PBG: 3-Question Artist Interview featuring Adla "Catch Feelings" Single
- Produced by a Girl™
- Jun 25
- 4 min read
Adla’s “Catch Feelings” introduces a soulful new voice moving gracefully between piano-led pop, contemporary R&B, and cinematic singer-songwriter emotion. Born in Sarajevo, shaped by her studies in Music Songwriting and Production in the United States, and now building her artistic life in Malta, Adla brings a beautifully layered sense of place, memory, and transformation into her music. Inspired by the emotional power of artists like Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton, Adele, H.E.R., and Olivia Dean, she creates songs that feel intimate, melodic, and deeply human. “Catch Feelings” captures that fragile moment when something casual becomes undeniable, when vulnerability rises to the surface and love begins to ask for honesty. With warm vocals, piano-rooted soul, and heartfelt pop/R&B phrasing, the single becomes both a personal confession and the opening chapter of a larger creative project centered on heartbreak, longing, real love, and emotional rebirth.
1. “Catch Feelings” really dives into that delicate turning point where a spark suddenly grows into something undeniable and real. What inspired you to explore that emotional shift in your songwriting, and how did you balance the sweetness of new love with the raw fear of opening up your heart?
I've always been a hopeless romantic, but the inspiration behind "Catch Feelings" came from a perspective on love that completely changed the way I think about relationships. We often hear people say they don't want to "catch feelings," as if feelings are something dangerous or inconvenient. But I started seeing them differently.
To me, the human experience is really a collection of feelings we get to experience throughout our lives, whether that’s joy, excitement, wonder, love, nostalgia, or even pain and heartbreak. Those feelings shape us and help us grow into who we're meant to become.
"Catch Feelings" was inspired by sharing life's little firsts with someone and realizing how meaningful those moments can be. Watching a movie together for the first time, discovering a new place, having a conversation that changes your perspective…All those experiences seem small on the surface, but they leave a mark on you. When you're with the right person, they can inspire parts of yourself you didn't even know existed.
The song is essentially my way of celebrating that. It's about appreciating someone who makes your world feel bigger and wanting to continue collecting those moments together. Rather than being afraid of catching feelings, it's about embracing them and recognizing that they're part of what makes us human.
2. Your journey weaves together so many places and sounds, from Sarajevo to the United States to Malta. There’s a beautiful blend in your music; piano-driven melodies, soul-pop, and that unmistakable R&B warmth. How have these different chapters of your life shaped your sense of love, longing, and the way you pour emotional honesty into your songs?
Each place shaped a different part of me, both as a person and as a songwriter. Growing up in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I was surrounded by emotionally driven music. It taught me that songs should make people feel something and that lyrics matter. Even now, I spend a lot of time making sure every word serves a purpose because I want listeners to connect with the story, not just the melody.
The United States expanded my musical world drastically. It was where I formally studied music, developed my skills as an artist, songwriter and performer, and fell even deeper in love with soul, R&B, and piano-driven music. It taught me discipline and gave me the confidence to perform in front of audiences night after night.
Malta has shaped me in a different way. Moving here meant starting over again, building a life from scratch in an unfamiliar place. That experience taught me resilience and helped me discover strengths I honestly didn't know I had. I think that's where a lot of the emotional honesty in my music comes from. When you've had to leave places behind, reinvent yourself, and keep moving forward, you gain a deeper understanding of longing, hope, love, and what it means to find a sense of home.
3. You’re carving out your own artistic space in Malta while also teaching, performing, and shaping a whole new collection of original music. With “Catch Feelings” marking the start of this exciting chapter, what sides of yourself as an artist are you most excited for listeners to discover next?
More than anything, I'm excited for people to discover the person behind the music. I’m aware that my journey hasn't been a traditional one. I'm a girl from Bosnia and Herzegovina who followed music across countries, studied data science alongside music, learned multiple languages, worked as a performer, teacher, and analyst, and continued creating songs through every chapter of that journey.
I think what makes my perspective unique is the combination of all those experiences. I grew up listening to soul and R&B in a place where that wasn't necessarily the norm, and because I was exposed to English from a young age, writing in English always felt natural to me. Music became the place where all of those influences could meet.
As I release more music, I want people to see not just different sides of me as a songwriter, but also the story of someone who has continuously pushed beyond her comfort zone in pursuit of a dream. If listeners connect with anything, I hope it's that sense of curiosity, resilience, and the belief that where you come from truly doesn't have to limit where you can go.
Connect with Adla
Written By: PBG Chief Editor, Mary Knoblock
Comments