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HOT PRESS, 2nd July 2009.

Album Review “Waiting For Something To Happen”

“Grushenka is a solo female singer-songwriter based in Wicklow. She has a rather fetching voice, but sometimes underuses it by merely applying it to songs that we’ve heard a million times already.  The waltz-time “This Love” is standard folk-guitar fodder, well sung with intelligent lyrics, but quite predictable.

“Isolated in Love” is more animated and electrified, the harmony vocals working to fine effect a la Indigo Girls. “I Hope Nothing Goes Wrong” has an infectious rockabilly edge.  It suggests that inside the comely-maiden folksinger Grushenka there’s a rocker Grushenka that deserves a better hearing.” Jackie Hayden, “Hot Press”

 

February 2006
“Boldly beautiful, intriguingly intelligent and a voice
that makes you feel like you've been caressed by an broken angel.
The first time I heard Grushenka perform, I just sat there and listened.
Nothing else in the room existed apart from her songs.
I wasn't just captivated, I was totally immersed into her music.
Her songs are not just honest by nature,
they are honest to the point of brutality.
And that's why you laugh with her, because the songs are about her,
and about you; her love, your love; her pain, your pain.
She writes music from the depths of her heart,
and from the furthest recesses of her mind.
She explores emotions; she dissects social issues;
and she strips humanity to its barest forms.
She doesn't write pop songs, she creates art.
Art that is painfully truthful and uncompromising.
Art that is delicately fragile and yet wilfully strong.
Her performance is raw and alive. Her music is honest and pure.
It doesn't matter whether you love or hate her . . . .
you'll never forget her”.

Norman Cristofoli, www.coffeehouse.ca

Canada. October, 2005

Her performance is both powerful and charismatic
and you can clearly see from observation,
that this girl has what it takes to go right to the top.
She has a vast repertoire consisting of an
eclectic mix of original raw material.
Her voice coupled with her foot tapping guitar rhythms offers a unique style.
Listening to her performance,
you find no two songs are the same.
This being due to the widely diverse taste Grushenka has in music
and the array of influences that have inspired her over the years.
To speak with Grushenka, you find that she is modest,
sensitive and somewhat mildly manic. In a good way of course,
but it is surprising to discover that Grushenka does not think of herself as a singer,
but merely a songwriter that just sings her own songs.
"I wasn't blessed with a great singing voice,
but what I have helps me to put melody to the lyrics I write" she says.
Grushenka comes across as having a rather "flakey'
attitude at times but when you look deeper you see
the hidden emotion and the sensitivity.
She explains that she finds it hard to communicate her feelings in general
and writing lyrics is the only way to convey her thought processes at times.
"When you write songs, you expose your soul and lay it bare for everyone to see.
People can easily relate to what you write because they have experienced
the same emotion at some point in their lives" she muses.
At present Grushenka is working towards releasing her EP
when the finishing touches have been added.
In the future she hopes to proceed with plans to record an album however,
Grushenka is working independently and finds it may take longer
than it would with label backing.
So she tells us to sit tight and she will work as fast as she can..............
I look forward to it.

Canada 2005

March 2006

Wicklow songstress, Grushenka, has been honing her talents
on the Coffeehouse circuit in Canada and this was very
evident during her accomplished, well crafted sets for On The Verge,
(both at SIN É and on the radio show). A particular favourite of mine is
"I Hope that Nothing Goes Wrong"

Brendan Hickey, On The Verge
www.ontheverge.ie