Gayance Returns with Sophomore Album ROAMING

Montreal-born, Lisbon-based DJ-producer-songwriter and multidisciplinary artist Gayance returns with her sophomore album, roaming, released via Tru Thoughts.

Described as a 'sonic travelogue born of a decade in transit,' roaming draws on Gayance's experiences across Brazil, Brussels, Amsterdam and beyond, exploring 'the 'political movement' of the diaspora' through a fluid, globally informed sound. Rooted in her Haitian heritage and shaped by years navigating international club culture, the album captures an artist redefining her relationship with both place and self.

Following a run of standout singles, the project marks an affirmation in her sound and artistic identity.

''roaming', my sophomore album, is a project I didn't know I was working on for the past decade by just living and travelling around, these songs are stories from this era of my life. It's the complexity of completing by experimenting on a timeline of 9 years of friendship, roaming around and moving from city to city. Leaving a few people behind with songs about them that will stay with raw feelings and no bulls edits. Anthems about moving forward and reminders about how grateful I am about the journey, despite the highs and lows.' - Gayance

Following the breakthrough success of her debut Mascarade (Rhythm Section International), Gayance faced a period of intense personal and professional pressure. A relocation to Lisbon, paired with a deeper focus on herbalism and spirituality, created space for reflection and healing, ultimately informing the emotional and conceptual core of roaming.

Across the record, themes of release, transformation and self-preservation come to the fore. 'Better For My Heart' featuring Judith Little D, stands as 'an anthem of emotional purging and radical self-worth,' evolving over several years into a high-energy fusion of house, R&B and gospel influences. Focus track 'Ensemble' marks a significant first, written in French and offering a 'cathartic examination of 'chosen family' and the necessity of setting boundaries.'

On 'Kind Silence', Gayance leans into stillness, crafting 'a meditative anthem on the power of withdrawal' that reframes silence as an act of protection, especially in the context of a toxic relationship where control is used. 'GOSSIP' presents one of the album's most unfiltered moments, 'a candid interrogation of toxic cycles' and ultimately 'an act of reclamation,' closing a deeply personal chapter.

Elsewhere, 'Podjab' featuring Waahli, reconnects Gayance with her roots, channelling the energy and resistance of the Haitian carnaval genre, Mizik Rasin and serving as 'a tribute to the power of the diaspora to reclaim their liberation...' In contrast, 'hellooooo????', co-produced by funkywhat and featuring fellow Montréal mainstay Magi Merlin, provides a playful counterbalance, 'the album's tongue-in-cheek anchor', transforming themes of connection into a confident, high-energy celebration of presence and success.

Closing track 'Agua' featuring Narcy & De.Ville, expands the album's scope into the spiritual and political. Built around the mantra 'Stay focused?,' the track reflects the idea that 'true resistance requires a foundation of stillness, grounding and being present in our own bodies' positioning inner clarity as essential in the face of global unrest. Gayance believes in the high power of somatic healing, and this song is a call for this.

Together, these tracks form a body of work that is both deeply personal and widely resonant, bridging memory, movement and reclamation through sound. roaming is an album shaped by transition, grounded in resilience, driven by a clear sense of purpose and raw honesty.

Gayance's rise to this point has been met with critical acclaim across international press and radio. Coverage has spanned Toronto Star, DJ Mag, Crack Magazine, Mixmag, Exclaim!, La Presse, Cult MTL and Montreal Gazette, alongside national broadcast support from Radio-Canada / CBC and RIBF / Tarmac. In the UK, she has been championed by BBC Radio 6 Music, including an in-depth interview with Gilles Peterson and Jamz Supernova.

Her 2023 debut album Mascarade marked a breakthrough moment, earning a shortlist nomination for the Polaris Music Prize and editorial recognition. The project was highlighted by DAZED as one of its '10 under the radar albums 2023,' while CBC Music named Gayance among '8 artists shaping the future of Canadian electronic music.' Lead single 'Moon Rising' was selected by Gilles Peterson as one of his best tracks of 2023 on BBC Radio 6 Music, with additional highlights including a front-page cultural feature in Le Devoir and an in-depth profile with Mixmag.

With roaming, Gayance steps fully into her own voice, offering a record that is as intentional as it is expansive, and one that solidifies her as a vital voice in contemporary electronic music.

roaming Tracklist

1. Better For My Heart feat. Judith Little D

2. Ensemble feat. Seb Hall & Gaspar Muniz

3. Kind Silence feat. funkywhat

4. GOSSIP feat. Dal Bò

5. Podjab feat. Waahli & Jarreau Vandal

6. hellooooo???? feat. Magi Merlin & funkywhat

7. Agua feat. Narcy & De.Ville

Gayance Tour Date

9th Oct - Casa do Capitão - Lisboa, Portugal - Album release show (live band)

10 October - Marvilal x Crack Kids - Lisbon, Portugal

Photo Credit: Tess Roby