After the acclaimed Gente, an album released in March 2024, Nancy Vieira is back with Esperança (Hope) in a partnership with Brazilian composer and guitarist Fred Martins. Esperança, made up of 11 tracks, was released on April 23rd by Japanese label Respect Record and reached No. 1 on Amazon’s World Music Chart (Japan).
The sway of the water, which travels on the waves, easily crosses the ocean and goes from Brazil to Cape Verde and vice versa. Nancy Vieira and Fred Martins know this well. The first is a real living treasure from the islands that gave us morna and funaná, the coladera and so much more, the voice of a Creole as universal as it is sweet, as sensual as it is modern, which in recent years has recorded some of the most important records of the culture that Unesco now recognizes as Intangible Heritage of Humanity. She has combined Cape Verdean music with other music such Brazilian, Caribbean, and has collaborated with other Cape Verde artists such as Dany Silva and Sara Tavares. Fred Martins is another treasure, this one from across the ocean. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he is a composer, singer and guitarist, influenced by bossa nova, samba and MPB. Living in Lisbon, Martins has collaborated with artists from Spain, UK, Italy and elsewhere.
Fred and Nancy met in 2013 and have been collaborating ever since, although this is their first album recorded together. Recorded by Jorge Cervantes – who plays a special participation in the song “Saiko Dayo” – at CervanteStudio in Lisbon, the album features mostly Nancy’s vocals, together with Fred’s guitar and vocals. The music of Cape Verde and Brazil share equalities apart from a common language, At the heart of morna is the feeling of ‘sodade’ a nostalgic feeling of longing, comparable to the Brazilian feeling of ‘saudade’ found in bossa nova, themselves also related to Portuguese fado, echoes of which can also be found on this album. Esperança is an evocative mix of the music of Cape Verde and Brazil, with songs of peace and love, originals plus standard songs from Cape Verde ending with a Cuban bolero “Trago Risos”.
About this album, the artists say:
“We chose the songs with our hearts alert to what is happening in our world, in our time. Too much power in too few hands, huge inequality, too many lives being lost in vain. So, we would like to remind you with these songs that compassion, empathy, a collective sense of life, solidarity and respect can exist in this world, because at the basis of everything is love. These are songs by colleagues and friends who share the same spiritual space, an attitude of seeking growth. They are verses that vibrate for the good of each other and also for the common good.”
Together, they will present this new album live, in which you can expect music of extreme quality, of total sincerity, capable of holding bodies and hearts, performed by two artists who are as genuine as they are universal. It couldn’t be better.
Following the release of the album, Nancy Vieira and Fred Martins will perform in Japan on the following dates:
July 19 – Kobe
July 20 – Tokyo
July 21 -Tokyo
O pão que se divide vira canção (The bread that is divided becomes a song)
A mão que se decide vence o canhão (The hand that decides beats the cannon)
Pegando na mão (Taking the hand)
De uma multidão (Of a multitude)
De gente que ama (Of people who love)
Rezei pra ver mais uma rosa nascer (I prayed for another rose to bloom)
Eu já roguei pra margarida florir (I’ve prayed for daisies to flourish)
Também já pedi pra chover (I’ve also asked for rain)
Assim como pra despertar (As well as to awaken)
Bem cedo que é pra ver o sol raiar (Very early to see the sun rise)