NEW NOVELLAS.

Before Neco Novellas studied classical singing and his voice merged with the cinematic music of HAEVN, he learned to listen in Mozambique. To timbila, church music, the voices in his family, animals, the radio and the rhythm of everyday life. Those sounds continued to travel with him as living material for music without clear borders.

BEFORE MUSIC NEEDED A NAME

Neco Novellas was born Anselmo João Johanhane and grew up in Maputo. Music was not a separate activity at home. His father sang and played guitar and electric organ. His mother sang during traditional ceremonies and in the choir of the local Catholic church. The children thus learned multiple musical worlds at once, without anyone having to explain where one ended and the other began.

His deepest roots lay in the Chopi community and the rhythms of timbila music. At the same time, the national radio brought folk, jazz and pop into the living room. Neco learned that a melody can come from somewhere and acquire new meanings along the way.

LEAVING SUCCESS BEHIND

In Mozambique, his voice grew into a well-known one. He won a singing competition on television and built a successful career, but did not choose the safest continuation of it. In 2002, he left for Portugal on a scholarship to study classical guitar and singing. Later, he traveled to the Netherlands and immersed himself in classical singing, opera and jazz at Codarts in Rotterdam.

Neco did not leave because his origins were insufficient. He wanted to understand how much further they could reach. Classical technique gave him control over his voice; improvisation taught him when to let go of that control.

THE FAMILY BECOMES THE SOUND

The Netherlands also became the place where parts of the musical family came together again. His brothers Nelson and Isildo also studied at Codarts; sisters Cidalia and Isabel joined the recordings. On Mita Famba – Would You Go! and later New Dawn – Ku Khata, the family did not sound like background to a single soloist, but as the foundation of a collective sound.

That sound was difficult to confine to the label of world music. African rhythms, choral singing, jazz, reggae, samba and classical training ran together. Neco preferred to call it universal music: music that does not hide its origin, but does not ask for a passport. In 2008, this approach brought his family band to North Sea Jazz.

A LANGUAGE BIGGER THAN WORDS

The power of Neco’s music lies in the naturalness with which different influences coexist. He sings in languages from Mozambique and South Africa, but also in Portuguese and English. Sometimes the lyrics carry the song; sometimes sound, rhythm and breath are enough.

On New Dawn – Ku Khata, a cappella voices can transition into jazz, funk, afrobeat, gospel or reggae without the record losing its center. That center is his warm, low voice, which moves from intimacy to exuberant choral singing.

WHEN HAEVN OPENED ANOTHER DOOR

Years after Neco met composer Jorrit Kleijnen in an Amsterdam jazz club, their paths crossed again. In 2022, he worked with HAEVN on Trade It for the Night. This was followed by two sold-out evenings at Koninklijk Theater Carré.

Both worlds leave room for silence, atmosphere and voices that do not need to push. The EP Resonance, Great Mother and Caught a Light brought Neco to a new audience. He did not sound like an added guest: his musical memory changed the space around him.

In 2026, the collaboration grew further with a symphonic version of Caught a Light. In addition, Neco is working on music in which African and classical traditions meet. His route continues; the compass continues to point toward Mozambique.

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