Sofia Atsbeha Negga to Perform at Padron Bar.

On May 15, Moscow's Padron Bar hosts a concert by Sofia Atsbeha Negga, part of a recurring series of soul-jazz evenings the bar puts on for its guests. That night, a vocalist of African roots, known for music TV shows and performances alongside the country's biggest artists, takes the improvised stage. Sofia will perform well-known world hits — including Bésame Mucho and Cry Me a River — but in her own jazz interpretation. Her vocals will be accompanied only by guitar. That format lets everyone focus on what matters most — the voice, and the emotion it carries.

Sofia graduated from the Gnessin Academy and college, became a laureate of several music competitions, and made her way from TV-show contestant to an artist collaborating with Igor Butman and Denis Matsuev. Her concerts take place at Russia's most notable jazz venues. At the same time, she stresses that in music she feels less like a performer and more like a creator, shaping every sound in her own image. What matters to her is getting her idea and emotion across to the listener, turning even a familiar melody into something entirely new.

Padron Bar is a space with the atmosphere of a European lounge, vivid cocktails, and a rich music program. Regular soul-jazz evenings draw in a crowd here that values live performance and an unconventional approach to well-known compositions. Sofia's performance becomes part of this musical series. Guests will hear the artist's voice, get a sense of her outlook on music, and be able to immerse themselves in an atmosphere of improvisation and jazz.