Belgian (of Dutch origin) artist Chantal Acda needs absolutely no introduction. Her earlier musical odysseys, including Sleepingdog, her project in conjunction with Adam Wiltzie of Stars of The Lid (Naked in a Clean Bed, 2006, Polar Life, 2008 and Whit Our Heads In The Clouds And Our Hearts In The Fields, 2011), her solo albums, Let Your Hands be My Guide (2013), The Sparkle In Our Flaws (2015), Bounce Back (2017), Puwawau (2019) and Saturday Moon (2021), and her collaborations with Chris Eckman and Eric Thielemans (as Distance, Light & Sky, Casting Nets, 2014, and Gold Coast, 2018), the dutch poet Lotte Dodion (Nu Nog Even Niet – #1 & #2, 2018), Bill Frisell (Live At Jazz Middelheim, 2018), and Bruno Bavota (A Closer Distance, 2022) has resonated with audiences worldwide.
Her new album, Silently Held comes to life with the collaborative brilliance of accomplished musicians.

Bill Frisell with his beautiful understanding of Chantal’s flow of melody, Eric Thielemans who brings his percussive mastery to the mix, Jozef Dumoulin playing the piano with immense calmth, Thomas Morgan’s who seems to be picking magic out of the skies with his bass and Shahzad Ismaily’s golden touch as a multi-instrumentalist contribute to the album’s rich texture. Colin Stetson, renowned for his avant-garde saxophone work but also his work for Bon Iver, lends his unique voice, creating moments of emotive intensity. And Joachim Badenhorst, Niels Van Heertum and Kurt Van Herck finishing the album with their beautiful brass.
Guided by the skilled production of Philip Weinrobe (known from his work for Dirty Projectors and Adrienne Lenker) the album’s sonic landscape is carefully crafted. Most of the songs recorded in one take. One breath to keep close to the realness and rawness Chantal was looking for. Meanwhile, the experienced touch of mixing engineer Phill Brown (Talk Talk, Mark Hollis,..) who has been very present on Chantal’s journey for years. In the quiet embrace of the music, Chantal unveils a raw and authentic portrayal of vulnerability, where every flaw and feeling is held close. The album becomes a sanctuary, inviting listeners to join in this silent communion with the intricacies of the human experience. Through each note and lyric, Chantal Acda crafts a space where imperfections are not only acknowledged but celebrated, creating a profound and intimate connection between the artist and the audience. Silently Held stands as a testament to the beauty found in the closeness of our flaws and feelings, inviting us to embrace them with grace and authenticity.
After the first single, The Friends Parade, came out some weeks ago, now we have the honour to have an exclusive premiere of the title track of this magnificent new album, Silently Held.

The Album:

Silently Held

The Tracklist:

1. One Day, One Life
2. I Can’t Make You Love Me
3. Above
4. Hear It Out
5. The Friends Parade
6. Silently Held
7. Taking Part
8. Seafoam
9. The Barn

Silently Held, the song, will be out on March 15th. Silently Held, the album, will be out on April 8th on Challenge Records. Look HERE for more information about Chantal Acda.