The Belgian quartet Ão has just released their new single “Orgulho,” accompanied by a captivating video, providing another glimpse into their upcoming album “Malandra,” set to be released on February 13. The track is characterised by delicate acoustic guitar and Brenda Corijn’s poignant vocals, creating a finely balanced interplay of pride and melancholy.
Brenda explains the song’s inspiration: “During an interview I did with my mother for a theatre production, I had to ask her whether she was jealous of me. She replied, ‘Jealous isn’t the right word, but I would like to be that which you are.’ Her words have stuck with me and resonate in this song, Orgulho, which means ‘proud.’”
In recent years, Ão has become one of Europe’s most exciting new acts with their enchanting blend of electronica, art-pop, saudade, and alternative Latin music. Their sound consistently transcends genre boundaries, intuitive, bold, and unmistakable. Much like Stromae, Rosalía, or C. Tangana, Ão creates a hybrid sonic world that defies simple categorisation. At the heart of the band is frontwoman Brenda Corijn, whose Mozambican and Portuguese roots profoundly influence the music. She sings in both Portuguese and English, her voice warm, intimate, and powerful. This unique sound merges beautifully with Siebe Chaus’s southerly-inflected guitar playing, Jolan Decaestecker’s intricate electronic textures, and Bert Peyffers’s eclectic percussion style.
The quartet has a series of shows lined up in Germany this March:
- March 10, 2026: Kantine am Berghain, Berlin
- March 11, 2026: Kassablanca Gleis 1, Jena
- March 12, 2026: JAKI, Cologne
With their debut album “Ao Mar” (2023), Ão made a splash on the international scene, receiving enthusiastic reviews, a MIA nomination, extensive airplay, and an impressive live performance track record with tours at home and abroad. Their second album, “Malandra,” takes this journey further, more intense, rhythmic, delicate, and yet harder. The songs navigate between warmth and threat, sensuality and harshness. The sound is bigger, more urgent, playful, and raw than ever before. The title itself is multi-faceted: “malandra” is a Portuguese word that does not translate directly. A malandra is a woman who navigates life with humour, intelligence, and charm, following her own rules while seducing, deceiving, and manipulating, all while remaining true to herself.
