Ada Lea – midnight magic
Ada Lea—the moniker of Montreal-based musician Alexandra Levy— releases “midnight magic,” the third single/video from her new album, when i paint my masterpiece, out August 8th via Saddle Creek.
Following last month’s meditation on love, “something in the wind,” “midnight magic” is set firmly in a shimmering dreamworld that could have been summoned by Judee Sill.
In writing the song, Levy took a surreal approach inspired by artists Leonora Carrington, James Ensor, Charlotte Salomon, and Maruja Mallo. What emerged was not only “midnight magic,” but also an accompanying painting. Levy and visual art collaborator, Clarice Hana, then brought the painting to life in a video in which “a giant creature woman births a candlestick holder, a cloud-sized egg, a piano, an enormous tube of paint and finally, she gives birth to me,” Levy explains. “The OBGYN has 4 eyes and uses 3-foot scissors to cut the cord.
Mirroring both the painting and video are Levy’s experiences while making when i paint my masterpiece. Reflecting on the song, she says, “I felt like I was taking a leap of faith with this surreal approach—and it felt good to trust that the song knew best. In an artist talk, Margaux Williamson said her new body of work took her 8 years to complete, and said ‘I am constantly needing to remind myself that the hand knows better than the brain.’ I nodded Yes. When it came time to record the vocals, a lot had happened since the initial recording session, the most significant being a second trimester pregnancy loss. It was gruelling. As soon as I physically could, I started singing and resumed working on the album again. As I sang the first lines of this song, which go ‘angel, promise me this,’ I immediately burst into tears because I knew that the song was for my baby.”
Ada Lea Tour Dates
(New Date in Bold)
Fri, Aug 16 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Sat, Aug 17 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Bristol w/ Allegra Krieger
Sun, Aug 18 – Edinburgh, UK @ Sneaky Pete’s w/ Allegra Krieger
Mon, Aug 19 – Glasgow, UK @ Nice n’ Sleazy w/ Allegra Krieger
Tue, Aug 20 – Chester, UK @ St. Mary’s Creative Space w/ Allegra Krieger
Wed, Aug 21 – London, UK @ Lexington, Line of Best Fit w/ Allegra Krieger
Sun. Aug. 31 — Rouyn-Noranda, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, QC @ FME (Festival de Musique Émergente)
Wed, Sept 10 – Burlington, VT @ Radio Bean
Thu, Sept 11 – Providence, RI @ AS220
Fri, Sept 12 – Catskill, NY – Avalon
Sat, Sept 13 – Turner Falls, MA @ Brick House
Mon, Sept 15 – New York, NY @ NightClub 101
Tue, Sept 16 – Washington, DC @ Quarry House
Wed, Sept 17 – Durham, NC @ Pinhook
Thu, Sept 18 – Nashville, TN @ East Room
Fri, Sept 19 – Chicago, IL @ Judson & Moore
Sat, Sept 20 – Windsor, ON @ Phog Lounge
Sun, Sept 21 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison
Tue, Oct 14 – Montreal, QC @ Toscadura
Wed, Oct 15 – Hamilton @ Roony’s
Fri, Oct 17 – Kalamazoo, MI @ TV Station
Sat, Oct 18 – Milwaukee, WI @ Sky High
Sun, Oct 19 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cloudland
Mon, Oct 20 – Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
Wed, Oct 22 – Butte, Montana @ Carpenters Union Hall
Fri, Oct 24 – Seattle, WA @ Ballard Homestead
Sat, Oct 25 – Vancouver, BC @ Kingsway
Mon, Oct 27 – Portland, OR @ Turn Turn Turn
Wed, Oct 29 – San Francisco, CA @ The Knockout
Thu, Oct 30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Scribble
Sat, Nov 1 – Salt Lake City @ The Pearl on Main
Sun, Nov 2 – Denver @ Hi Dive
Tue, Nov 4 – Lincoln, NE @ Reactor Coffee
Thu, Nov 5 – Davenport, IA @ Raccoon Motel
#adaleamusic