poet & slam poet

Lisette Ma Neza (b. 1997) is a slam poet and musician. Originally from the Netherlands, she has made Brussels her home for several years. In 2017, she made history as the first Dutch-speaking poet, the first woman, and the first poet of color to win the Belgian Poetry Slam Championship. Soon after, she took silver at both the European and World Championships.

With her soft voice and sharp pen, she creates poetry that is at once intimate and confrontational. Her work explores themes of identity, diaspora, displacement, and love, expressed through poetry, music, film, and multidisciplinary projects. In 2024, she was named the very first city poet of Brussels, a role in which she gives voice to the city and uses poetry to connect its people and languages.