Chantal Acda & The Atlantic Drifters (BE/US) | Silently Held

“Silently Held. I always silently held my darker being. My doubts, my fragility.
With this album I slowly started to accept this side of myself.
Of us.
Of humanity.
We are the light and the dark.
The fear and the doubt.
The question and the knowing.
The sad and the happy.
I felt the need to embrace all of us.
Embrace all of me.
To find peace in letting it all in.
To find solace in taking my “Silently Held” , hold it in my hands and free it.
To open this space with people I trust.
The musicians on this album surrounded me with peace and danced with me.
With all of me.
With everything I carry.
With everything I hold.”

This release follows Chantal's earlier musical odysseys, including Let Your Hands be My Guide (2013), The Sparkle In Our Flaws (2015), Bounce Back (2017), Puwawau (2019) and Saturday Moon (2021). Each album, a testament to her artistic evolution, has resonated with audiences worldwide.

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.

This project will be performed live by an impressive septet: Chantal Acda, Eric Thielemans, Darian Donovan Thomas, Thomas Morgan, Kevin Hays, Frans Van Isacker & Niels Van Heertum.

© Nele Cassiers