Greek-American singer whose debut Thalassa turned grief into gorgeous art-pop, drawing raves and comparisons to Björk and Zola Jesus.
MOODS · ethereal · melancholic · orchestral · art-pop · atmospheric · cinematic · emotive · layered · introspective · dramatic
BIOGRAPHY
Ioanna Gika is a Greek-American singer and songwriter born in Washington, D.C. to Greek parents, and she spent part of her early years in Greece. She first gained notice as a member of Io Echo, a project that toured the United States and played support slots for Nine Inch Nails, Haim, New Order, and Jon Hopkins.
Beyond her band work, Gika has moved through film and fashion: she scored Harmony Korine's Rebel, collaborated with composer Ramin Djawadi on Universal's Dracula, wrote music for a Louis Vuitton runway show, and had a song shortlisted for Snow White and the Huntsman. Her lyrics were quoted by Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy, and she performed for Dior's show in Greece before becoming the face of its campaign. In 2019 she released her solo debut, Thalassa, on Sargent House, following a tour opening for Deafheaven and Diiv.
WHY THEY'RE COOL
Gika's solo debut Thalassa arrived to across-the-board critical acclaim, earning six positive reviews and a Metacritic score of 72. Critics placed her alongside Björk, Zola Jesus, and Half Waif for her layered orchestrations and art-pop ambition, praising the album's tasteful arrangements and immersive, emotionally raw delivery. That a songwriter with such wide-ranging side work, from film scores to fashion campaigns, could distill personal loss into something this unified and moving speaks to her range as a composer and performer.
GEORGE'S PLAYS
George has played this artist 2 times.
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