With her intimate soundscapes and poetic vulnerability, Bianca Steck offers a blend of folk-inspired pop layered with classical instruments.
On May 27, I played a DJ set before and after Girls In Hawaii at Eden in Charleroi. Among the support acts was Bianca Steck — a name I had only vaguely heard before that night, but one I won’t forget. Her performance quietly stunned me. With luminous vocals, poignant melodies, and an emotional range that moved fluidly from delicate to defiant, she left a lasting impression.
The very next day, I found myself listening to her debut album, “The Joy of Coincidences”, which had been released on Unday Records two months earlier. It resonated just as strongly with its intimate, thoughtful soundscapes and poetic vulnerability.
Bianca Steck, born in Barcelona with British and German roots, has been living in Brussels for about 3.5 years now. “The Joy of Coincidences” is her first full-length album, and it’s a striking introduction. Produced with Nil Ciuró and featuring a beautiful collaboration with Polish pianist Hania Rani, the record offers a blend of folk-inspired pop layered with classical instruments—harp, cello, piano—subtly woven with synths and ambient textures.
It’s an album that feels handcrafted but never overworked, reflective without being self-indulgent. Steck sings not merely about herself but about all of us: the fragility of urban life, the chaos we navigate, and the small, strange coincidences that quietly shape our lives.
I had the chance to speak with Bianca a few days after the show in Charleroi. She shared how she prepares for performances by consciously stepping away from screens and creating space to feel calm and grounded. That balance seems to mirror her life more broadly.
In addition to music, the artist works as an architect — a dual identity that unexpectedly led her to Brussels. What began as a one-month stay to help on a project became a turning point. She had a job lined up in Copenhagen but realized, once back in Barcelona, that she’d barely experienced Brussels during her time there. Curious and unsatisfied, the singer returned with the goal of getting to know the city better. That decision changed everything.
In Brussels, she discovered Volta, initially as a concertgoer. Later, she became an artist-in-residence there and built friendships. Eventually Bianca even found her dream job that made her stay in Brussels: a designer of mixing and mastering studios for Northward Acoustics. The city, with all its unpredictability and opportunity, slowly became her home.
The collaboration with Hania Rani turns out to be another quiet coincidence. Bianca was an admirer of the Polish artist and was thrilled to open for Rani, first at a Brussels show and later at some international gigs too, and the ladies connected rather well. When working on “The Joy of Coincidences”, Steck felt Rani would be a perfect fit for the track “Dragon’s Eyes,” and Rani graciously accepted the invitation.
When she’s not immersed in music or architecture, Bianca finds joy in books and in nature. She has a special connection to the sea, shaped by her years in Barcelona — a love that seeps into her music, gently pulling the listener like a tide.
In both her life and her art, Bianca Steck seems to trust the subtle magic of timing. “The Joy of Coincidences” is not just an album title — it’s a worldview.
Stream “The Joy of Coincidences” on Bandcamp and Spotify.
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Bianca Steck on Facebook, Instagram.
Photo credit: @daria.msdv
