Grushenka was born in Dublin, but was not without musical influences as her father was part of the "Showband" era in the 1960’s. Brendan Arnold played rhythm guitar with the "Royal Blues" showband f...

Grushenka was born in Dublin, but was not without musical influences as her father was part of the "Showband" era in the 1960’s. Brendan Arnold played rhythm guitar with the "Royal Blues" showband fronted by Doc Carroll.

Taking up piano at an early age, Grushenka was also taught guitar by her father. Following on to secondary school, she then took up saxophone and clarinet in a local marching band.

After School she studied at the Bull Alley College of Performing Arts, a course which included voice training, singing/dancing and acting.

Grushenka began writing songs when she was 16, but it was not until the age of 21 that she would perform them in Public. Since then, Grushenka has been performing and playing in bands while constantly writing new material. She played bass with a local covers band called "Off the wall" for two years before deciding to perform as a solo artist. This led to Grushenka winning the 2004 "Battle of the bands/singer/songwriter" competition as well as various other talent contests.

Her first demo was recorded in 1999 followed by her EP in 2006 while Grushenka was residing in Canada.

An album was recorded independently and released in 2004, featuring a selection of artists that performed at the "Irish songwriters" open mic nights. "Sacred" and ‘This Love" written and performed by Grushenka can be found on this album which is available at "www.irishsongwriters.net"

Earlier in 2007, Grushenka appeared on televisions TG4's "Deis rock" playing bass for Dublin band "Waif". She also won the monthly heat of the Clonmel open mic night in Gleesons bar, which gave Grushenka a crack at the final of the monthly heats, where songwriters battled it out to gain a place in the fianl of the Clonmel national song contest. Also, in 2007, she was awarded the "lucky duck award" voted for by the audience in the Ha'penny Bridge Inn, for the best act on the night.

She also completed recording a song which appears on Galway band "The Deans" debut album. The song "home in the past" was penned by the Deans frontman Gavin Dean.

This year, see's the release of Grushenka's eagerly awaited debut album "waiting for something to happen" in conjunction with the video for "This Love" which can be viewed on the videop page. Finally, the show "Nollaig No. 1" recorded for TG4 will be aired in the autumn showing Grushenka battling it out with other great acts for a place in the final for a shot at the Christmas No.1!

A radio interview with Grushenka by Brendan Hickey on D.S.F.M radio can be heard on www.ontheverge.ie