NB Roots and Branches is excited to welcome Iman Dias to the Explore Servedwell Hospitality stage at Celia’s Boutique for our 2026 Festival!

Emanuel, also known as Iman among the Cape Verdean community, is a native of S. Vincent, one of the most productive islands of Cape Verde. He was born Nov. 9, 1967. His interest in music started at a very early age, due to the fact that his entire family of two sisters and four brothers and his mother were already in the music field. Iman’s very first performance was in an elementary catholic school Salezyano.

As his dream to be a professional singer grew, so did the opportunity to perform with some of the most recognized singers known worldwide such as CESARIA EVORA. – It also lead to the forming of his first professional group known as Gotinha d’ Aga which allowed him to perform in the biggest festival in Cape Verde known as Festival De Baia das Gatas which opened new avenues for him to go on to win the competition at Todo Mundo Canta “All the World
Sings” in August 1987.

NB Roots and Branches is a two-day acoustic music and art festival “by and for the people” taking place annually on the 3rd week of July. The festival is 100% free to all and devoted to ensuring the various diverse communities of Greater New Bedford are represented on both the performance schedule and in the audience. It aims to have a positive impact on downtown New Bedford’s social, cultural, and business communities.