Athena | Music Junkie Press

Athena’s back and she brought her friends for one of LA’s best musical nights. By Patrick O’Heffernan

June 8, 2017

(Los Angeles) Back from a triumphant tour in New York, the Greek-British goddess of song, Athena Andreadis, celebrated returning to her adopted home of Los Angles with a sprawling 18-song set at Genghis Cohen’s concert room featuring songs from her album and contributions by a brace of great musician friends. Backed by Deron Johnson on keyboard, Michael Ward on guitar, and Jimmy Paxton on drums – all stars in their own right – Athena was in a lively mood as she danced, bounced, laughed and crooned through the evening, carrying a very happy standing room only crowd with her. Joining her over the performance were Warner-Chappell blue-eyed soul singer Conner Pledger, Angela Parrish – known to millions from her song “Another Day of Sun,” which opened the Oscar-winning film musical La La Land, folk-singer Sarah Melson whose music is familiar to fans of Grey’s Anatomy and other TV series, and singer/songwriter Joy Autumn who recently released the Sunny Lemonade album about her move to LA from Washington State. Dressed in black silk shorts and top, [Read More]

Athena returns to her American beginning, Hotel Café, a star.

February 6, 2017

Patrick O’Heffernan (Hollywood) Just about two and half years ago I wandered into Hollywood’s Hotel Café and joined a sparse early audience. A young woman in torn shorts, old t-shirt and flip flops came on stage, obviously nervous but occasionally able to flash an impressive high wattage smile as she introduced herself as part Greek, part British and newly arrived from London. Then she sang, and I knew this was no ordinary talent. This woman –Athena, after the Greek virgin Goddess of the arts – was far more than the underdressed waif grasping the micstand in front of me. Athena was a star in the making. This week she was back at the Hotel Café. The high powered smile was still there, but in place of the shorts and t-shirt and flip flops was a silver lamé sheath and knee-touching high-heeled fashion-forward boots. However, more than the costume change, it was the musical change that was most impressive. Athena rolled out the songs on her debut USA album, Ready for the Sun, [Read More]

Ready for the Sun, Athena’s debut US album: a musical mind and heart meld.

January 16, 2017

Athena is a magical musical angel whose songs release emotion like endorphins Patrick O’Heffernan (Los Angeles) Listening to Athena’s new album, Ready for the Sun is a mind and heart meld. The beauty of her voice, of her lyrics – of her very soul – submerge you in the deepest of emotion. She sings to you. From the stage or from the studio, Athena connects to those who hear her so closely, so tightly, that every song on Ready for the Sun is an intensely intimate experience. You know this woman when you hear her sing. She is authentic, sincere, close — and you want to listen to her over and over again. Athena, an Greek-English singer (and environmental and children’s champion) combines, honesty, vulnerability and confidence in every note, singing about experiences and emotions that are simultaneously personal and universal. Her voice whispers, soothes, and flies with a malleability rare even in the most talented singers. But through every song – whether it is about her breaking heart in “Don’t [Read More]

Athena lets the sunshine in for her first US album. Inspired, transformative, flawless talent.

May 16, 2016

(Los Angeles) If you were fortunate enough to be at one of Athena’s performances in Hollywood over the past year where she road-tested the songs for her first US-produced EP, Ready for the Sun, Part 1, cherish those memories because it will be a blockbuster and you were a witness to history. One of the finest female voices on the planet and clearly one of the best songwriters, Athena lights up your ears with sunshine, pain and love in the new EP. Both in her live performances and in her recordings, the Greek-English singer and environmental and children’s champion combines, honesty, vulnerability and confidence in every note, singing to you about experiences and emotions that are simultaneously personal and universal. Produced by Ethan Allen (Sheryl Crow, Gram Rabbit, The Cult) at Santa Monica’s legendary Village Studios, Part 1 opens with the lilting and hooky “You Bring Me Luck”, proclaiming that you are so natural/so magical, a good description for her uncanny ability to stretch her voice from a beaming smile to a soaring shout [Read More]

Athena at Hotel Café: A Greek goddess with musical gifts for us all by Patrick O’Heffernan

July 13, 2015

I have often remarked that, as the music capital of the USA, Los Angeles attracts talent from not only around the country, but from around the world – and often the artists who come here bring with them global experiences and influence that make the Southern California music mix such a rich tapestry. Wednesday night at Hollywood’s renowned showcase club, the Hotel Café, a major new thread was added to that tapestry – Athena, (AKA Athena Andreadis) the Anglo-Greek singer, actress, poetry and prose author who spans two and now three continents. Born in London of Greek parents, but raised in Greece with its own rich musical history, she moved back to the UK at 18 and began racking up awards for music, poetry and prose and then earned a degree in business administration. None of that mattered when she took the stage in relaxed denim short shorts and a beige sleeveless top, beamed a luminescent smile at the standing room crowd and delivered a performance worthy of Mt Olympus. The 11-song set [Read More]