Get to know Charlotte Adigéry, the Belgian singer playfully delving into her Martiniquais heritage

Charlotte Adigéry refuses to take herself too seriously. Whether it’s mockingly advertising a guest slot on NTS Radio as “a Nickelback tribute show”, writing songs about the transformative power of weaves, or citing Dadaist post-punk goofs Devo as a primary influence, a playfulness filters through every aspect of the Belgian artist’s persona.

It’s an attitude that carries over into the creative process, too. Collaborating with Macau-born producer Bolis Popul, Adigéry makes a point of entering the studio with no intentions or expectations, allowing spontaneity, and a disregard for rules or etiquette, to drive the duo’s musical direction.

“We try and make something without thinking about direction or genre or sound,” she explains. “I’ll begin singing a harmony from the melody in my head, Bolis will begin improvising with the numerous synthesisers at his disposal, and we’ll see where it takes us. It gives the music a sense of freedom.”

The end product of all this experimentation is ‘Zandoli’, a soon-to-be-released five-track EP combining Adigéry’s neo-soul vocals with Popul’s synth-pop creations. And whether singing in English or Creole, her knack for captivating, often humorous storytelling is present throughout. Opening track ‘Paténipat’ delves into her Martiniquais heritage by celebrating the island’s musical tradition of Gwoka; ‘High Lights’ emphasises the importance of hair to black identity; while the amusingly titled ‘B B C’ sees her contemplate sex tourism for middle-aged women.