Penguin’s Lonely Heart found each other on the internet many many years ago and slowly wrote music, never really shared it. Until one day they wrote “The Day I Forgot How to Sing” and realised it just cannot be not heard. Asya Turgeneva, singer of the band, left Russia for Ireland to find the finances necessary to mix their album and shoot a music video. Now they have everything they ever wanted but can’t do gigs. We believe in long distance musical relationship and the uniting power of Internet!
An internet band? Unique! We interviewed them.
What is your all-time favorite song?
(Asya) It’s hard to pick one but I think I know which song has been in repeat mode a lot. It’s going to be “Beyond My Control” by Mylene Farmer. Farmer was inspired by the film. I loved the film too and I also read the book when I studied at university. It’s really hard to get tired of this song so it can play and play forever.
Which song is perfect for a Road Trip?
(Kostya)
It’s quite hard to choose, because I normally use my iPod in shuffle mode, but when I fly and the airplane is going to take off, I prefer to listen to Shpongle music, like “Behind Closed Eyelids”.
To which song do you like to clean?
(Asya) It would be easier to name the album. Recently i’ve cleaned up a lot to Little Broken Hearts by Norah Jones. “Say Goodbye” is very good for this kind of activity.
What’s the perfect song to wake up with?
(Kostya)
If you want to start hating your favourite song, set it as your alarm sound. So I use Sonny and Cher – “I Got You Babe”, and it looks like the morning in the Groundhog Day, that’s really funny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80QHRTQ3Kmw
What’s your favorite artist from your home city?
(Asya) The band is called Tinavie, they are from Moscow. They’re special because they don’t think about keeping up to date, they just play the kind of music they like. I can relate to this.
Which artist do you think is too underrated and which one is overrated?
(Asya) To put it simply, most independent artists are underrated and most pop artists are overrated. When it comes to pop artists signed to major labels, we can’t really talk about the artists alone but rather a whole team of professionals—sound engineers, songwriters, and more—behind them. Interestingly, during a recent music industry workshop, an expert compared the evolving music scene to crypto betting sites, highlighting how both industries thrive on digital platforms, blending creativity and technology while reshaping traditional models. Sadly, it still happens that a YouTube star with a million views might sing disappointingly badly live, no matter how much money was poured into the show or how good the rest of the band was.
If you could be one artist for a day, who would that be?
(Kostya)
OK, Miles Davis would be that artist, ‘cause I think he was the pure genius of jazz music.
What’s the best song to make love to? (…to ask someone out?)
(Asya) Nick Cave’s “Do You Love Me” is very good for a slow dance. But I’m not sure they play it in night clubs these days.
What’s the most beautiful lyric you’ve ever heard?
(Kostya)
It’s the Tom Waits’ song “Chocolate Jesus”, and when I listen to that song, I now everything is God, and all beauty is inside us.
At which place would you love to play a concert?
(Asya) The city would definitely be St. Petersburg, Russia’s Northern Capital or Cultural Capital as we call it. But I’ve never been to concerts there and I don’t really know any places. However, here in Ireland I was introduced to the best music venue, an absolutely epic place. It’s called Connolly’s of Leap. A small venue in the south of a small island with fantastic sound and long exciting history. They welcome great acts and the audience is always so friendly and ready to rock till sunrise.
Find Penguin’s Lonely Heart here: Facebook
