Catself was drawn to music already as a child and wanted very much to go to… Read Full Bio ↴Catself was drawn to music already as a child and wanted very much to go to a music school. Her parents said no, partly for financial reasons, partly because they were worried that she “would become a musician and maybe wouldn’t find work if it was the only thing she could do.”

Catself’s artistic efforts went more into writing until, at the age of 13, she got a guitar – the first thing she earnt (in return for editing her father’s collection of short stories). She learnt to play it by herself, from chord tables and by ear. After two weeks, she played by ear songs from the radio, and soon she started writing her own songs.

Catself played first for friends, then in pubs in Ireland, Norway and Finland, where she moved (from Poland) during her university studies (English language and literature). After some years of working, among other things, as a language teacher, assistant of visually disabled students, waitress, chef, berrypicker, printing house cleaner, dog handler and Arctic guide, all the time doing music on the side, she realised that music was not only something she enjoyed the most, but also what she was best at. When in the middle of a blizzard in Svalbard she once again had difficulties getting the right dog to the right sledge, a workmate asked: “Why don’t you play your guitar instead? That’s really your thing and you’re a cat person anyway.” That stuck in her mind and helped her make the decision.

In autumn 2008, Catself decided to make music her profession and jumped into it full time. She made her first multi-instrumental demos, playing all the tracks by herself. When she heard that her musician friend, having heard the song she had sent him, “almost fell off his chair”, she decided to put her material up online on MySpace and start a fundraising project for an album on SellaBand.

Catself had a very good start. Within a week, she became Finland’s top artist on SellaBand and quickly flew to the top of the Hot New Acts chart, where she remained to the last day when she was still “new” on SellaBand. The feedback she received from her new fans, some of whom were music professionals, assured her even more that music was the right path for her to take. Airplay on radio stations followed when DJs found and requested her music; after being played on TalentCast and Ede FM, Catself’s songs were played on radio stations on four continents (including Tom Robinson’s renowned show, BBC Introducing).

The most adventurous achievement was performing at the Sun Festival in Marrakech, Morocco, where Catself got invited after the organisers came across her profile on MySpace while searching for artists to represent Finland. The performance in Marrakech, where she gave a one-hour performance for the completely filled arena, has been Catself’s biggest gig so far.

Catself’s fast and unconventional start in music awoke the interest of the Finnish national media. After her first week on SellaBand she was interviewed by the Finnish national radio station YLE X. In May, the Finnish national TV (YLE) contacted her and shot a half an hour documentary about her (to be broadcast on Monday 19th October at 20.30 CET, later available online).

Catself continues to work on her music, searches for more performing opportunities and aims to start recording her debut album in 2010.