Greek Pop Artist Katerine Duska Is Ready for Her Long Overdue SXSW Performance

District Fray is on the road. We are excited to be in Austin, Texas for SXSW 2022 after the festival’s two-year hiatus. All week long, we’re covering local and international artists and creatives showcasing their talents. To learn more about SXSW 2022, visit their website here. To stream shows, including panels and musical performances, visit here.

One of the best parts of SXSW is introducing the U.S. audience to already familiar and successful artists abroad. Katerine Duska is a perfect example. In 2019, Duska represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest, where she performed her vocally showcasing song, “Better Love.” The song quickly climbed the charts in Greece following the performance.

With the growing recognition and success from her Eurovision appearance, the Greek-Canadian artist was set to perform at SXSW 2020. Due to the festival’s cancellation though, this will be Duska’s inaugural performance at SXSW. With a new EP dropping last week, “Call me Nyx,” Duska is ready to dazzle the festival’s audience with her rich vocals and mesmerizing beats. We had a chance to catch up with Duska about her takeaways from the pandemic and the brooding influence behind her music.

District Fray: What are you looking forward to about finally attending the festival?
Katerine Duska: SXSW has always been on my wishlist. I’m so happy to be performing this year. Just to be sharing my music and connecting through it with so many people from all over the world feels like a blessing. 

How would you describe your music?
Alternative pop I think feels right. I love pop music and grew up listening to a lot of R&B pop but still had many other influences. There was always a lot of Greek music being played at home, jazz, rock. I studied classical singing for a couple of years as well and I feel that all of these influences come through in my songs. 

You recently dropped your new single “Muse.” What was the inspiration behind the song?
“Muse” is the last single to my latest EP “Call me Nyx” which is my ode to the night, my forever muse. It talks about writer’s block, sleep deprivation and mental health.  

How long did it take for you to create the single?
I wrote it in stages, so I took my time with it. It was produced in London in February 2020 right before the pandemic. I’m so happy that’s it’s finally out into the world. 

Do you find that your music has changed over the course of the pandemic and mandate measures?
Yes definitely. My EP “Call me Nyx” was created before the pandemic but the songs I’ve been writing these past 2 years are more extroverted and light-hearted. I was yearning to feel carefree and let loose just like most people I think. 

Are you excited to see, meet, or reconnect with anyone that will be at the 2022 SXSW festival? If so, who are they?
Lizzo. I adore her!

How do you think your 2019 appearance on Eurovision shaped your music trajectory and career?It helped me grow in every way really. I learned so much and evolved as an artist. Gaining so many new fans is something I am very grateful for too. 

After living in Montreal and London, what made you decide to make Athens your home?
Athens is a very unique place and it has always inspired me. I’m based there but I travel a lot for work. I wouldn’t want to be based anywhere without moving around all the time. 

What or who are some of your musical influences?
Kimbra, Lorde, Billie Eilish, Lykke Li, The Weeknd, James Blake, Florence and the Machine are definitely a few of my favorite artists these past years. 

What do you plan to watch or do on your flight to Austin, Texas for the festival?
Watch at least three movies starting with “House of Gucci.” 

Catch Katerine Duska SXSW 2022 performances at The Iron Bear on March 19 at 9:00 p.m. To stream SXSW performances, visit here. 

Learn more about Katerine Duska by following her on Instagram at @katerineduska and listen to her music by streaming on Spotify here.

Enjoy this piece? Consider becoming a member for access to our premium digital content. Support local journalism and start your membership today.