22-year-old singer-songwriter Grete began her musical career in Lithuania. After many years of singing Pop and Jazz covers on TV, international contests, and musical theatre, she moved to the UK and started collaborating with other songwriters and instrumentalists to find her own style and writing her own music. Influenced by artists like Jazmine Sullivan, The Weeknd, and Yebba, Grete began writing vocally colourful and harmonically intricate songs with strong messages and old R&B references. Grete started working with keys player/producer bigweld, and they have released a few singles in a more electronic R&B style. More recently, she has began a solo project with some jazzy, soulful elements. The first two of these are called, “With u” and “How Long” from her upcoming EP.
With her single, “How Long,” out now, we took some time to hear more from Grete. Read below to learn more about Grete, the story behind her latest single, and what’s to come.
Hi Grete! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?
My Lithuanian name is Grėtė, and I chose to be called Grete (Grett) in English, which I thought would be a great artist name as well.
What city are you from and where are you based now?
I am originally from Kaunas, Lithuania, but at the moment, I live in Manchester.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?
I started singing from age three. I was very lucky that my mother recognised my love and talent for music super early. I joined a singing ensemble and that’s how it started, never looked back after. It was always my main goal and priority to be a successful singer and now a songwriter.
Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?
Who I am today – definitely, I am who I am and where I am, mostly because of my mom, who has pushed me and encouraged me everyday to be brave and fight for my dreams.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
My style is a big mixture of different genres, mainly I am influenced by a Soul/R&B type of vibe – artists like Yebba and Jazmine Sullivan. The jazzy sound is also a big part of my style – artists like Hiatus Kiyote and MARO. It’s a bit experimental with the harmony, strong and emotional lyrics, rocky bass, and guitar parts.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
I LOVE cooking, the whole process of it (shopping, making lists, following recipes, and trying it out). I also love skiing, but I don’t get to enjoy it too often. This year, I started learning bass, which I know is to do with music, but it’s so hard and so fun, and takes a lot of my time now.
And, creativity never runs away, I would say. I get inspired from little things everyday in life and that’s the beauty of it.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
ELIZA, MARO, The Weeknd, Jazmine Sullivan, and Yebba.
What are some of your future music career goals?
Of course everyone wants every one of their songs to succeed, blow up, and be the next sensation, but this is my first project. I’m happy for it to be out and be there for people to discover and hopefully fall in love with. I’m working on the next project at the moment, most probably a second EP. I can hear my sound changing and improving, and I guess that’s what I am expecting from my career. Everyday learning more and more about the business makes me feel more confident in what I am doing. I just need to keep it up, and I am sure something beautiful will come from that in the future.
Now onto your release, ‘How Long.’ What inspired this song?
It’s all from my personal experience, the whole EP that I will be releasing soon is all about the frustrations in my life – usually some love drama. It’s affective when it’s your own story, people connect with it more, I think.
What is ‘How Long’ about in your own words?
‘How Long’ particularly is about not being able to have the person that you want and instead of giving up – you are patiently waiting and hoping that something may change.
What is your favorite lyric in ‘How Long’ and why?
I guess the whole metaphor about this painting on the wall. My future and fantasies, I am painting them on the wall. It will stay forever like I will be waiting for you forever.
Just deep and personal, I like that.
What message do you hope fans take away from your music and from ‘How Long?’
It’s really important that you don’t blend in, in today’s music industry. I think that I prioritise my music sounding the way I feel it and like it, not the way the majority would. It’s not commercial Pop music, which is harder to get on the radio or get people to discover it, but it’s really important to me that I stick with what I like – sometimes weird sounding chords and harmonies, harsh and chaotic sounds and vocals.
What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?
Just being able to share my work and receiving honest love from people is already so amazing! Meeting my band and enjoying every minute, writing, recording, and performing together. Honestly, doing music for a living is a highlight in itself, everyday brings something new.
What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?
I am very glad that I didn’t start releasing music before coming to university. I learned so much about the music business and how to do things the right way, not get scammed and lose money. People keep asking why do you need to go to university to do music, well, that’s the answer – there’s so much to know about the industry. I also went on TV to a singing competition when I was sixteen; my biggest lesson from that experience – do not let anyone change your personality and who you are for the views, stick with what is true to you because it could turn against you very quickly.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
After ‘How Long,’ I will be releasing one more single in a few months, and after that, it will be time for my debut EP release! I am super proud and looking forward to it! I’m hoping people will connect with it and want to hear more!
Where can we follow you on social media?
All my social medias are listen below:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/greteeit
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/people/Grete/61550201663911
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/1GJsEIT9jBKE7R2t0FLqK6
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUfVdfk2tsFUeA9QaWiuvWg
Tiktok – https://www.tiktok.com/@greteeitt
