Balladeste’s strings, at times lyrical and at other times raw or sparse, intertwine with Ana’s luminous voice and bringing to life a palimpsest of feelings that are as panoramic as they are tender. From the dreamlike glimmer of glimpse to the haunting lines of phantom limb - “This love is a loaded gun, I know, raise it fast, aim it slow” - difficult loves takes listeners on a deeply affecting and genre-straddling emotional journey.

Created through a deeply collaborative process - sometimes building a song from a single melody or lyric line, other times arising from an improvised play or a string motif reimagined and unravelled - the music reflects a sense of creative exploration with meticulous artistry.

The “very beautiful, complex” song-cycle (Soho Radio) traces the many faces of love: from the revelation of romantic connection and the bonds of familial devotion, to ecstatic encounters with the natural world, and finally the darker shadows of love shaped by grief, loss, and longing. Loosely inspired by writer Italo Calvino’s book of the same name, difficult loves blends Ana Silvera’s moving and mercurial vocals with Balladeste’s fluid, mesmeric strings.

Balladeste (“an extraordinary and beautiful listening experience” - KLOF) are known for their experimental yet melodic approach. Drawing from Indian classical music, contemporary minimalism, and folk, the duo crafts original compositions that are both cinematic and emotionally rich - “songs without words” that speak volumes. Highlights include broadcasts and interviews on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 3 In Tune,  Night Tracks, and Breakfast with Elizabeth Alker, Soho Radio, NTS, Dutch National Radio, and BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week theme music. They have performed at festivals/venues including, El Chopo Mexico City, Isole Che Parlano Sardinia, CCB Lisbon, Barbican, Art Night UK, Brighton Festival, Cafe Oto to Wilderness & Medicine Festivals.

Ana Silvera is a singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer known for her vividly imaginative song-writing (“stunning…magical storytelling” - The Guardian) and innovative practice across genre and discipline. Described as a “captivating singer-songwriter” (The Arts Desk), Ana has performed at venues and festivals including SXSW, Royal Opera House, Festival d’Aix, Iceland Airwaves, Snape Maltings and has collaborated with artists such as Imogen Heap, Jasper Høiby, Alice Zawadzki, Saied Silbak, Olivia Chaney and Aidan O’Rourke.

“the song cycle on ‘difficult loves’ emerged out of group improvisations, with Ana Silvera adding her compelling lyrics [...] to mesmerising effect”

Songlines