FELIX’S NEW YEAR’S PLUNGE

Kriticos is a multidisciplinary artist of Zambian (Bemba) and Tanzanian (Chagga) descent. His first music project, his EP Bemba Chagga, tells his story as a young African growing up among 2 African cultures. Kriticos has worked in different genres of music, and performed at various venues across East Africa and Belgium.

Parallel to his music career, Kriticos has led an activist career, which started when he co-organized the first ever Black Lives Matter protest in Belgium, in 2016. He went on to organize a Breathing Session for black people and people of color during the George Floyd protests in 2020. During his marketing internship at Daily Paper, Kriticos debuted his concept of a book club for people that didn’t read the book in Amsterdam. The project is called The Book Club, and since 2022, Kriticos has hosted conversations about various books and topics across cities like Helsinki, Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels. The Book Club has partnered up with prisons for the inmates, with corporate businesses like Netflix, Nike and The British Council, as well as become part of school curriculums in Brussels.

Bruno Sitton was introduced to the practices of Zen at a very young age. Since then, he has devoted his daily time and effort into multiple meditation practices, biohacking methods and habitual behaviour patterns, truly establishing them into modern daily life experiences. His studies in a variety of cultures have led him to implement the ancient ways of sound in the experiences.
 
One of Bruno’s ways to contribute and serve is by combining the element of sound and space; welcoming others to share in an immersive and meditative concert that navigates them into nowness. This evening, he will accompany a relaxing 20-minute sound bath. Music will be provided live by musicians.

Charlene Austin is a PR & Communications Strategist for the arts and cultural industry. Born and raised in the Netherlands to Ghanaian parents, she grew up immersed in a creative palette of people and cultures which made her develop an artistic view, a passion for aesthetics, and a love of storytelling.

Formerly at Soho House Amsterdam and serving as the Head of Marketing & Communications for Het Hem, she is currently a co-founder of Okra Agency. This independent communications agency is dedicated to amplifying the creative voices of BIPOC communities.

Jamal Jama is a communications professional with a love for culture, storytelling and branding. With a healthy dose of curiosity and a keen understanding of how culture and values shift, he uses media to tell stories close to him.

This translates into starting What’s Culture: a media brand focused on curating and telling of pivotal moments in culture and history. Through deep dives, series, and formats, their community learns about the historical context, present shifts and future trends in design, photography, film, art and music.

Cherella Gessel, aka Chella Chella, is a multidisciplinary performer. They combine both text drama and physical acting – in theater and film – with dance, spoken word, modelling, styling, hair styling and makeup. Cherella always creates from their own frame of reference and personal subjects and interests. For example, YONIVERSE – “A theatrical hip-hop concert for Black, Queer Bitches” – was a solo in which they sought healing from traumas as a result of society and conflicts within themselves.

Healing is a subject close to their hearts and is reflected as much as possible in their work. In 2020 Cherella received an honourable mention for their participation with YONIVERSE in Fringe Festival and in 2021 they received both the 3 Package Deal and the Amsterdam Prize for the Arts, in the Encouragement category. Cherella has been featured at Maas Theater & Dance, Toneelmakerij, AYA, IDFA, Fashionweek Amsterdam, KAF Almere, Frascati Productions, in various (online) magazines and blogs, fashion and music videos, films, national and international TV commercials and abri’s, in museums, exhibitions and theaters across the country.

Kretek’s versatile dj sets cover a broad spectrum of genres, ranging from electronic club to Electro, with influences from Jazz, House, Riddim, Afro and Ballroom music.

By skillfully blending these diverse styles, Kretek consistently delivers a unique and invigorating sound that sets him apart from the rest.