Adiam is a girl with many facets, she’s a Eritrean-Swedish electronic/r&b/post-punk artist who has caught the attention of publications such as The FADER, Interview, i-D, and Noisey. Her sound is distinct and one of a kind, and it’s hard to label with just one word. She’s about to release her first full length album, titled Black Wedding, on August 26th, via Universal Germany. We had the chance to ask Adiam about her music and her awesome upcoming album.
When did you know that music was what you wanted to pursue?
I was about six years old when I started singing in the local church choir, I loved it so much. Singing and hearing how the sound shaped and transformed in the church, the acoustics and how all the voices blended in together, that was pure magic for me.
Tell me about your album, Black Wedding.
Black Wedding Is my debut album that I’ve been working on for quite some time. It took a long time to find the right energy and when I did it went pretty fast. We wrote and recorded the entire album in six weeks. I did it in Los Angeles together with Dave Sitek. To me the album is about describing different emotional states and being honest with your feelings whether they are good or bad.
Did you have to overcome any challenges during the making of the album?
Yes, for sure. There is always a moment of doubt and fear when I write, for me that is also the key for knowing that I am in the right place. If it doesn’t make me feel like I’m developing/overcoming challenges, I easily get bored.
Which one of your songs do you think is most personal to you? Why?
All songs are very personal to me, I’m always very honest and open in my expression. Right now “Bigger” and “Runaway” are very close and present to me. They both describe a state that not always is so comfortable but hard to avoid if you let someone in close to your heart, at least for me.
What do you want the would to know about you and/or your music?
That I always create from my heart and my feelings, that my music is honest and real. That I’m not afraid of talking about my emotions whether they are good or bad.
Who/what is your greatest inspiration and why?
My mother, she has raised me and my four sisters to know that we can become anything we want if we work hard for it, and she is the proof of that. She is truly my biggest inspiration. Also everyone that works hard for their passion and stays humble.
If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Elephant, because they are chilled, powerful, strong and humble.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
I would like to be able to read other peoples’ thoughts, to know what they’re about, if they want to do harm or mean well.
Where do you want to be in 5 years?
5 years from now I want to do exactly what I’m doing right now, which is creating music and traveling with people that I respect and love and the other way around.
“Black Wedding” is available for preorder. It is out August 26th.
