Interviewed by Teresa Sofia Fortes

How did music enter your life?

I found music at home through my father. I grew up hearing him sing and play.

Did you interest in music come about naturally, or did your father pressure you to become interested in the area?

No, it was something natural and spontaneous from me. I would watch others playing and singing, among them my own father. Later I’d try to reproduce the types of music I liked by myself.

Did you think about following a musical career at the time?

No, music was a hobby for me, and it remained so for some time. I never though about following a musical career because in Cape Verde music still isn’t a professional option. My dream was to be an airplane pilot.

And did you fulfill your dream?

No. When I finished 12th grade I realized there were no scholarships for pilot school. So I chose mechanical engineering with an emphasis on aircrafts. I went to university in Brazil, and when I graduated I came back to Cape Verde. From here, I left for the United States to go to piloting school. I went through the admissions process and I was approved, but I decided to give up and came back to Cape Verde. I’d decided I wanted to be a musician. This had been in the back of my mind since I was in my junior year of college.

And how did you manage to reconcile the desire to be a musician with the indications you had that music wasn’t a viable option as a profession in Cape Verde?

Well, the truth is that I always thought about making music here in Cape Verde, but aimed at the foreign market. And I did it. One day I happened to meet a delegation from the United States that included musician Jimmy Buffet. They were on their way to Timbuktu (Mali) and stopped in São Vicente because they wanted to meet Cesária Évora. During a dinner they were given, I played and sang. They liked my music and invited me to go perform in the United States and record some tracks with them. We were supposed to record just one or two songs, but we ended up recording a whole CD that will probably be released next year. But a single should come out before that.

I want you to tell me a little about this CD, but first, tell me what it was like performing at Gillette Stadium before an audience of 60,000 people.

I thought about the audience before and after I performed. Because while I was up there on the stage, I concentrated on playing, singing and having a good time. It really was a majestic experience. It was a huge stadium. São Vicente has about 80,000 inhabitants, right? Well, there were 60,000 people there. I thought, “My God, it’s almost the entire population of São Vicente right here!” Yes, it was a marvellous experience.

How do you define your music?

My music is a mixture of pop rock and country, and obviously has influences from Cape Verdean music.

You’re certainly up to date on this permanent discussion as to what is and what isn’t Cape Verdean music. Some would say that your music is not Cape Verdean, as you don’t perform typically Cape Verdean genres. But there are also those who say that as long as the music is sung in Crioulo it’s Cape Verdean music. What do you think people say about your music?

Well, first of all I have a lot of songs in English, because my objective has always been to reach the international market. Only in the last few years did I began to write some in Crioulo. My opinion is this: if the music is made by Cape Verdeans, then it’s Cape Verdean. The discussions do have a certain logic in that they allow you to know the degree of influence exerted on our music. But I think each individual is free to play whatever he wants. What’s more, no one can say that current Cape Verdean music is pure. On the contrary, it’s full of influences.

Jimmy Buffet, the American singer and composer with several hits, among them “Margaritaville,” has praised your music and your posture on the stage in an article published on his Internet site (http://www.margaritaville.com/index.php?page=news&n_id=583). What does this praise mean to you?

I’ve always wanted an international career. So when I realized people from outside of Cape Verde were praising my music, I felt great. You know, here in Cape Verde when we don’t play traditional music we’re a little...

Ostracized?

Yes, in a certain way.

Does the CD you’re preparing fit in with the styles you normally play, or will you bring the public something new?

The CD contains songs in the styles I normally play, in English. There’s just one song in Crioulo, a country song, that I recorded on the request of Jimmy Buffet.

You said that you mould your career with your vision set on the international market. But of course you have an audience in Cape Verde and in São Vicente in particular, am I right?

Yes, I often play at the MindelHotel and there’s been a certain acceptance of my music on the part of the public.

Who is this public?

It varies, ranging from people in their 50s and 60s to teenagers.

Do people make comparisons between you and Vlú, your father?

Yes, sometimes (laughs).

Does this bother you?

No, it doesn’t, because I don’t take it as praise. I’m Ilo, and he’s Vlú. Each one is a different musician and has his own space within the realm of Cape Verdean music.

Do you play together and talk about music?

Yes, sometimes we play together at the MindelHotel.

And does he give you his opinions, or orientation?

Yes (laughs).

I’ve listened to your songs that have been on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtLRTO7E70c), and I can say that your voices are similar. Have people ever gotten your voices confused?

Yes. A few days ago a funny incident took place during my show at the MindelHotel. When I finished singing, someone who maybe doesn’t know me said, “Great, Vlú!” (laughs)

How do you deal with this?

It’s fine. We’re different people and different musicians. But of course I’m influenced by my father.