Blackwave is a Belgium-based project formed of Antwerp producer Willem Ardui and rapper Jay Walker, who pull influences out of anything from The Roots to Fleet Foxes to Brockhampton.

Willem and Jay first started making music together in 2016 communicating over the internet. Before meeting each other in person they finished their debut EP titled Mic Check. BIG Dreams and Flow (featuring US rapper Caleborate), the two lead singles for Mic Check, immediately gained attention from radio stations in Belgium and The Netherlands, putting them on the line-up of numerous festivals, including Pukkelpop. Alongside their liveband of jazz-musicians they met in the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp, they steadily built up a strong live reputation, selling out venues all over their home country.

Releasing song after song, the real breakthrough came in 2018 with Elusive. Besides playing festivals like Couleur Café, Gent Jazz and Rock Werchter, a run of appearances on national television, number one spots on multiple radio stations and an international tour, they got nominated for three Mia’s (Belgian music industry awards) and they won the Music Moves Talent Europe award.

While working on their debut album in the summer of 2019 the group played festivals such as Montreux Jazz, Sziget, North Sea Jazz and Pukkelpop.