The Sadness

The Sadness brings together a trio of performers around the genre of 'Sad Rap', a home grown musical style that emerged on Soundcloud and other music platforms over the last years. Mostly self-produced, the genre combines emo-style lyrics that speak about depression, often with references to death and suicide, all set to melancholic instrumentals and hip hop beats. At a time when the future has never been more uncertain, The Sadness explores the prevalent feeling of futurelessness. Under the musical direction of Japanese American musician Lynn Suemitsu, the performers self-written lyrics are set to pulsating rhythms and heavy bass. A cross between a dance performance and a concert, the work is performed in the round in an intimate setting, where performers and public share the same space.

The Sadness explores live music making as a collective act that brings the performers (and audience) together. In the project the climate crisis and the feeling of inertia and anxiety that it produces are central. Rather than preaching to an already converted crowd, The Sadness gives voice to our repressed fears, using feeling as a powerful tool for empowerment and action.

Concept, choreography: Ula Sickle
Musical compositions: Lynn Rin Suemitsu
Creation, Performance: Sidney Barnes, Camilo Meijía Cortés & Amber Vanluffelen
App Design: Black Adopo
Lyric workshop: Maru Mustrieva
Dramaturgy: Persis Bekkering
Costumes: Sabrina Seifried

Light Design: Ryoya Fudetani