About

Classical piano, waving electro synths, a hip hop drum groove and a clear voice that tells introspective and deeply personal stories. This is Katharsis, she says – but what is Katharsis?

Katharsis (kə-thär′sĭs) n. pl.
1. (in Aristotelian literary criticism) the purging or purification of the emotions through the evocation of pity and fear, as in tragedy
2. (Psychoanalysis) the bringing of repressed feelings or experiences into consciousness, thus relieving tensions.

Katharsis is the alias of 22-year-old Freya Volk. In 2015 she traded German small town life for the big city lights of London to find inspiration and refine her genre that is influenced by Emo Rock, R’n’B, Electro and Spoken Word – a creation she calls “Emo R’n’B”.

Katharsis’ songs undoubtedly tell tales of the nature of human interaction in the 21st century. They are made of sleepless nights and neon lights, brutal honesty and the confusion inherited by Generation Z.
‘This is what music is all about. I pour my all into a song, it’s like therapy. So my goal is to show and evoke the rawest of emotions. This is what the name Katharsis represents.“

Having been trained in classical piano from the age of five, all her compositions are based around keys, but she soon became infatuated with Rock music. Freya spent her teenage years fronting a pop punk band and travelling around Germany to see as many metal shows in sweaty clubs as possible. Bands like Jimmy Eat World and Paramore soon became her idols. Today her favourite artists include Twenty One Pilots, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Jhene Aiko and Lapsley. These different influences definitely reflect in Katharsis – she refuses to be put in a box.

Despite her young age Katharsis has worked with a variety of artists. In August 2015 she participated in the renown „Eventim Pop Workshop“ at the University of Hamburg, which has already been the birthplace of successful German acts like Wir Sind Helden and Revolverheld. The workshop concluded with a showcase at the famous Hamburg venue Gruenspan, which has hosted acts like Nirvana in the past. At the “Eventim Pop Workhop” she was mentored by session bassist Anselm Kluge, Texas Lightning singer Jane Comerford and Songwriter Anya Weihe, who described her as ‘one of the most talented lyricists I’ve seen in years’. Indeed, Katharsis’ lyrics sound wise beyond her years and deeply personal. ‘I love music – but lyrics are usually what draws me into a song.’ she says. ‘For me, they are the heart and soul of a piece.’

Freya currently attends the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London. She also spends many sleepless nights in her bedroom creating her debut release which is set to come out this summer.