Playlist Mania Part II Continues: Venus Sings Playlist, March 26, 2011

Featured in the video above is singer Nneka, who recently played in NYC and Washington, DC for those who were lucky enough to see her on this side of the Atlantic. Catch her back on the other side in June, in Switzerland, Portugal, and France; details are below.

KINGSTON, RI - The month is December, the year is 2010, I've spent the past several weeks combing through all of the year's music.  I've reviewed albums and artists I had already collected and picked up others that I wanted to get in for consideration.  It's all in place when suddenly I come across the vocal stylings and world-reflecting production of a singer named Nneka, and I'm rocked about.  Who is...what is...why didn't I....

Instead of beating myself up, I decide to dedicate airtime to this amazing artist.  Check out my playlist below to see which selections I chose, including the tune Heartbeat which is in the video above.  And keep reading below to see where to catch her live - especially if you're the globetrotting type.

• Mary J. Blige / Sweet Thing / What's the 411
• Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings / The Game Gets Old / I Learned the Hard Way
• Duffy / Stepping Stone / Rockferry
• Ayo / Down On My Knees / Joyful
• Ayo / Without You / Joyful
• Duffy / Syrup and Honey / Rockferry
• Ceu / Rainha / Ceu
• Erykah Badu / Fall in Love / New Amerykah Part 2: Return of the Ankh
• Nneka / Heartbeat / Concrete Jungle
• Floetry / Butterflies / Floetic
• The Cardigans / Higher / Gran Turismo
• Sara Tavares / Lisboa Kuya / Balance
• The Cardigans / Celia Inside / Life
• Estelle / Back in Love / Shine
• Ceu / Bubuia / Vagarosa 
• Janelle Monae / Dance or Die / The Archandroid
• 5th Elament / Canons / Thru the Muck
• Janelle Monae / Tightrope / The Archandroid
• Lauryn Hill / Lost Ones / The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
• Dutch Rhythm Combo ft. Isa Gt / Alerta / The Imaginary Band
• B-mor 7 / Pnuemonoltra / Magma Musik
• Nneka / Africans / Concrete Jungle  
• Asa / Jailer / Naive 
• Estelle / Come Over / Shine
• Ceu / Cangote / Vagarosa

Upcoming shows with Nneka

1. June 12, 2011: Switzerland @ Afro-Pfingsten Festival, www.afro-pfingsten.ch/home
2. June 24, 2011: Portugal @ Sumol Summer Fest, www.sumolsummerfest.com
3. June 25, 2011: France @ Le Phare / Groove Fest, www.le-phare.org/phare.html#Agenda

For more on Nneka, visit www.nnekaworld.com.