Landing on the Brussels scene in late 2021, Ada Oda delivers up-tempo, binary rock that blends the boldness of ’80s post-punk with the soaring melodies characteristic of Italian pop. The project was initiated in 2020 by César Laloux, who met Victoria Barracato and, inspired by the sound of her name, suggested she sing his songs in Italian. Victoria took on the challenge.
"Un Amore Debole", the band’s debut album (Nov. 2022, 62TV/PIAS), features a collection of stripped-down pop songs. The record made waves, with tracks like "Un Amore Debole" and "Niente da Offrire" becoming underground hits across Europe, especially in Italy!
The songs on "Pelle d’Oca" (Feb. 2025, 62 Records) were written at home by César Laloux, mostly between 2023 and 2024. Initially tested in Pisa in November 2023 at Ale Sportelli Recording Studio, they were later recorded and produced as a band in Ghent with Pieterjan Coppejans, before being mixed in Atlanta at Mirror Mirror Studio by Graham Tavel.
"Pelle d’Oca" (Goosebumps) embodies the clash of two opposing feelings: pleasure and fear. A paradox the band has lived firsthand, between the thrill of a debut album that propelled them onto electrifying stages across Europe and North America and the more intimate starting point of their themes: the fear of impossible love (E questa è la vita, Settembre, Ho Amato Tutto), fear fueling jealousy (La Gioventù, Sotto la Conchiglia), fear of a world spiraling out of control (In Piazza, Figlia d’Europa, Sicurezza Priorità), fear of death (Sul Palo), and fear of expressing emotions (Immobile, Vecchia Storia).
From a stylistic perspective, the band, composed of Victoria Barracato (lead vocals), César Laloux (guitar, vocals), Aurélien Gainetdinoff (guitar, vocals), Clément Marion (bass, vocals), and Alexandre de Bueger (drums), favors continuity: 11 tracks in 32 minutes flat. A mix of ballads, punchy pop songs, and raw punk anthems infused with live energy. The production is stripped-down, the guitars hit hard, the melodies are immediate, all driven by tight, intense rhythms. And at the heart of it all, Victoria’s voice, oscillating between emo-style singing and breathless parlando.
On stage, the duo is joined by Clément Marion on bass (David Numwami, Judith Kiddo), Alex De Bueger (Gros Coeur), and Aurélien Gainetdinoff (Yolande Bashing) on guitar. With over 200 concerts across 20 countries, the band has played major festivals such as Rock en Seine and Europavox (FR), Pukkelpop and Dour (BE), South by Southwest (US), FME (CA), Fusion Festival and Reeperbahn (DE), ESNS and Best Kept Secret (NL), MI AMI Festival (IT), and Monkey Week (ES), to name just a few.
