MEA handpan duo: albums and the musical universe of Marketa & Lea

Have you recently heard a piece by the handpan duo MEA? Maybe it was their well-known track "All is Inside"? Wondering how this duo came together, and how they grew into a must-know name on the global handpan scene?

I first came across MEA fairly recently—back in 2021, to be exact—when their "All is Inside" music video dropped on YouTube. Captivated by the quality of that performance, I wanted to learn more about these two artists who play the handpan beautifully, along with other musical instruments. So in this in-depth article, I’ll share everything you need to know.

Once you have read this article, you will know:

• How MEA was formed
• MEA’s discography
• The various musical projects these two musicians have worked on

That way, you’re sure to discover new details about MEA, bringing you closer to their music and the spirit they aim to convey through their compositions.

Now, let’s dive right in.

How was MEA, the musical duo centered around the handpan, formed?

MEA is a musical duo devoted to the handpan and world-inspired sounds, formed by Czech musician Marketa Drozdkova and German musician Lea Valentina Limbrunner. Their project, born in 2019, blends handpan rhythms with vocals, flute, guitar, jaw harp, and various percussion instruments. Through this palette, Marketa and Lea aim to create an atmosphere that invites genuine connection: music that can be quiet and untamed, gentle and powerful, weaving moments of calm with bursts of life-affirming celebration. Their motto? Music “from the heart” that stirs the soul, soothes the mind, and reconnects us with ourselves and nature.

The duo MEA traces its origins to a beautiful meeting at a handpan festival in France in 2019. Drawn together by the same passion for this unusual instrument, Marketa and Lea quickly discovered deep musical and personal chemistry. Their friendship grew out of a shared love of the handpan and a desire to bring their life experiences and musical backgrounds into one project. Surrounded by inspiring musicians and supportive friends, they formed MEA in 2019 and set off on a new adventure together.

On a more personal note, Marketa Drozdkova trained on piano in her youth and discovered the handpan in 2016. Starting in 2018, she began teaching handpan lessons and, in 2020, founded the Handpan Academy Bristol in the United Kingdom to create a formal space for passing on her knowledge. She later teamed up with Rosie Bergonzi and Amy Naylor, two other British handpan players, who joined her in teaching—forming a trio of women devoted to this percussion instrument. Lea Valentina Limbrunner, meanwhile, takes a more poetic approach, seeing music as "a mirror of the soul" and a way to express what words can’t always say. She composes pieces that explore our relationship with nature and with one another.

What albums and songs have been produced by this artistic duo?

Since forming in 2019, MEA has been, to say the least, incredibly productive. By the end of that same year—on December 24, to be exact—they released their first album, "Remind Me of the Magic." It skillfully blends handpan tones with guitar, vocals, kalimba, jaw harp, and a few other percussion instruments. The album features eight tracks and runs about 30 minutes.

A little later in 2020, the duo released a single titled "All is Inside," which became a true hit within the handpan community, surpassing 300,000 views on YouTube. You can listen to the track in the video below:

In 2021, they followed up with the single "In the Waiting," a composition shaped by the sense of pause and uncertainty during the pandemic. Then, in 2023, MEA unveiled "Rainmaker," a rhythmic, unifying single recorded during a live session with other artists from the handpan scene, including Portuguese player Kabeção.

After a longer stretch of artistic creation, Marketa and Lea finally released their second album, titled "All Is Inside," in September 2024. Named after their popular 2020 single of the same name, this 10-track album reflects MEA’s musical maturity and confirms their gift for forging deep emotional connections with listeners.

What other musical projects are Marketa Drozdkova and Lea Valentina Limbrunner, the two musicians of the duo MEA, working on?

Beyond albums and singles, MEA quickly built a strong reputation on the handpan scene. Since 2019, the duo has been regularly invited to perform at festivals such as Hang Out UK in England, Ground Art Fest in Gyumri, Armenia, Pantribe Handpan Gathering in Belgium, Griasdi Handpan Festival in Austria, and Swiss Handpan Festival in Switzerland. In December 2023, they embarked on a Germany tour titled "Celebrating Unity & Compassion," performing in unusual venues (crypts, meditation centers, etc.) to celebrate unity and compassion through music.

True to their vision of music that connects people, Marketa and Lea are deeply committed to sharing their knowledge and passion for the handpan. In addition to being performers, they’re dedicated educators. They offer a complete online masterclass on the Master The Handpan platform. Discover this course by clicking this link. It includes 36 full video lessons, including one that teaches you how to play their famous melody "All is Inside." MEA also hosts in-person workshops and intensives for enthusiasts—whether it’s Marketa in Bristol with the Handpan Academy or Lea in Munich, where she runs her own workshops that can be booked directly on her official website. In these dedicated spaces, the two artists offer private and group lessons, open to beginners and experienced players alike.

Treat yourself to a quality handpan so you can play melodies like the MEA duo

In just a few years, MEA has established itself as an essential duo in the world of handpan and world music. With their artistic sincerity and human commitment, Marketa Drozdkova and Lea Valentina Limbrunner have touched the hearts of a growing international audience. Through this comprehensive article, you’ve been able to trace part of the artistic career of this duo, who are sure to continue charming us with their music for many years to come.

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Staying in the handpan world but moving beyond duos, if you enjoy MEA, you’ll likely also appreciate the compositions of Konstantin Rössler, another handpan virtuoso who has risen to become one of the most popular players of this instrument, in particular through his duets with Malte Marten.