From the islands off the West Coast of Africa comes the artist Billboard magazine described as “combining earthiness with glamour and roots-deep house music knowledge with pop wise diversity”—Anané. The singer, songwriter, producer and DJ follows up the 2006 Japanese release of her debut album “Ananeselections” with “Ananesworld,” a mixture of dance, reggae, rock, R&B soul, world and Caribbean influences.
Music has been in Anané’s blood since growing up in the Cape Verdean capital of Santiago. “My aunts and uncles were known as the Xalinos and they made most of the musical instruments on the island, such as guitars, violins, and the uncommon Cavaqinho, a small four-string guitar,” she said about her musical lineage. Anané discovered her talent for singing during family gatherings called “serenades” where people would play guitars and percussion instruments and sing a “morna,” a melancholic but beautiful ode to past times spent on the islands.
Anané eventually decided to bring her talents to New York City where, armed with nothing more than a bag full of clothes and a heart full of dreams, she immersed herself in the city’s club culture. She met DJ/Producer Louie Vega, who tapped her as an integral member of the Elements of Life Collective, and Anané used that as a stepping stone to an international career that has included appearances at Japan’s world-renowned Blue Note, Europe’s celebrated Montreux Jazz Festival, Finland’s Pori Jazz, Holland’s North Sea Jazz Festival, Cape Town’s Jazz and Britain’s Womad Festival. Perhaps her biggest gig yet was in 2007 when world-famous entertainment empire Cirque De Soleil personally approached Anané to perform the opening song for the Super Bowl XLII pre-game show. Her performance of “One Dream” was seen by more than 140 million people worldwide.
Though she’s won over fans across the globe with her unique voice, singing is only one of Anané’s many talents. Anané is also a producer and songwriter who made a name for herself with her edgy remake of the 1970s classic “Let Me Love You” by Bunny Mack, as well as her emotional version of Yoko Ono’s “Walking On Thin Ice.” Now Anané is the co-producer on several tracks on her new album with Vega, and also co-wrote nine of the songs with Grammy Award Winner Lisa Fischer, Duane Harden, Lem Springsteen, Kalu Montiero and Djim Djob.
Anané is also an entrepreneur and philanthropist. She’s been involved in NextAid, an organization for African children who have lost parents to AIDS, as well as the Anané Vega Scholarship Fund. Formed in 2006, the scholarship was designed to encourage at-risk children to continue their education. Anané is also the co-founder of NuLu, a new digital music label she started with partner Antonello Coghe. “We like to call it AFRO-TECH,” Anané said of her label’s sound, which mixes forward-thinking global music with jazz, dance, earthy beats and techy elements. She is able to promote this and her many other ventures through what is perhaps the most surprising turn her career has taken—that of a DJ. What began as a hobby has grown to the point where Anané has her monthly residency, “AnaneSelections,” at the chic, exclusive Soho, NYC lounge, The SubMercer. Eric Morillo tapped her as his guest at Pacha NYC, and Anané’s talents have shone behind the DJ booths at Roberto Cavalli’s Cavalli Club in Florence, Italy, Mykonos’ Cavo Paradiso, exclusive Italian nightclub Nafoura and New York’s Hudson Bar, where she took part in Svedka Vodka Sessions #3, hosted by Giant Step or as a regular guest at Roots Party in Cielo, NYC. She also made her London debut at Ministry of Sound for the recent Soul Heaven Event, and now teaming up with Louie Vega to promote a new venture, “Golden Ladies” where they will host and feature an all girl party with all girl DJ’s. What sets Anané apart from other DJs is that, being a singer too, she will often get up on the console or stage and sing a few songs in the middle of her DJ sets. With such a unique mixture of singing and spinning, it doesn’t take a lot of guesswork to know why Boddhi Satva named her set as “one of the best DJ sets” at Winter Music Conference 2009.
Believe it or not, all of that is only the beginning. The singer with the heart of gold welcomes music fans around the globe into her world with “Ananesworld,” her sophomore CD to be released in February 2010 on Nervous Records. “It’s the essence of who I am,” she said of the project. “These are my hopes, my aspirations and my dreams. It’s my global expression; soundtracks to moments in my life.”
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