Dieg

Dieg is a musician, producer and videographer from Cabo Verde, the tiny Atlantic nation which punches above its weight when it comes to music.

Dieg tells This Is Africa how he feels a responsibility to follow in the footsteps of the great Cesaria Evora – she exposed the world to mourna and coladeira, two of Cabo Verde’s unique musical genres, and opened the door for other musicians from the island country.

In his music he draws on the rich musical tradition of Cabo Verde but is also influenced by contemporary global and African sounds. He calls his blend "fora caixa", which means "out of the box".

Deig also talks about his musical family and working with his wife Fattu Djakité, who is a musician in her own right. Steeped in music from a young age, he also benefited from a Cesária Évora scholarship to study keyboard. He says despite the legacy of Cabo Verde’s most famous daughter, there are still very few agents, managers and event organizers in the country.

Beyond Cabo Verde, Dieg says one of his biggest influences is the Belgian superstar Stromae, who has helped him look at music in a different way.