* En anglais uniquement
An indie singer/songwriter with a reflective, literate style in the vein of influences like
Paul Simon and
Joni Mitchell,
Ethan Gruska was half of indie pop duo
the Belle Brigade before launching a solo career with 2017's
Slowmotionary. He also branched out as a producer and songwriter, working on
Phoebe Bridgers' debut album, Stranger in the Alps, and co-penning songs with
John Legend and
Kimbra, among others. In 2020, he released his sophomore album,
En Garde, which again found him working with
Bridgers. He also collaborated with
Bon Iver on the 2022 single "So Unimportant."
Gruska comes from an extended family of professional musicians: his father is Emmy-nominated TV/film composer and songwriter
Jay Gruska, and his grandfather is Oscar-winning composer
John Williams. Other professional musicians from the family include but are not limited to drummer Johnny Williams of
Raymond Scott Quintette and
Joseph Williams of
Toto. His older sister,
Barbara Gruska, has played drums for the likes of
Jenny Lewis and
HONEYHONEY and is the other half of
the Belle Brigade, contributing drums, vocals, and guitar. The duo's self-titled debut was co-produced by
Matthew Wilder and released by
Reprise in 2011. They followed it with
Just Because on ATO in 2014. To support the album,
the Belle Brigade opened for
Ray LaMontagne on his North American
Supernova tour, doubling as members of his backing band.
In 2016, a song
Gruska co-wrote with
Blake Mills and
John Stephens for
John Legend, "Right by You," appeared on
Legend's album
DARKNESS AND LIGHT. A year later,
Mills would appear on
Gruska's solo debut album alongside guests
Rob Moose,
Gabe Noel, and
Barbara Gruska. With production by
Tony Berg (
Aimee Mann,
Andrew Bird),
Slowmotionary arrived via Sire in March 2017.
Lending a hand to then-newcomer
Phoebe Bridgers,
Gruska produced and played around a dozen instruments on her likewise soft-spoken debut album, Stranger in the Alps, released in September 2017. That led to more work as a producer, including collaborations with alt-pop singer
Kimbra and pensive indie rockers
Bad Books. He also co-penned songs for artists as varied as
Madison Cunningham,
Joseph, and
Trombone Shorty.
In early 2020,
Gruska returned to his solo work with his sophomore solo album,
En Garde, which featured another collaboration with
Bridgers, "Enough for Now." He then joined forces with
Bon Iver for the 2022 non-album track "So Unimportant." Released on
Sylvan Esso's Psychic Hotline as part of the label's singles series, the track featured string and percussion contributions by longtime
Gruska associates
Rob Moose,
Blake Mills, and
Matt Chamberlain. ~ Marcy Donelson