Nana Adjoa's Debut Album 'Big Dreaming Ants' Out Today

Today Dutch-Ghanian singer-songwriter Nana Adjoa releases her highly anticipated debut album Big Dreaming Ants. Earlier this week, Nana released the album's triumphant, slow-burning leading track "National Song," which followed the previously released singles "Throw Stones," "She's Stronger,"and "I Want To Change." The album received early critical acclaim from the likes of NPR, MTV, Paste Magazine, Gorilla vs. Bear, UPROXX, and many more. Purchase/stream Big Dreaming Ants HERE.

This week Nana Adjoa's exclusive In Residence performance with KCRW aired, as well. KCRW says, "Nana Adjoa creates fully integrated sound, mixing soulful vocals that float and surge with power. "

Born to a Dutch mother and a Ghanaian father, Adjoa joined her first band as a teenager, choosing to play bass because, "Every other instrument had been claimed," she laughs. Yet - it was a lucky twist of fate. Unbeknownst to the musician, her mother had once been the bassist in a Ghanaian Highlife band and still happened to have her guitar.

Later, Adjoa entered the prestigious jazz program at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. But she soon learned that her musical passions lay elsewhere. She joined a variety of bands, began recording her own music and, in 2014, entered herself in the Grote Prijs van Nederland - the longest-running and biggest pop-music competition in the Netherlands. She made it to the finals, but most importantly, she gained a band, a manager, and the confidence to launch a solo career.

With a newfound sense of purpose, the artist's work flowed. In 2017, Adjoa released a debut EP, Down at the Root (Pt. 1), followed by 2018's Down at the Root (Pt. 2), and A Tale So Familiar. With each EP came wider critical acclaim, increased support from influential radio stations and streaming platforms, and a larger radius for touring. By the end of 2018, Adjoa had toured her way through New York, Los Angeles, London, and Amsterdam while playing some of the Netherlands' largest festival stages.

Adjoa set out to write her first full-length album at the beginning of 2019. Now working in her own studio, she not only had the freedom to write and record songs nearly simultaneously, but she also had a wide palette of instruments at her disposal. The result, on Big Dreaming Ants, is a profusion of sounds: lush, yet delicate, intimate while expansive, and moody yet hopeful. A diverse array of multilayered tonal textures can be heard throughout the songs, and on any given listen, one will hear something new - a thumb piano, vibraphone or a vintage harmonium.

Though Adjoa - who typically plays the guitar on stage - handled the majority of the instrumentation herself, she also engaged a variety of musicians to lend their talents, including members of her live band - drummer Mats Voshol, trombonist Daniel van Loenen, and guitarist Tim Schakel - as well as local artists Jonas Pap, who performed a variety of string arrangements and Eelco Topper on the vibraphone. The Rotterdam-based producer, Wannes Salomé, brought a sense of focus and cohesion to Adjoa's ambitious work.

Listen to "Throw Stones" here:

Photo Credit: Latoya Van Der Meeren

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