Petra recorded songs in LA, now creating in London: “I was skeptical of Slovak showbiz. They told me I was weird”

Petra is a singer from Šamorín who’s definitely a risk-taker. That's her way of living—YOLO, it's her life and she doesn't want to waste it on anything she doesn't enjoy. She's open-minded and believes in freedom, but also that your soul should be filled with what you love.

Music was her escape from a young age. She always waited for everyone to leave the house so she could "scream" upstairs and imagine she was on stage. When she lived in Slovakia, she was constantly in her dream world. You might know her not just from Instagram but also from TikTok, where she has over three hundred thousand followers combined.

Since I was little, I was drawn to it, and I don’t know how or why, but I just had it in me.

How did the environment you grew up in affect you? Are you from an artistic family?

No. My mom taught at a high school, and my dad is an entrepreneur, so at first, there wasn't much understanding, I would say. My mom always hoped I would turn to something else.

They would say I'd grow out of it... so it probably influenced me in that I always wanted to leave Slovakia. Although the older I get, the more inspired I am by Slovakia, and I find value in it looking back. Mainly, I see that many people in Slovakia have a similar perspective to mine—especially our generation.

I always went pretty against the grain. I would say I wanted to stand against what was shown to me and find my own way.

Were you always more alternative, or were you looking for something unique in life?

Yes. I always wanted to see the world first and foremost and be a person who lives on this planet, not just in one country just because I was born there. I wanted to experience the world. And music... it always brought me inner peace. Overall, I loved performing and being watched... just a real dreamer.

Did you feel like you didn't fit in while in Slovakia?

Yes, that was probably one of the factors why I left.

So you haven't been in Slovakia for a while?

Yeah, I moved to London like two weeks ago. Before that, I lived in Amsterdam for 4.5 years. It definitely opened my eyes, and the overall mentality was different than in Slovakia. Working with artists there seemed easier. I found people I could go to the studio with and experiment.

In Slovakia, I perhaps didn’t have that much due to my own fault. And if I did, it was quite different genre-wise. I left Amsterdam also because there's a huge EDM scene, and I'm personally drawn more to an alternative direction.

And did you study anything in Amsterdam?

I was at uni for a year, then I quit because I didn’t get into any music schools, so I went into a random field for a year. Then I found a studio with a small academy. I was constantly in the studio learning new things. Mainly, I met a lot of artists there.

When did you start making your own music?

I tried even in Slovakia, but not so intensely. I always wrote stories when I was younger, so storytelling naturally connected with music. But since I left, I've been fully committed to it.

When I compared your older covers with newer stuff—whether covers or your own work—there's more of you in them. It's more authentic and you use your voice's potential more. Is this something you consciously worked on, or did it come naturally?

It was probably a natural evolution because I pushed myself to sing every day and always wanted to find my sound—something where I'd feel completely like myself. At first, I did sessions that didn't feel magical or truly from me. I'd come home crying back then.

So, it’s also a conscious decision—to become someone I love and do things as naturally and honestly as possible.

Do you see your art more as self-expression or as something spiritual? Or is it a combination of both?

For me, the writing process is quite spiritual. But when it’s done, I like to see it as a whole package—visuals, aesthetics, sound design... it's like world-building. Creating your own world is incredibly exciting. And that's a piece of you—self-expression.

What do you learn about yourself whenever you create music?

I realized confrontation with myself and processing what you feel, even when you don’t completely want to admit it, is tough for me. But when you write it down, you know what it means. This is quite heavy for me. And then, when I perform live, I really feel like I’m whispering personal things into people's ears. But I found that I just need to get it out because if I don’t and I don’t write or create for a long time, I feel worse.

You share your things on socials too. What do you think it has given and taken from you?

It has given me that I don't really give a fuck anymore about what people on social media think of me, it gives me quite an empowering feeling, knowing there are people who relate to my views because I also believe being an artist isn’t just about music, but it’s everything together.

