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Every Monday we will be bringing you interviews with UK or Ireland artists for Independent Music Monday. Recently we caught up with Manchester based artist Grete to find out more…

Where are you from and how did you first get into music?
I am originally from Lithuania and I started my career back home. My mother noticed my interest in music from a very early age and brought me to different music and singing teachers. Honestly, I never thought about doing anything else as a career, because I enjoy it so much and dedicated my whole life to it.

Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
As a young singer I always looked up to the greatest female singers such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Celine Dion. It was always my dream to be able to sing their songs on big stages. As time went by I became more interested in songwriting and the artists that inspired me to be creative and start writing my own music were, and still are, The Weeknd, Yebba, Jazmine Sullivan and MARO. The inspirations for my music constantly change, depending on who I listen to the most – at the moment I am very R&B genre focused (FLO, Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans).

How would you describe your sound?
With my newest music I shifted from jazz and soul more towards Pop and R&B music. The songs are funky, upbeat and catchy. R&B has always been one of my favorite genres and I am trying to create my own version of it.

What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
My latest release is my second EP ‘Cry in Colour’. I am putting my own spin on traditional RnB inspired bass lines, funk guitars and combining it all together with modern, polished production. The project’s influences include Mary J. Blige, Tove Lo, Beyoncé and Parcels. Even though the majority of the songs are colourful and positive, the real meaning behind the songs’ lyrics is quite dark, exploring hate, distance, doubt and even loss.

What’s your local music scene like?
I am based in Manchester, so the music scene is buzzing here! There are so many different artists here with their authentic music, it really inspires you to keep going. There’s a lot of support around here but also it’s competitive. Although if you find your niche, you will find your audience and many different venues to showcase yourself.

What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
I have quite a few things planned in the near future. A lot of them are more targeted to Lithuania. I am planning to throw a big concert in my home city Kaunas to promote my new music that I have been working on recently. I have been writing in Lithuanian for a while and I’m really looking forward to showing a new side of myself in my native language. After that I am planning to compete in the Lithuanian contest for the next Eurovision! But I will continue gigging in England and releasing music as always. My next show is in London at The Mayor Of Scaredy Cat Town on the 23rd of June.

Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
I would absolutely love to collaborate with a portuguese artist MARO. She’s been one of the biggest inspirations in my songwriting, so to write together or even just to sing a duet would be a dream come true!

Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
I had so many fails in my live performances I can’t even pick one. From cables falling out of the microphone during singing, music stopping half way through, my band making some silly mistakes to forgetting the lyrics and crying on the stage (I was 7) haha!

Do you have any upcoming live dates and performances?
Yes, I have a gig in London at The Mayor Of Scaredy Cat Town on the 23rd of June, it’s free!

What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
I want people to know that my songs are meant to make others think of things you wouldn’t naturally jump to, push the boundaries a little bit. Whether that would be through lyrics, through the harmony or instrumentation.

You can find out more about Grete on her website or via Apple Music, Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Spotify, TikTok or YouTube.