Christa Gniadek had a long day busking on Newbury Street in Boston some years ago. It was summer and it was warm, and she took a short break after singing for longer than most would. She was about to take her guitar strap off when someone ran up, and took off with everything she spent all day earning: she was robbed. Years later, you will find her still taking the time to return to the scene of the crime with that same guitar, significantly longer hair, an abundance of new songs and a whole new attitude. Christa Gniadek is remarkably resilient, a quality that is clear in her persistence and dedication as a recording artist for over half a decade. Forever keen on creating a body of work, her next album “Hard Summer”, due in 2016 and completely funded by her fans, naturally embodies her evolution into a more pop, vocal-centered and single-oriented sonic landscape that still houses her uniquely strong emotional fingerprint. In the last year, Gniadek has bridged the gap between the day-to-day fiery, passionate side of her personality - the side that until now didn't always make it to the stage - and injecting that intensity, that grit, into her songwriting. This has elevated her new album and live show to a level even she was surprised by. She will tell you her recent creations, her songs, were the catalysts for pushing her into this new territory of her strong voice and attitude. Gniadek has become quite a force and looks forward to hitting the road again in May 2016 to get the word out about her new album. Keep an eye out, because you might even catch her busking on the streets in your own hometown. Though if you look closely you may see her intermittently pruning her tip jar: ever mindful of the pain of the past, but accepting it - owning it - shedding her all-too-human naiveté, and replacing it with wisdom, strength, and drive.