Andreja Volenec* (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin)
*Pronounced: Andrea Vo-LEN-ets
Influences
Profound influences:
The Beatles, Jeff Buckley, Paul Simon, Suzanne Vega, The Smiths/ Morrissey, Dead Can Dance/ Lisa Gerrard/ Brendan Perry, Bijelo Dugme/ Goran Bregovic
Other influences and people I listen to:
Natalie Merchant, Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Tim Buckley, Sting, Bob Dylan, Dunja Knebl, R.E.M., Indigo Girls, Joan Osborne, Eva Cassidy, Elvis Costello, Sinéad O'Connor, Portishead, The Cranberries, Beth Orton, Fiona Apple, The Cardigans, Aimee Mann, Alison Krauss, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Tom Waits, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, The Kinks, The Doors, The Stranglers, David Bowie, Lou Reed, The Cure, Joy Division, U2, The Pretenders, Cocteau Twins, Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, Eurythmics, Björk, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, Echobelly, Coldplay, Green Day, Josipa Lisac, Vlatko Stefanovski/ Leb i sol, Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, João Gilberto, Amalia Rodrigues, Cesaria Evora, Astor Piazzola, Buena Vista Social Club, Andres Segovia, Django Reinhardt, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Ali Farka Toure, Amadou & Mariam, Paolo Conte, Jan Garbarek, Kurt Elling, Norah Jones, Madeleine Peyroux, The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices, Lado, Lidija Bajuk, Legen, Loreena McKennitt, Lúnasa, Solas, Doc Watson, Tommy Emmanuel, John Renbourn, Bert Jansch, Davey Graham, Stefan Grossman, Kelly Joe Phelps, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, traditional music (Eastern European, Balkan, Middle Eastern, African, Latin, Celtic, Scandinavian), Tallis, Allegri, Albinoni, Vivaldi, Handel, JS Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Smetana, Dvorak, Elgar, Mahler, Satie, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Michael Nyman, Ludovico Einaudi
Writers/ Painters/ Directors:
Italo Calvino, Thomas Hardy, Emily Dickinson, Franz Kafka, Sartre, Chekhov, Gogol, Joyce, Beckett, Camus, Kerouac, Hesse, Dickens, Thomas Mann, Plath, Dostoevsky, Saint-Exupéry, Jane Goodall, Oliver Sacks, Joan Miró;, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, René Magritte, Kryzsztof Kieslowski, Andrei Tarkovsky, Emir Kusturica, Jean Vigo, François Truffaut, Luchino Visconti, Ingmar Bergman, Wim Wenders, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Akira Kurosawa, James Ivory, Sergei Eisenstein, Mark Donskoy, Alejandro Amenábar, Jan Sverák, Clint Eastwood, Siddiq Barmak
Sounds Like
Myself. However, my singing/ sound/ lyrics have reminded others of Suzanne Vega, Jeff Buckley, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant, Dido, Björk (don't ask me why!), Katie Melua, Michelle Shocked, Sarah McLachlan and Cole Porter.
‘I left my home and my family in Zagreb, Croatia, almost by accident -
I had an opportunity to study in Italy and since then I’ve been on the move, so
sadly I never
went back to live at home again.’
After Andreja finished high school in Italy, she has been living in the US and
the UK up until her recent move to Ireland.
‘My background and experiences have been instrumental in shaping
my music and lyrics: leaving home at an early age; being a foreigner away from
home; being
unable to share my language and cultural background with others; experiencing
the tragedy and divisions of the Yugoslav war both remotely and first-hand;
witnessing the
dissolution of the country I grew up in and, with it, a large part of my own
identity.’
Andreja’s songs draw from her own life and empathy with others ‘on the
outside’, as well as from a fascination with nature’s laws and patterns. Themes
have included
emigration, displacement, identity and belonging, loneliness and old age, war,
transience, hope and aspirations, acceptance of change, and the human
struggle and search
for meaning.
As a kid, she played in a mandolin band. In her teens, she performed with a
choir in Italy, Vienna and Budapest. She went on to study guitar and singing at
three well-
known music schools: Vocaltech and The Guitar
Institute in London, and the Old Town School in Chicago,
where she also played
guitar with a traditional Bulgarian group. It was in Chicago that she began to
develop ideas for her first songs.
A down-to-earth yet distinctive singer-songwriter. Her lyrics are clear and
accessible yet woven with ambiguities, subtlety and insight. She aims to deeply
move both
emotions and minds.
‘In America’:‘...fabulous. ... an amazing feat. To write a song with lyrics like this is
really a special thing. Andreja has a fabulous career ahead of her. If there is
anybody from a record company in the audience ...you should call her up.’ - Richard Niles, guitarist, composer, songwriter, arranger, producer, BBC presenter
Prince of Wales, North-West London:
Performing alone with her guitar, she completely silenced the pub with her song, "I'll be alright." The audience were shouting for more when she finished her set.
The Orange Club, London:
Andreja's song ‘In America,’ about 19th century emigration, was described in a review as ‘simple and beautiful’ and a highlight of the concert.
Oxjam Kingston Festival:‘I genuinely mean it when I say that one of the highlights of that night for me was hearing your songs. I can imagine you playing them on Jools Holland one day.’ - Trickswitch’s Olly Chapman
Hi Andreja. Thanks for your friendship and your positive words. We appreciate it. Glad you're enjoying our music. Waiting Both is a beautiful song with sensitive playing - really enjoyed it. Cheers and all the best with your song writing and your musical adventures.
Hi Andreja, Thank you for the sweet message, it was very kind of you. I was admiring your pictures, you have a lovely charm on stage. I wish you a fantastic day my beautiful friend. Beijo Cesar
Hi Andreja. Went grand. Was good fun. I don't know about a following quite yet. If you took out the people in the audience that were related to me there'd be more people on stage than off, and considering there's only two people in my band, including me, that's not a good sign. Hope you're well!
Hey, Andreja, that was really nice to hear from you!!! Things are great here, hope all is well with you. Love your vocal!!! Have a lovely weekend! Hugs Kelv x
Hi Andreja, Thank you for adding me and for the kind words. I enjoyed the music "waiting both" and your voice is just adorable. I hope you have an awesome week! Warm Regards. Cesar
Hi Andreja. How are you? Thank you for your comments. Your songs are wonderful and your beautiful voice so sensitive... Wishing you a great week!!! Nikos
The music of Andreja Volenec is not only beautiful written but has the magic to touch ones very soul. Bravo to you Andreja and best wishes always, Derrick Paolo Teta !!!
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