1 Hello, thank you for your time, please introduce yourself in a few words!
Hi, I’m Petruska from Budapest, Hungary. I’m a singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer.
2. Please give us an update about – new single, new album, tour dates, new videos?!
The newest one is called ’In the Game Again’. Musically it came from an experiment. I wondered if I could merge the new wave sound of The Police with the guitar driven electronics of St. Vincent – two of my favourite acts.
And what about the game that we’re in again? I preferred to leave that question open than being specific about it. I can hardly think of any part of life where I haven’t been knocked out of the race for a period of time. You know, love, mental health, career issues, generation related questions etc. But sooner or later there was always something that helped me to get back on track. Something or someone that made me realise how great resources I have. And that’s the trick, really. Because when you’re in a crisis, you just don’t look over it. You only get a really narrow slice of the canvas, though the whole picture with all the details of your wisdom is still there, you just have to pay attention to it.
3. Name 5 things we all should know about you as an artist?!
I do pop music. My brain is jazz, my heart is folk, I grew up on The Beatles – that’s the melting pot I consider as pop.
I’ve spent the first half of my career as a one-man band fingerstyle player. My main purpose was to bring out the acoustic guitar from the coffeehouse corners to festival stages. A giant subwoofer definitely does the trick.
To get inspired I try to move away from music as much as I can. I look around, listen to friends, strangers, the news, my inner voice to find something interesting. I never start with a riff. There’s always a story, even if I write an instrumental.
I have 3 albums so far, each of them is different but part of the very same journey.
I could never do the same thing twice. I try to live my musician life as a Star Wars story. A young boy starts his journey, then joined by others, overcomes some difficulties, exploring new worlds. But I’d never sell myself to Disney.
4. What fashion style or brand would best describe your music?
Pretty minimalist but there’s got to be some rock and roll in it! You may not see any ostentatious for the first look, but there is always a tiny twist to remember, maybe something outrageous.
5. Tell us more about your songs! Topics! Message!
I studied sociology and I can’t hide that curious point of view in my songs.
What fascinates me the most when an intimate situation can be a metaphor for a wider image and the other way around. Relationships and social issues. I think the key is in the human nature, and our basic decisions are no different in our bedroom and in politics. It’s all about trying to make a better place around us, even if we fail.
If there is general message it should be that be mindful, connect with your true self and if everybody does that, we can live in a better world. I don’t think that any prophetic line ever flew out from my lips, but the bottom line should be this.
6. Beside music, do you have any special talents?
I just started working as a life coach. Like I said, mental health is crucial for me and in the recent years helping others started to grow on me, so I went back to school to study. And it’s also good for creativity. It’s not only like playing on a new instrument, but it’s free jazz! There’s only the chord structure available and the whole process depends on what does the client bring.
7. Being on stage feels like….!
The reward. The joy. Where I let it all go. I always say it’s not the performance that is the hard work. It’s the journey that leads you there. On stage I’m meeting with my ture self. How am I at the moment? What are my current capabilities? How do I deal with success, fears etc. But mostly pure joy.
8. How did you learn to sing/ to write/ to play??
Singing and playing at a very early age meant a game for me, no other than playing lego. I’m still trying to get back to that child!
And then I started taking lessons, went to music school to be a professional musician. I would say I’m pretty academic but it’s just a tool. I don’t think there is much use of that knowledge if you don’t have any message to share. To have that, I just live my life, try to get the most out of it.
9. A question you’d like to answer, but never been asked in an interview before?! + Answer pls
How do you get back in the game?
I strongly believe in change. I see it as a labyrinth. It might take a while to find the exit but one thing is sure, you can get there.
Instagram: @petruskaofficial