Ada Lea

Under the name Ada Lea, musician and songwriter Alexandra Levy has been developing an intimate songwriting voice in Montreal that intersects indie rock, folk and experimental pop. Also trained in visual arts, Ada Lea brings a fragmentary approach to her songs—personal narratives, portraits and musicalized notebook entries—paying close attention to urban atmospheres and everyday details. After several projects within Montreal’s independent scene, she drew notice as a solo artist with the album what we say in private, released in 2019 on Saddle Creek, which blends hushed guitars, melodic basslines and occasionally deconstructed structures. She followed in 2020 with the EP woman, here, continuing her exploration of voice and introspective storytelling. In 2021 Ada Lea released one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden, a record that more directly examines emotional trajectories and Montreal locations, spanning slow ballads and more electric songs. On stage she performs with a full electric lineup or in a scaled-back format, moving between clubs and North American and European tours while maintaining close ties to the DIY community and small- to mid-sized venues.