Background
He was born in Dakar, Senegal and was raised in the city"s Cape Verdean diaspora community. As a child, he grew up in a household filled with the sounds of the native morna and coladeira.
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Gerard Mendes
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But he was also exposed to the music of his adopted land and to the music of Mali, Guinea and other west African countries. His early music career even included singing rock, rhythm & blues, and Cuban music, which were all popular genres in Senegal at the time. Mendes was later married and had several children including Mika Mendes, a zouk singer.
Mendes has travelled widely, which is reflected in his musical output.
His influences derive from the popular music of the United States, Brazil and West Africa. His 1998 album Lagoa (Lagoon) is considered one of his best.
