Although they have been active for only 10 months, there are already quite a few original tracks on their YouTube channel. We are talking about the band PipiKa, whose core consists of Olimpia and Piotr Salwerowicz from Bolesławiec. He is a multi-instrumentalist well known in Bolesławiec’s music community. She has performed in public, but not as a vocalist. She admits that she is not accustomed to the stage.

– Music has always been inside me – Ms. Olimpia says in a conversation with istotne.pl. As a teenager, she played guitar. She sang even then. But, as she emphasizes, she lacked the courage at the time to seriously begin her songwriting journey. – Now I’m no longer afraid – she adds.

The recent death of her mother was a catalyst. – At some point, something inside me rebelled – says the PipiKa leader. – I started writing lyrics and music. And I invited my husband to collaborate.

Mr. Piotr grew up on rock and blues; Ms. Olimpia grew up on punk and new wave. (She loves Nick Cave and Velvet Underground.) These influences can be heard in the band’s songs. There is also reggae and dub (“Rewal”), and even electronic music. All of this nevertheless brings to mind music from the 1980s and 1990s. – Many people tell me it’s great because it’s different from what you can hear today – says the vocalist. She points out that although she regularly listens to contemporary artists, the sounds created in those two decades are closest to her heart.

The lineup is completed by drummer Leszek Krawczewski and bassist Dariusz Brzuszkiewicz.

How are the songs created?

– I write the lyrics, then sit down with a guitar and record the song on a voice recorder – explains the PipiKa leader. – Then my husband prepares the arrangement. There is one principle: original songs only; covers are out of the question.

The lyrics, meanwhile, come “from the heart.” Sometimes they concern current affairs and where the world is headed. “Lalka” is about women being forced into the mold of being perfectly beautiful. “Jesteśmy różni” addresses another important social issue. – I dream of a world in which we do not quarrel, and even if we disagree with each other, we respect one another—with no violence or aggression – says Ms. Olimpia.

Another very important track is “Krótka piosenka o dorastaniu.” It tells the story of a traumatic experience from years ago. – It is a very personal song – the vocalist confesses. – When my aunt listened to it, she told me she could not sleep because it reminded her of those events. I reveal myself in these lyrics; I open up in them.

Concert(s)?

– We would like to start by playing a concert in Bolesławiec. One for friends – Ms. Olimpia admits. What happens afterward is not known yet.

The band’s name is a tribute to the iconic literary character Pippi Longstocking. – I loved her from childhood because she could not worry about anything – the band’s leader tells us. She adds that thanks to this musical project, she regained her youth.