Martha Da'ro's Soundtrack for the summer

Martha Canga Antonio made her breakthrough in the film Black by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. She had already started her singing career with Soul’Art, but she is now performing as Martha Da’ro. Her single “Summer Blues” and the brand new “Sugar Man” show off her enchanting voice and dreamlike R&B. She is currently working on her first EP. These are her favourite tracks for the summer.

“Frank Ocean’s album Blonde is a timeless masterpiece. I like listening to it in any season, so obviously also during the summer,” Martha Da’ro says about one of the biggest innovators of the past decade in the R&B scene. She picked “Godspeed” as a particular favourite.

That other creative genius who came of age in the hip-hop collective Odd Future, Tyler, the Creator, made her list with “A Boy Is a Gun”. “Tyler continues to challenge and reinvent himself,” she says. “His new album IGOR will definitely be a highlight of my summer.” There’s also a big up for Blood Orange, newcomer Sampa the Great, and the Belgian rapper K1d.

If you listen to the track “Sometimes I Don’t” by Daniela Andrade, you will hear one of Martha Da’ro’s major inspirations. Slowthai is the hottest British grime artist right now. She has selected “Inglorious”, his fraternization with that other grime god, Skepta. “The combination of Slowthai and Skepta = fireworks,” she says.

Martha Da’ro also emphasizes her love of experimentation with “Many Blessings, Fantastic Sky” by the British electronica musician Slugabed, and rounding out her list we find some great urban tracks by Dvtch Norris, Peet, Flume, Kari Faux, and Tierra Whack. Whack!

Catch up with Martha Da'ro at Dour (12/7), Esperanzah (4/8), Wecandance (11/8), Brussels Summer Festival (15/8), Maanrock (25/8), Forest Sounds (31/8), and Deep in the Woods (7/9).