A Cape Verdean singer, songwriter, and producer,
Djodje's dynamic blend of Afropop and Kizomba has helped make him one of the leading lights of the Lusophone music scene. Emerging in 2006,
Djodje rose to prominence in the 2010s with chart-topping efforts like Check-In, Feedback, and
Newborn.
Born in the capital city of Praia,
Djodje was raised in a musical household (his father played guitar in the popular traditional Cape Verdean group Os Tubarões and his mother was from a famous family of musicians and composers). At the age of ten, he formed a boy band called
TC with his brother, cousin, and two friends. The group found some success in 2001 with the single "Volta," and played numerous festivals. In 2006
Djodje released his debut solo album, Semper TC. He spent the next few years in Portugal studying music production and marketing, resulting in the creation of his own Broda Music imprint. Serving as both producer and performer, he issued his sophomore LP Check-In. Released in 2010, the album earned
Djodje international acclaim, and featured the hits "Proibido," "Mon Pa Altura," "Na Nha Sonho," and "Close Your Eyes." He brought in a handful of prominent outside producers for 2013's Feedback, which further cemented his reputation as an Afropop hitmaker, and in 2019 he released
Newborn, which included features by
Jimmy P,
Cuca Roseta, Mito Kaskas,
Loreta, and
Elji Beatzkilla. In 2020 he issued the standalone single "Bela." ~ James Christopher Monger