For a few hours on the evening of November 10th, time stopped in Rotterdam’s Rotown club. There was no sold-out show, no merch stand, no warm, starry night outside the venue walls; there was only a stage ruled by a kind forest witch who, armed with a guitar, a band and a delightful sense of humour, invited everyone in the building to forget the miserable mundanities of everyday life and step into her fairytale world.

Flower of the Soul is the first feature-length release of the indie British-Brazilian artist Liana Flores, whose name might bring back faint memories of pandemic-era TikTok – in 2021, Flores experienced a rise in popularity as her comforting and introspective “rises the moon” went viral on social media. While her distinctive style shines through both her previous and more contemporary releases—especially in its romantic lyricism, with nature as a recurring motif—Flower of the Soul is a much more polished showcase of Flores’s artistry.

Flower of the Soul takes the best elements of the genres it derives from – folk and bossa nova – and through its delicate vocals and layered instrumentals it crafts an enchanting experience filled with wonder and tenderness. It’s the definitive soundtrack for an afternoon spent daydreaming by the windowsill, a nostalgic journey back home or a walk through the forest. It’s a painkiller for the yearning soul and restless mind, which is especially clear to those lucky enough to hear the songs performed live.

Flores’ captivating stage presence faithfully mirrors the ethereal qualities of the album. Interspersed with astronomy facts (did you know that on Jupiter, it rains diamonds?) and vampirical daydreams, the performance lifts the audience from their everyday concerns and keeps them focused on the set in front of them. “Hello again,” which marks the beginning of both the record and Flores’ set, is one of those songs that gains a second life when heard live, with the call-and-response chorus building an immediate sense of camaraderie in the audience. “I wish for the rain,” a simple yet devastatingly sincere recount of the end of a relationship, was one of the definite highlights of the album, and its live rendition made the quiet post-breakup agony of the song even more piercing. Other noteworthy parts of the show included “Butterflies” and “Cuckoo”, to which Flores referred as a “double creature feature,” “Nightvisions,” which the Spotify genre algorithm could probably describe as “romantic-novel-protagonist-core,” and “Halfway heart,” the perfect description of complicated relationships.

The supporting act from the hypnotizing Raquel Martins, an absolute hidden gem of the singer-songwriter genre, only elevated the experience. Martins was possibly the perfect opener for the show; her performance, which included the hauntingly beautiful single “Empty Flower” from an EP of the same title, was intertwined with asides about the nature of being a musician and the experience of moving away from home.

While the album itself provides a wonderful listening experience, the live renditions of the songs gain a new layer of depth and vitality, making it an essential set for any bossa nova fan. Thankfully, Flores has already announced more tour dates for 2025 – right now, you can expect to hear her live in February and July.

Liana Flores

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Magdalena Styś is a writer and poet currently based in Amsterdam.

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