Karen Willems

Edition of 400. Belgian percussionist and composer Karen Willems presents her debut solo statement with A Fool's Guide to Reality, a work that transforms everyday objects and chance encounters into transcendent musical exploration. Released on Fanny Chiarello & Valentina Magaletti's Permanent Draft label, this album represents Willems' most personal artistic statement - a fearless dive into uncharted sonic territories where convention dissolves into pure experimentation. A serial collaborator who has navigated multiple musical worlds with remarkable versatility, Willems has worked with rock and pop bands like Novastar, Jan Swerts and Zita Swoon Group, while also collaborating with improvisers and sound artists such as Aidan Baker, Eric Thielemans, Kaboom Karavan and Jean DL. Since 2020, her 'Terre Sol' project has searched for personal modifications within instrumental practice, focusing on solo compositions that venture beyond traditional percussion approaches.