ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT 2025

ABOUT

MEMBERS

PRESS

RELEASES

LIVE

VIDEOS

PICS

CONTACT

From left to right:
Adama Cefalu, Freddie Brown, Niklas Gantenberg, Leon Oranian
(Credit: © Elena Kasnatschejew, 2024)

ABOUT PRISMALA (Bio-Text)

(March 2025)

Prismala is the embodiment of long-standing friendships and deep connection – to each other and to music. Formed by Freddie Brown, Adama Cefalu, and Niklas Gantenberg, the band began as a high school dream in 2017, completing their line-up in 2022 with the addition of bassist Leon Oranian. They evolved since their early days into a force of creative energy, painting with a palette of neo-soul, guitar pop, and alternative rock to craft a sound that’s as colourful as their journey, evoking the carefree spirit of Ocean Alley to the soulful depth of Leon Bridges.

While much of their early discography was created during the band members’ separation due to studies, the band reunited in their hometown of Berlin in 2022 to honour their teenage promise of giving music a proper shot.

This newfound proximity sparked a surge of creativity, leading to the release of their acclaimed single Places To Be in 2022 and the album It Gets Weirder in 2023. With this album, Prismala held up a mirror to the complexities of the modern world and the feeling of growing up in it. The album’s release show at Berlin’s Renaissance Theatre saw the band playing to an audience of over 500 people, marking not only their biggest headline performance to date but also a moment in history, as the first rock concert ever held at the iconic venue.

The momentum of Prismala continued into 2024 with a string of breakthrough singles, showcasing the group’s ability to write catchy and engaging songs. The King premiered on Germany’s renowned radio station radioeins, while Meditations and Stella secured spots on major Spotify playlists. The band’s growing reputation led to a variety of exciting live shows throughout the year – from playing the prestigious Reeperbahn Festival to the summer party of the mayor of Berlin (Hoffest) and over to their own 3-concert series Prismala & Friends. Held throughout spring, summer and winter at Berlin’s Badehaus, the concert series was a celebration of collaboration and friendship – bringing together seven artists for unique live performances.

Closing out 2024, the band released A Way, their most danceable track yet. Their upcoming single Faith, the fifth and final instalment in their unofficial single-series, is set for release on April 25, 2025. The release continues the bands collaboration with talented Berlin producer and musician Jakob Hegner aka jakohitsdifferent, who has been working with the band since their album “It Gets Weirder”.

As Prismala moves into 2025, they are set to embark on an exciting new chapter, partnering with Hamburg-based label FerryHouse and working on a highly anticipated new EP for the latter half of the year. With each performance, each new release, Prismala continue to expand their ever-evolving musical canvas – proving that their journey is well underway.

A cinematic journey through our history leading up to the recording of our album ‘It Gets Weirder’ in December of 2022 at Studio Wong in Kreuzberg, Berlin.

Credits (2023):
Director, Editor: Kaho Watanabe
Camera, Cinematographer: Omar Abogabal
English with subtitles

A short film documenting the lead up to our first show of the Prismala & Friends concert-series in March of 2024. An intimate look behind the scenes, with individual interviews, plenty of “Denglish” spoken, music and lots of laughter.

Credits (2024):
Director, Editor: Maximilian Engelhardt (AirFlair)
German with English subtitles

MEMBERS

Photo Credits: Fabian Catoni, 2023

Freddie Brown –
Lead Guitar, Piano

Born in Oxford, England and raised in Berlin, it was mostly The Beatles and Queen that first brought Freddie Brown to music and guitar playing. Further fuelled by the works of The Kooks, John Mayer and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Freddie finds his own sound – a warm, fluffy carpet of sound that drives the songs.

Adama Cefalu –
Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

The gentle voice of singer Adama Cefalu dances on the melodic waves of the guitar and the groove of the bass. Born in Berlin to American-Gambian parents, Adama grew up with Freddie and Niklas while listening to the music of Outkast, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson and began writing lyrics for himself at around 16. In addition to Prismala, his creative output also spans the rap collective Stockdale and his solo project Nomé. In addition to his voice, Adama uses the guitar, piano and bass to express his ideas and emotions.

Niklas Gantenberg –
Drums, Percussion

It is the rhythm of drummer Niklas Gantenberg that carries the framework of guitar and vocals while grooving with the bass. Born in Munich and growing up in Amman and Berlin, Niklas began building his own drums out of pot lids, cushions and cans as a child and learned the instrument autodidactically. Inspired by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Coldplay, he played in the Berlin indie band Kushtii for years together with Freddie, from which Prismala was eventually born.

Leon Oranian –
Bass, Piano, Guitar

Since 2022 the captivating basslines of Leon Oranian give Prismala their soulful and danceable style. Growing up in Berlin, his musical influences as the child of a German mother and an Afro-Brazilian father are very varied and translate to guitar and piano as well as bass. Besides being a musician, Leon is also an author and 2022 prize winner of the ‘Treffen junger Autoren’, a nationwide competition for young authors.