Unsigned artists aren't supposed to be offered tours of prestigious venues like London's Jazz Cafe and the Sage Gateshead, let alone sell them out. But building on the amazing buzz she had created over the previous few years through concerts, radio sessions and festival appearances, word traveled like wildfire in early 2006. Athena sold out venue after venue on a tour supported by Arts Council England and fRoots magazine, during which she debuted a new body of exceptional songs, visibly moving her audiences with their intimacy and universality.
Totally devoted to her art and effortlessly bridging her English and Greek backgrounds, London-born Athena combined an early passion for the songs and poetry of Greece with elements of jazz, folk, contemporary and classical music, evolving an English songwriting style that is unmistakably her own. Her quartet with acoustic guitarist Werner Kristiansen, double bass player Tom Mason and percussionist Ben Bryant gels perfectly, each a virtuoso but sensitive to the spaces which allow Athena’s unique music to breathe. She’s a songwriter of extraordinary depth, delving deep into the inner psyche, while weaving enough strands and layers to keep you guessing. She’s a gripping performer, her breathtaking voice as suited to her own intensely involving lyrics and melodies as it is to free improvisation. And her stage presence - powerfully emotive, but with a disarmingly natural charm – is captivating.
For Breathe With Me, her debut album, Athena had a remarkable production team including noted Greek composer George Andreou. The album was released in February 2007 to great critical acclaim. Since then Athena has completed another 20-date national tour that included London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall and in the following months appeared at venues like the Barbican Hall in London and at the St Ives Festival in Cornwall, as well as at the Kratiko Theatro in Greece where her album was released in December 2007 via a deal with Sony BMG and reached Chart position no 12.
Athena is to be the subject of a one hour documentary in a series of films about new artists who don't follow the traditional route. Commissioned by Channel 5 and due for broadcast in April 2008, the films will focus on 4 artists, including Seth Lakeman, Kate Rusby and Eliza Carthy as well as Athena. Filming took place in Greece and the UK; in London Athena and her band were filmed performing live at the Olympic studios, with special guest Geoff Martyn who flew in from Glasgow for the session. The film crew also followed Athena and her team to St Ives in Cornwall where she performed at the St Ives festival last September. The documentary also captures special moments with Athena, including an intimate interview in London at the piano.
As Athena moves into the next chapter, and the unchartered waters of her second album, she is as excited about the future as she is uncertain: "All I know for certain" she says with a smile "is that as long as I'm doing what feels right, others will hopefully feel it too. And that's all that matters"
Breathe With Me is out now, available from Amazon.co.uk, from iTunes, from Athena's web site and all good record shops.
"Each song here is a treasure… this is special." * * * * Daily Express
"Sparklingly spans the boundaries of folk, pop, jazz and world music, enhanced by a voice of great emotional resonance." * * * * Uncut
"This powerfully emotive debut deserves to mark her out as one of the year's major new stars." * * * * Mojo
"Listen closely and a startling originality emerges." * * * * Daily Mirror
"Gorgeous, young, talented… with a fair handful of songs to catch the attention of Radio 2 DJs. Polished and promising." Independent On Sunday
"Clearly a fine songwriter…one of the discoveries of the year. " The Guardian
"Young, vivacious, charismatic … a rare individuality." The Word
"She deserves mainstream exposure. " The Observer
"Radiating class and oodles of talent." Daily Mail
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