NEYNA

Neyna is only 25 years old, and it has been just three years since her name became popular in the PALOP music scene. On YouTube, none of her videos has fewer than one million views, and “Na Bo Mon” (2020), by Nelson Freitas, has amassed over 7.2 million views, marking the starting point of her rise to stardom. With music running through her veins, she writes her own lyrics, creates the storytelling, assists in editing her music videos… a talent that seems endless.

Still in her teenage years, in Cape Verde, she stood out as a presenter on several entertainment television shows, and her first steps toward a music career began with the group VIP Musik. Already in Portugal, after taking part in “Flam” by Leo Pereira, she crossed paths with Mr. Magic and producer Felino. “Na Bo Mon” was the first result of that encounter. From then on, every song she releases has been a success, filling venues across Europe, the United States, and Cape Verde. Judging by her growing popularity, at just 25 years old, Neyna is one of the great promises of Creole urban music.

Born and raised in Cape Verde, the artist moved at the age of 18 to Guarda (in northern Portugal), where she pursued a degree in Communication and Public Relations. Shortly before the pandemic, and after completing her studies, Neyna decided to embark on another journey and moved to Lisbon. “That’s where I started making music. While we were in lockdown, things unfolded as my music expanded online and publicly,” she explains. “From there on, the shows came, and since then I have been Neyna the artist.”

Behind the scenes, this Cape Verdean girl is enriched by the laughter and smiles she brings to those she loves. Despite her shyness, Neyna seeks constant movement, balancing it with well-deserved rest. Her way of looking at fame is unique and shapes everything around her. “There is a fear of growing because of all the pressure, but I know I still have time because I am still discovering myself, which is why I find it so hard to describe who I am. Others find it easier to do so than I do,” she shares humbly.
With a constant sense of delicacy, Neyna hesitates to define what music represents to her, but confides that it is her safe haven: “It’s the only thing that embraces me when several emotions emerge at the same time inside me, whether happiness or sadness. It ends up being support, shelter, and an embrace. I grew up with it, and it has greatly influenced who I am today. And it was my family who gave me that.” Nevertheless, the singer emphasizes that her motivation comes from within. “I am the one who always dreamed and fought for what I wanted, for who I am today, and the process still requires many steps ahead.”

Through Creole and vibrant videos full of color and positive energy, it is clear that the artist is fully committed to highlighting her roots. In seeking to promote her culture and Cape Verdean heritage, Neyna focuses on bringing to life timeless moments and a memorable phase of her childhood, when she was just a little girl growing up closely attached to her grandmother. “I try to take that part of me out into the world, I try to take that child everywhere,” she describes. “I like to believe that this is what people like about me – that feeling that I am still that little girl who holds on to her roots, to her essence, while growing at the same time. I have been like this since I was little, and everything ultimately becomes a process to reach my full potential,” she explains.