Fresh off the release of her third record Concrete Jungle—which also happened to be her American debut—singer-songwriter Nneka does a wondrous thing with crossover. By combining the sounds of a dual heritage inherited from her Igbo Nigerian father and German mother, the R&B artist meshes Afro-pop melodies, hip-hop rhythms and the trademark soul vocals that have garnered comparisons to legends like Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill. But aside from her musical prowess, Nneka’s music is hopeful, searching for salvation. Nneka’s got soul, and she’ll remind you that you do too. With Pigeon John. NICK FELDMAN

Thu., Aug. 12, 8 p.m., 2010