Donata strikes the perfect balance between sophisticated indie and catchy, sing-along pop.
Behind the musical persona lies the Berlin-based artist Donata, who, after studying singing at the Conservatory of Music in Amsterdam and early projects in the Netherlands with artists including Herman van Veen, became part of the award-winning indie-pop duo NOSOYO in 2017 (until 2020), with whom she won, among other accolades, the VIA VUT Award for ‘Best Newcomer Band’ and the Listen to Berlin Award.
She has been pursuing a solo career since 2023: her debut album Imaginary Land (Humming Records) was released in 2023, followed by Alchemy (self-released) in 2024. The EP Strength is set to be released on Glitterhouse Records in 2026.
With Alchemy in particular, Donata established herself at the genre boundaries between emotionally charged indie-folk, alternative and excellently produced streaming and radio pop. Her music combines intimate, narrative, English-language lyrics with powerful band arrangements and stylistically moves between indie aesthetics and accessible pop production. Themes such as self-definition, healing and personal transformation characterise her work and give it a distinct emotional signature.
In this sense, „Strength“ can almost be thought of as a conceptual work – the EP traces a shift in perspective across five tracks: “In Retrospect” looks back, but the content evolves and the perspective shifts; “Irrational”, finally, looks ahead – “Strength” is the emotional core of this movement. The EP is characterised by an expanded sound and was recorded live with a band at Funkhaus Berlin to transfer the intensity of the stage performances into the studio context.
Personal experiences and life-changing events subtly shape the artistic work, both live and otherwise, and are reflected in particular in the special closeness to the audience and a distinct emotional expression. Donata has performed as support for CATT and Wintersleep, amongst others, and has undertaken extensive solo tours in 2023. She will also be playing a tour of Germany in autumn 2026 (tba), timed to coincide with the EP release.
