Ada Lea – what we say in private

A culmination of 180 days of journaling after a break-up, Ada Lea’s debut album, what we say in private, is an exercise in self-discovery and self-reflection. This appropriately titled, incredibly personal project brings the listener into the mind and emotions of its creator in a time of turmoil. Over 10 tracks, Lea recounts her experiences with her significant other, reflects on their flaws, her flaws, and the inherent imbalance of affection in the relationship that ultimately contributed to its failure. The instrumentation on this record is refreshingly simple. Songs like just one, please consist of little more than a guitar and Lea’s voice, but still manage to convey so much passion and feeling, making it easy to relate to and empathize with the story being told. Certain tracks, like for real now (not pretend) and what makes me sad, get unexpectedly turbulent and chaotic at certain points, capturing the ever-changing cycle of emotions experienced by Lea in the period of time that the album was written. This turbulence applies to her lyrics as much as it does her musical arrangement, making what we say in private a rollercoaster of emotion, and a strong debut for the Montreal songwriter.