Charlotte de Witte and NAVA: Azadi EP With an AI Singer, Release Date, Tracks and the Debate

Charlotte de Witte releases Azadi, a three-track EP sung entirely by the AI-generated Persian vocalist NAVA, on 5 November 2026 through her own label KNTXT. NAVA was created in 2025 by London-based, Iranian-born artist Farbod Mehr to stand in for Iranian women who are banned from singing solo in public, and all proceeds from the EP go to the women’s rights organisation FEMENA. The idea has split techno fans, and below we set out what is confirmed, what both sides are saying, and where you can hear the tracks next.

Watch the Tales of the Desert feat. NAVA teaser by Charlotte de Witte on Instagram

When does Charlotte de Witte’s Azadi EP come out?

Azadi is out digitally on 5 November 2026 on KNTXT, and a black 12-inch vinyl ships on or around 11 December 2026, according to the label’s official Bandcamp page. Pre-orders opened at £4 for the download and £13.50 for the vinyl. All three tracks are credited “Charlotte de Witte feat. NAVA”, and the first preview, Tales of the Desert, arrived on Instagram on 20 October as a joint post with NAVA’s own account.

Who is NAVA, the AI singer on Azadi?

NAVA is an AI-generated Persian singer created in 2025 by Farbod Mehr, a London-based artist born in Iran who trained in architecture at Central Saint Martins and runs the AI studio V Generate. Her face is drawn from classical Iranian painting, and her songs rework Iranian folk and pop classics. Resident Advisor puts her Instagram following at around 775,000, and Mehr has said in interviews that she represents Iranian women who are not allowed to sing in public.

Her official channel is the clearest way to understand the project. Her version of Bezan Tar, a song made famous by the late Iranian singer Hayedeh, is produced and directed by Mehr and shows the mood that Charlotte de Witte is now setting to techno.

Why did Charlotte de Witte work with an AI vocalist?

Charlotte de Witte says she chose NAVA because the character gives a voice to women who cannot use their own on stage in Iran. In the statement released with the EP she says:

“NAVA represents Iranian women banned from public performance. Unlike others, NAVA cannot get arrested for using her voice. These tracks are, in their own way, a small act of resistance.”

She adds that the music is “a reminder that people who are silenced, displaced or oppressed still have stories to tell”. Mehr points to a Persian verse as the emotional key to the record: “Within despair lies so much hope; the darkest night must end in dawn.” The lines come from the 12th-century poet Nizami Ganjavi, and the title Omid, meaning hope, follows the same thread.

Where does the money from Azadi go?

All proceeds from Azadi go to FEMENA, an organisation that supports women human rights defenders and feminist movements across the SWANA region (South West Asia and North Africa) and Asia. KNTXT and Bandcamp both state this on the release, so every download and vinyl sale counts towards the donation.

Why are some fans unhappy about Azadi?

The main criticism is simple: why use an artificial singer for a record about Iranian women instead of a real Iranian woman? Fans in the comments under the teaser questioned the choice, and EDMTunes summed up wider worries about what AI vocals mean for human creativity, for the value of vocal work and for paid opportunities for real singers. The Association for Electronic Music has also called for “consent, credit and compensation” for creators whose work is used to train AI systems.

The release also lands in a stricter climate. Since August 2026 Beatport has rejected fully or majority AI-generated tracks at upload and labels AI-assisted ones, and Bandcamp bans music made purely by AI. Neither KNTXT nor the stores have said publicly how those rules apply to Azadi; the EP is already listed for pre-order on Bandcamp.

Supporters answer that this is exactly the point. A singer inside Iran would face real risk for performing these songs, and an AI persona carries none. Others in the comments say NAVA has brought Persian language and poetry to a global dance audience that would not otherwise hear it. Both arguments are now part of the story, and the record arrives with them attached.

Has Charlotte de Witte played the Azadi tracks live?

Yes. Charlotte de Witte previewed music from the EP during her surprise main stage set at Tomorrowland 2026, according to DJ Mag and The Playground, and fan clips from the weekend carry NAVA singing the same Nizami verse. Tomorrowland’s official recording of her weekend one set is below.

Where can you see Charlotte de Witte next?

Charlotte de Witte has nine confirmed dates between 31 October and 20 December 2026, from Madrid to Phuket, according to Resident Advisor’s listings. Any of them could be the first place to hear the full Azadi EP after release day.

After that, she returns to Flanders Expo in Ghent in February 2027 for two nights that include her first b2b with KI/KI; exact dates have not been confirmed. Istanbul last saw her in April 2026, when she made her debut at Sónar Istanbul at Zorlu PSM.

What Azadi means for Charlotte de Witte

This is the most openly political record of Charlotte de Witte’s career, released at a time when she is No. 6 in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs and has been voted the world’s No. 1 techno DJ for the seventh time. It follows a busy 2026 that included her debut in front of the pyramids at the Starlight Festival in Giza and a street rave in Genoa. If you want the background on her business, read how much Charlotte de Witte earns and what she is worth, and for her personal story, our piece on her split from Enrico Sangiuliano. New dates land on her artist page first.

FAQ

When is Charlotte de Witte’s Azadi EP released?

Azadi is released digitally on 5 November 2026 on KNTXT. The 12-inch vinyl ships on or around 11 December 2026.

Who is NAVA?

NAVA is an AI-generated Persian singer created in 2025 by London-based, Iranian-born artist Farbod Mehr. She represents Iranian women who are banned from singing solo in public.

What songs are on the Azadi EP?

Three tracks, all featuring NAVA: Azadi, Omid and Tales of the Desert. Azadi means freedom and Omid means hope in Persian.

Is the singer on Charlotte de Witte’s new EP real?

No. NAVA is not a human singer but an AI-generated vocalist and visual character. Charlotte de Witte produced the music and NAVA provides all of the vocals.

Who gets the money from Azadi?

All proceeds go to FEMENA, an organisation supporting women human rights defenders and feminist movements in the SWANA region and Asia.

Why is Charlotte de Witte’s AI collaboration controversial?

Critics ask why an AI voice was used instead of a real Iranian woman and worry about AI replacing human singers. Supporters say an AI persona can sing without the personal risk a singer in Iran would face.

Sources: Azadi EP on Bandcamp (KNTXT), Charlotte de Witte and NAVA on Instagram, Resident Advisor, DJ Mag, The Playground, EDMTunes, We Rave You, DJ Mag on Beatport’s AI rules, FEMENA, Resident Advisor event listings for individual dates. Cover photo: Charlotte de Witte in Ghent, February 2026. More on upcoming techno festivals.