UPBEAT AWARDS 2026
Nominee for BEST NEW TALENT

Ão

About the Nominee

Ão evokes many feelings at once—beauty, pain, wonder—something you’ve never quite heard before. Blending electronica, art pop, saudade and alternative Latin, the Belgian quartet creates a genre-defying sound. Fronted by Brenda Corijn, who sings in Portuguese and English, the band combines warm vocals with guitar, layered electronics and eclectic percussion to deliver captivating live shows across Europe. Their new album Malandra, out February 13, 2026, explores complexity and self-expression with a deeper, more rhythmic and playful sound, and will be toured across Europe, including a release show at Ancienne Belgique.

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About Upbeat Awards

UPBEAT’s Best New Talent Award directs the limelight to Europe’s upcoming artists, the hidden pockets where heritage and new talent ferments, the uncharted musical landscapes off the mainstream path.

We are thrilled to announce the 10 exceptional artists from Belgium, Denmark, Spain, The Netherlands, France, Serbia and Cyprus.

UPBEAT Best New Talent 2026 artists will have the access to mentoring activities to develop their skills and competencies to help propel their international careers!

The winner will get the chance to perform at Mercat de Música Viva de Vic along with a professional concert video and an exclusive media appearance in Songlines Magazine.

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