Although she didn’t have much time to convince a blues-hungry Columbus, Ohio crowd of her musical prowess, Belgium born guitarist, drummer and songwriter Ghalia Volt did just that in her brief opening set Monday at The Bluestone. Volt is currently opening the Ruf Records 30th Anniversary Tour with Samantha Fish, Canned Heat, Mitch Ryder, and Bernard Allison.

It’s been a whirlwind for Volt in the last six years since she gave up the busking circuit in her hometown of Brussels. From New Orleans to Joshua Tree, California where Volt recorded her latest record, Shout Sister Shout!, the world has literally been her home.

I had the chance to chat with Volt in advance of her Columbus performance and learned a bit more about the artist currently making her mark on the blues scene worldwide.

Interview: Excerpts from a phone conversation.

Lindsey McCutchan Photography: I find it interesting, and I’m sure readers likely will as well, how a someone from Belgium got into Blues music. What drew you to it?

Ghalia Volt: I started listening early to Psychobilly music and then Blues Gospel. Most of this music had its makeup in the U.S. so when I turned 21 I came to the USA and traveled the country on buses, Amtrak, and hitchhiking. In Brussels, when I was 12 or 13 I did that a lot and so it was easy for me to do it in the US as well. I went to where the music was essentially.

LMP: You’ve had quite a journey busking the streets of Belgium to recording at iconic studios like Rancho de la Luna. What has been the most memorable moment for you?

GV: Busking is a great school for an artist. You learn to hustle and catch people’s attention. When I started playing clubs in New Orleans, I tried to replicate that energy on stage. On the street nobody asks you to be there, but you have to catch their attention. If you can do this on stage, everything will fall in place.

LMP: You’ve no doubt seen many cultures in your travels. How has being on the road shaped you as an artist?

GV: Being from Europe I have that mentality for sure. I miss Europe, I miss the food! Work ethic is definitely important and so those cultures with strong work ethic I’ve been exposed to have been influential. I’ve learned that across the world everyone has priorities. Because I’m on the road so much, my priorities have not been having home or family close. But these are the priorities I’ve chosen for myself.

LMP: Music often reflects the times and personal experiences of the artist. Are there any social or personal themes you’re passionate about that find their way into your music?

GV: Being strong willed and having the desire to make things happen is definitely one of my themes. More broadly, I’ve included Equity and Justice themes into my music as well as some of the metaphorical, open-minded topics of the next step after death. Most recently, I would say that my songs “Shout Sister Shout!” and “Can’t Afford To Die” incorporate some of the personal themes I have as an artist.

Sadly, Volt only had time to play 5 songs for her part of the evening with the Ruf Records Tour but it was a mix of songs from her albums giving fans, old and brand new, a taste of what she has to offer. If you’re hungry for more, Ohio Blues fans will be excited to learn that Volt and her trio will be performing at the Kent Stage in Kent, OH on November 29th and at The Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland on December 3, 2024. Click on the hotlinks for those venues to access tickets.