Adja

The perfect, dutiful, nuclear family: a heterosexual couple with 2.4 kids, a building society savings plan, SUV under the carport and the obligatory golden retriever. A contemporary dystopia that Adja has always rejected and sees as the manifestation of a brutal social reality that permeates our society like a fungus. The Belgian singer’s debut album is a smart parable on things as they stand, employing not only ironic ambiguities but also an eclectic mosaic of neo-soul and gospel, R&B and jazz. As an experienced theatre performer, she also knows a thing or two about arcs of suspense and successful narratives - both of which come to the fore on “Golden Retrieve Her” (2025), in word, sound and also in their transition to the stage. Adja can hold her own against the greats who have inspired her: from Erykah Badu and D’Angelo to Lauryn Hill and Hiatus Kaiyote. The self-confident composer respectfully draws on these influences, but shapes them into a sound that is definitely bang up to date and already identifies her as one of the most promising soul artists of our time.