NEW to the Wasted Talent Roster:

 ADJA

Brussels-based artist Adja has a desire to dig deep: through her voice and with her storytelling; with humor and generosity.

As a singer, composer and theater creator, she captures the stories of her day to day existence, considering them as a microcosmos for big questions and big feelings. She aspires her work to be as much of a reflection of (inner) dialogues and experiences, as musically healing.

Within that, she explores her personal juxta-position of 'keeping it real' with her down to earth approach towards her audience, while making space for that which is bigger than us, the transcendent force that binds humans together. She enjoys playing with the sensory symbols that embody that force and pairs this with her storytelling (think scents, metaphoric visuals, and anything else that triggers the subconscious).

With a background in theater as well as Jazz, and a love for RnB, Soul and Gospel, her sonic taste is shaped to be woody, rich, melodically exciting, organic yet slick. Delicate when necessary. Umami :)

Her main musical examples are D'angelo, Erykah Badu, Hiatus Kaiyote, Lauren Hill, Joni Mitchell - with on top a dash of 70's Cuban close-harmony. All of this continues to marinade in her own unique expression.

Last April, she released her first album Golden Retrieve Her. It was co-produced with British producer and musician Adam Scrimshire. In 2022 Scrimshire was named in the Guardian as one of three crucial soul-music producers in the UK today (alongside Inflo and Swindle).

Self-designed tarot cards embody the album's serious and concrete topics, wrapped up in a symbolic and light package.

The release concert at Ancienne Belgique was sold out months prior to the show, and the festival season also promises to be beautiful with concerts at Gent Jazz (main stage), Jazz Middelheim and Brussels Jazz weekend amongst others.