ABOUT
"Original and provocative"
- Brian Eno (NOISE 2014)
"A revelation"
- Max Reinhardt of BBC 3 Late Junction (Latitude Festival 2016)
"Hugely impressive - have a listen, she's terrific"
- James Rhodes
2016 Top 4 Best New Music by BBC Introducing Classical Artists
- BBC Radio 3
"At the forefront of UK's new wave of experimental classical musicians"
- China Sohu News
With a musical style that is as uncategorisable it is captivating, Belle Chen's music is a curious blend of classical, avant-garde, world, electronica, and sound art genres. Her approach to music is unpredictable, often bringing to the audience an element of surprise, yet she retains the tonal aesthetic of classical and neo-classical language in midst of textures drawn from experimental, avant-garde, and world genres.
Chen first gained attention in UK's art music scene with her self-released EP 'Listen, London' in 2014, in which she juxtaposed classical repertoire with field recordings taken around London. Self-released albums Mediterranean Sounds (2016), Mademoiselle (2017), Departure (2019) and Destinations (2020) followed - each with a distinct artistic vision - and earning Chen plaudits from industry heavyweights including Brian Eno ("original and provocative"), James Rhodes ("hugely impressive"), Max Reinhardt ("a revelation"), and BBC Radio 3 (Top 4 Best New Music of 2016 BBC Introducing).
To date, her creativity is acknowledged through a string of awards; while performance highlights include BBC Radio 3 70th Anniversary at Festival Hall, Latitude Festival, Melbourne Recital Centre, and Piano City Milano Midnight Main Stage.
In live performances, Chen performs multiple instruments - notably an acoustic piano (that is prepared and unprepared through improvisation), synth, and melodica - while sampling electronics and found sound through laptop.