I like sharing my opinions, and even though there are people who write pretty nasty things to me, there are also those who open up and say that what I do helps them somehow, which is incredible and immensely rewarding.

Do you feel like people on social media see a piece of the real you?

I hope so. And I'm really trying to add some rawness to it. But I also love aesthetics and concepts, so I try to be as open and honest as possible.

Do you have more people from Slovakia or abroad on your social media?

I think from abroad, but there are also people from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. I definitely want to connect with this community and perform here too, but my main goal will always be an international audience. But definitely, having a good base is important.

So, your goal is definitely abroad.

Yes, I was quite skeptical towards the Slovak showbiz because when I met people, they would say I'm weird, or that I can’t sing about things because I'm a woman, and many people told me no. So, I was like, okay, I won't do it here.

But when I have a dream, I'm so connected to it and delusional that I believe I can do it, and I go for it.

What would you like people to take away from your concerts or songs?

I want them to have similar feelings to mine but also to feel less alone. I think many people feel misunderstood, and I’d like to create a community that shares something genuine while also understanding it’s totally okay to be yourself.

Speaking of your songs, how did the track “Pervert” come about?

It was created when I was in LA for the first time, which was last February, thanks to a deal with an LA-based label. We were in a session there, and the vibe was amazing. But that track is sort of a self-confronting communication between the me that people might not like and the me they’ve constructed in their minds.

And how would you describe LA, or what did you like the most?

The sun is awesome there. And they have these cute raccoons just roaming around the streets. But overall, the work ethic of the people was super. And the air there was just different, everyone’s motivated, and everybody’s pursuing their dreams.

But I also have to say it was quite dystopian. When I walked the streets, there were so many homeless people. And then you look up, and there are huge villas just above them, where the wealthy look down on those living in tents on the street. It's like, wow… this world really isn’t quite right.

So why did you move to London? Why not just go to LA?

I don’t really have the money for that. And you know, it’s kind of on the edge. I go through life with quite a lot of trust, but LA would be like another level of a step.

London happened also because labels, managers, and publishers from the UK suddenly started contacting me. For some reason, my socials expanded here. I feel it’s like a stepping stone.

Since being here, I’ve been getting up for meetings, it’s lively, and so far it’s great.

You recently had your first concert in London, how was it?

I was so nervous. I hadn’t performed for two years, but once I got on stage, it all faded away. A huge weight of anxiety dropped from me, and I was completely in the zone.

But I told myself: wow, this is exactly what I need to do more often because this is therapy.

Are you planning more stuff like this, maybe festivals?

Yeah, I’m talking to people who organize live performances. Trying to form a team here. The plan is to perform as much as possible.

I hope to get to some festivals. I’ll be at the SHARPE festival in April in Bratislava, so I'll return to Slovakia too. Maybe I’ll try to get into Pohoda, we’ll see. But the main plan is to play live as much as possible.

How do you view mainstream music in Slovakia? Do you follow it?

Honestly, it mostly goes past me. It might sound lame to say, but I really don't know what's going on. I noticed Sára Rikas, she has a very nice voice. And then Berlin Manson, I know them, they're cool. Otherwise, I'm into older stuff. Sometimes I play Marek Brezovský or the song "Holubí dům."

And what do you listen to overall? Any specific artists?

I’m into Queen, Beatles, Fiona Apple, love Lana Del Rey, Radiohead, Ethel Cain, Amy Winehouse, Lola Young—her last album was amazing. David Bowie. I guess I’m quite the songwriter type. I pick specific songs... I also listen to Pink Floyd a lot.

But oftentimes, I listen to three songs on repeat for three weeks and then move on.

And what are your plans besides concerts?

I plan to release singles and guide people towards realizing that I do my own music, not just covers. A kind of warm-up. I want to hone the sound single by single and eventually release an album that's well thought out, has a concept, and everything connects.

So, you're a conceptual person?

Yeah, definitely.