death metal grandma
[Photo by: Youtube screenshot]

97-year-old Holocaust survivor turns poems into metal songs

You might not expect the phrase “heavy metal icon” to be used to describe a 97-year-old Holocaust survivor, but that’s actually the best way to describe heavy metal artist Inge Ginsberg.

Known by the internet as the “death metal grandma,” Ginsberg has certainly made quite a  few headlines these past couple of months for her newly realized career as a metal performer.

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In a new interview with the Times Of Israel, Ginsberg has opened up about her life getting to this point. From her early days to how she started making metal music, the recent article gives an in-depth look at Ginsberg’s incredible journey.

So, why did she become a death metal artist? Well, the answer is pretty simple:

“I can’t sing. I can’t carry a tune. So heavy metal works because I just have to say the words,” she said.

Perhaps one of the most interesting things about Ginsberg is the fact that she writes all of her own songs from poems. Ever the writer, she walks into every studio session with some new material, despite having quite the array of work to use, if need be.

As the source notes, her songs typically focus on a message that she feels is important. So, whether it’s songs about spreading the love amongst one another to songs about saving the environment, there’s a good chance you’ll walk away with an important message by listening to her tracks.

Which, raises the question, why write metal music?

“The important thing in heavy metal is the text. Heavy metal is not really poems, it’s messages,” she said.

When asked where she draws inspiration from, she simply explained that her inspiration is something that she channels:

“Nothing inspires me. It writes itself. You can’t order poetry, you can’t make it. I always say I just channel it. It comes from the universe down to me and I write it down. That’s all,” she shared.

As of right now, Ginsberg has created a few music videos to highlight the messages behind these poems-turned-metal songs. But that’s not all she’s done, Ginsberg is also the focus of a New Year Times op-doc, Death Metal Granda, which has gained quite the number of views since it was first released back in July.

Check out the documentary showcasing Ginsberg below:

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