 8 years. In those years things changed, people changed, and it comes to a point where you have to make that decision if you are doing this just for fun, ‘cause we sure had a lot of fun, or if you want to make a career out of it. So that’s when I chose to go solo. Plus when you are in a group, everybody’s opinion counts and it came to a point when I wanted to show the world my own ideas.
NB:	Was it a difficult transition to make?
NF:	No it was very natural.
NB:	How has the experience of being a solo artist differed from being part of a band?
NF:	I missed the guys a lot in the beginning because we did everything together, traveling, interviews, etc. Now it was all me. So that was kinda hard in the beginning, but you get used to it.
NB:	In the beginning, when most artists are first starting out they experience a lot of setbacks and disappointments. Can you recall the exact moment when you realized that you could actually become successful at this?
NF:	No I can’t. I mean, I had a lot of setbacks, but it never crossed my mind to stop doing what I do. But at the same time, I can’t remember the day that I was like, “wow this is really going to happen.” I am still on the road to success.
NB:	At what point did you decide to become a producer?
NF:	I was fed up with them smooth zouks. I wanted heavy hip hop / zouk beats to appeal to the youth more and no one could translate what I had in mind, so me and my team, “Miss Jane records,” decided to take that role. Miss Jane records no longer exists because everybody went solo.
NB:	When you went into producing did you have a specific goal in mind?
NF:	Conquer the youth.
NB:	And how’s that been working out for you?
NF:	Great, because I get a lot of people that tell me, “I don’t like zouk music” or “I don’t listen to zouk music, but I love your songs and the music you make,” so I’ve created my own fan base. I’ve got people that used to listen only to R&B listening to my music.
NB:	Your first production company you named Miss Jane Records. Curious where the name came from.
NF:	Johnny (Ramos), Adilson (Ben David), Nelson (Freitas), Eddy (Parker). J.A.N.E.
NB:	Then later Miss Jane Records folded and you started up Ghetto Zouk Music. Why the change?
NF:	We broke up due to a lot of personal stuff. So I created my own label in 2008 called GhettoZouk Music. But now I am going more international with my sound so I am changing the name of my label in 2011 again. The new name is still a secret.
NB:	The definition of what kind of music qualifies as Zouk seems to be expanding. You’re one of artists I believe who is largely responsible for this, always pushing the boundaries. I was wondering if you could define for me, in your mind, what Zouk is and what the appeal is for you in creating this kind of music as opposed to other forms of music?
NF:	I come from a R&B / Hip hop backround with a lot of influences from Cape Verdian music. I happen to make zouk music with all these ingredients because I always wanted to make R&B, but then I would have had competition with what was going on in the States and we just could not compete with that. So instead we created our own sound.
NB:	In addition to your own music, you’re also repsonsible for helping launch the careers of new artists, such as Chelsey Shantel. Was that always part of the plan to have a stable of artists under one label?
NF:	Yes. I always wanted to create my own team. I always look at what, for example, Jay-Z is doing or Diddy and try to do the same in zouk music, ‘cause if they can do it so can I.
NB:	How do the responsibilities of an artist differ from those of a producer?
NF:	As a producer you are more in the background so you can experiment. As a singer if you do something that’s no good you can kiss your career goodbye. But as a producer you can just change your producer’s name and start over again.
NB:	Do you have any advice for an artist who is thinking of starting up their own production company?
NF:	Read about it first. Don’t think “…aaah let’s just do this,” ‘cause it’s harder than you think.
NB:	In the past few years it seems you’ve been making more trips to the United States. Have you noticed an increase of interest in Zouk here?
NF:	Yes. My music used to be for the Cape Verdian market, but since I started singing in English I have Haitian fans and Americans, so, yes.
NB:	How does performing in the States differ from performing elsewhere or is it all pretty much the same?
NF:	It’s all different. I mean, sometimes I sing for 10,000 people and sometimes for 300. But a performance is a performance. For me I give it 100%.
NB:	Your brother, Eddy Parker, also has a recording career. The two of you have a fairly long history of working together. I know from personal experience that brothers don’t always get a long. How have the two of you managed to avoid problems and maintain a good working relationship?
NF:	We don’t mix personal things with business. We have a good working relationship because whatever we do that is work related stays that way. We can have our differences because of something, but at the end of the day he will have dinner at my house or vice versa and we talk about other things in a normal way.
NB:	In your opinion, how can Zouk reach a wider audience in the States?
NF:	With songs featuring bigger artists from the States.
NB:	Any predictions about what the future holds in store for the Zouk music scene?
NF:	It’s growing. Right now I’m playing in a lot of R&B venue’s just because of ” Deeper & Rebound Chick.” The deejays play this in every club in Holland so now we gotta hit the States hard!
NB:	Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to sit down and talk with me.
NF:	You’re welcome.