American pop star Pharrell Williams and North Sea Jazz have a warm relationship. In 2014 he had a spectacular solo show at the festival, with a recap two years ago; now he will return to Rotterdam with his group N.E.R.D. The international breakthrough of this trio, which Pharrell founded in 1999, came in 2002. Enticing songs like Lapdance and She Wants To Move became worldwide hits and Pharrell (1973) together with band member Chad Hugo evolved into two of the most sought-after producers in pop music. Singing, rapping, and producing, it all comes so naturally to versatile Pharrell. His musicality is again on full display with N.E.R.D. this year. For seven years there was silence there, but thankfully it didn’t last forever. Last year a new album finally saw the light: No_One Ever Really Dies. This is being celebrated with a short tour of international festivals this summer, among which North Sea Jazz, thankfully.
