Schizowave

Lena Potapova formed Chicago band Schizowave in early 2004.

Schizowave can surprise any audience with the wide range of their musical abilities. They play anything from a moody blend of trip hop and jazz to mainstream rock to heavy metal, and yet their sound has so much individuality that it can not be confused with anybody else.

Lena’s dark music and unusual low vocals have been compared to Diamanda Galas and “female Tom Waits”.

However, one of the funniest definitions of her singing was given by a Chicago hard core lover who said “You sound like Norah Jones on crack” (no, he was not trying to be sweet).

Lena is a classically trained piano player who was born in Moscow, Russia. At the age of nine she had her first public performance at Saratov Conservatory and Symphony Center. At the age of thirteen she performed her own musical composition at Moscow Conservatory. When Lena was twenty two, she took off to Asia where she traveled by herself for several months, managed a restaurant in Lhasa (Tibet) and did a research in Tibetan musical terminology. And in post-911 America, Lena spent about a month in jail in Wisconsin, while FBI was trying to figure out whether she was or was not a Russian spy. Warrant for arrest is currently on display in the bathroom of Schizoclub Gallery – a venue that Lena opened in Chicago less that a year ago, in July of 2004.

Lena has performed at known venues both in Europe and in the US. She has been featured on various commercial and college radio stations, as well as TV programs on both continents (Claude Show, NTV station - Russian national TV, New Life Radio, Generation Next, Lunchtime Radio, WLUW, Rock 103.9, KRNL 89.7 FM, KBGA 89.9 FM and many others).

Currently she is in the final stages of casting for a theatricalized musical performance based on her compositions.

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