GWEN DOLYN

Gwen Dolyn, who has perhaps become better known in the last 18 months as one half of the duo Tränen, together with Steffen Israel (Kraftklub), had already caught the attention of music lovers as a solo artist when she released her first EP ‘Things To Tell A Crying Girl’ in 2020 and another EP called ‘KOMM SCHON!’ in 2022. Now her debut album has been released.

‘X-RATED feelings’ offers a mix of styles and moods from grunge rock, indie bangers, Neue Deutsche Welle and electro-pop, with songs that tell biographical stories. ‘Everything I do is strongly connected to my experiences and my life. Sometimes I wish I could just make up some cool stuff that has nothing to do with my real stories, but I guess I can't do it that way (yet)’ says Gwen.

Gwen Dolyn, who was born and raised in Berlin, started writing lyrics at the age of 9 and taught herself to play guitar at 14. She cites artists such as the Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Kate Bush as early influences, before discovering British, American and German punk music as a teenager: ‘I was fascinated by the rawness and anger of bands like the Gits, Brody Dalle and the Sex Pistols. But I was also blown away by the anger and courage of super-young 80s punk bands like Hans-A-Plast or Toxoplasma. At the same time, I listened to cheesy folk music like Tallest Man On Earth and Bombay Bicycle Club and many indie bands. I always go back to the simple and raw sounds of these influences. But I also love Elliot Smith. Everything I write comes from a place of emptiness or feeling inside me’

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