Patty Gurdy Someone You know

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Patty Gurdy: The woman who play the Hurdy Gurdy

Interview conducted on December 10, 2018

by Daniel Locke

Patty Gurdy wants you to understand what a Hurdy Gurdy is and how to enjoy it.

Tell me about your background?

I started making music when I was 4 or maybe even before that. When my older sister started to learn the violin, I wanted to learn an instrument too. So, my mum taught me the recorder! Soon I took piano lessons and when I was around 10, I joined my first band. After that I learned many, many other instruments, but until now the Hurdy Gurdy and the Voice are definitely my favorite ones!

Any education in music?

I never studied music in a University, but having had about 12 years of classical piano lessons as a kid, I basically grew up with music and music theory. Till this day, I teach myself a lot of things. And also, for a lot of the things I do as an Artist/Musician there are not even universities that would teach it! So, you have to figure it out yourself.

How did you start playing the Hurdy Gurdy?

It started in the summer of 2014. I finished school and wanted a new musical challenge. So, I looked up several folk instruments and definitely lost my heart to the gurdy!

How did you get the name Patty Gurdy?

I am Patty and this is my Gurdy -> pointing at her instrument

I fell in love with your version of Sweet Dreams. The Hurdy Gurdy was made for it. Has The Eurythmics heard it yet as far as you know?

Thank you so much! Well, it would be funny! But I don’t think so. Anyways I can imagine that they’re sick of hearing yet another cover of their song, hehe 😉

Explain to me what is like to play the Hurdy Gurdy? And how you used it, in your performance?

It’s a little bit like trying to hit a fly that’s flying in circles with your right hand while playing a violin-piano with the left hand. And since that ‘s not enough, sing a song while doing it!

How did you discover that you could mix an old-world instrument like the Hurdy Gurdy, with a modern beat?

I was certainly not the first one to do that! You can find a lot of artists online that started doing that decades ago.

What genre of music are you?

I came up with the genre „dark folk-pop “. My music is too dark for folk, too folky for pop and too poppy for the dark, haha 😉
And also, I like bad jokes!

If someone was listening to you for the first time, what 3 videos or songs would you tell them to look/listen to and why?

Probably „Over the Hills and Far Away, Sweet Dreams and How does the Hurdy Gurdy Work “. Depending on what that person is interested in, I might tell them to look at my „Hurdy Gurdy Building/Staining“videos or at my Semi-Funny Gurdy anecdotes where I explain common misconceptions.

Who is your favorite female singer and why?

I have answered in one of my videos that when I grew up, I always loved powerful female singers like Floor Jansen, Amy Lee, Courtney Love, Patti Smith, Janis Joplin, Lzzy Hale, Maria Diamandis, Taylor Momsen. Every singer change and develops their singing styles over the time and also my taste changes so I would have to update you all the time. At the moment I also love Noa Gruman (respect goes out to her!) and Mette Lindberg.

Any guilty pleasures your fans would surprise you listen to?

I like stuff like Die Antwoord and there is also one Ariana Grande song, I find totally amazing. I think it’s called „Into You “. This is amazing songwriting if you ask me. I looked it up and found out that 5 people worked on the composition and the lyrics (Grande included). Big respect, sounds like an effective teamwork.

What is on your bucket list?

The way I want to live is to accept in every moment that I am growing and developing. So, my goals right now might not be the same as in 5 minutes, that’s why I can’t give you an exact answer. It is more about finding what is best RIGHT NOW for me to get closer to joy. I have learned that if I don’t do what brings me joy NOW, it’s going to hit back even harder LATER. I let myself be as brutal and consistent as I need with that because I take it that seriously. And this also includes dealing with problems and pain. If everyone would be more serious about their joy and pain, I think there would be much fewer complications.

Anything in closing you would like to say?