I have to be honest with whoever will read this article. I feel very giddy today. Had to sit and take a big breath, otherwise I`d land on the floor, most likely face down in a bowl of Felix, a by-product of being owned by three cats. I have been waiting with huge anticipation for Ruena’s debut EP and it finally arrived. The record turns out to be everything I hoped for, at times it is even better than I expected. Like a cherry on top of a magnificent, layered cake.
Call it a first world problem, but I was scared that “Why Heal When You Can Repress” may not live up to my own expectations. RUENA was our discovery of 2025 and I have a tendency of putting so much faith into an artist that sometimes I get really disappointed.
So, I am very glad and relieved to report that Ruena’s first offering will not let down even the pickiest of music critics. On the contrary, it will surely win her many new fans and interest from the music industry. Give a year or two and you will see her going the same way as other incredibly talented women on the indie circuit: BEX or Izzy T. The only way is up – as the saying goes.
If this is your first encounter with Ruena, Nottingham based singer and multi instrumentalist, you may think she is a beginner. But that is misleading. Her debut came three years ago with an industrial/trip hop orientated track “Glitch”, followed by a Mortal Kombat: Legacy inspired video.
Within days, Ruena found herself hot-listed by Metal Hammer journalists, compared to Cassette by listeners and reviewed in the press. Here is a great summary written by Gary Trueman for Devolution Magazine: “This is as complete as it gets in terms of launching your career as a solo artist. Well paced, wonderfully arranged and bad ass through and through – this is a great song on so many levels”.
You don’t get written about by influential figures in a leading heavy music magazine on your debut single being a DIY artist without a merit. In the years that followed, Ruena hit the road playing bass and sharing stages with the likes of Delilah Bon, playing across the country and the biggest festivals: Glastonbury and 2000 Trees among them. It was where she found her focus and confidence to properly launch a solo career.
Throughout 2025, Ruena released singles that formed part of the EP: “Paraffin”, “The Tide” (both strengthened by music videos) and “Just Because It Breaths”. All three singles have been featured on our blog, you can check what we thought by clicking on the links at the end of this article. “Why Heal When You Can Repress” stands at 16 minutes and contains five songs. The two new tracks are “Leech” and “Kamikaze” – hands down the best tune from Ruena this far and possibly a candidate for a new video.
I keep mentioning the videos and for a good reason. Ruena does everything herself – her photography, costumes, sets and video script, directing and editing. And she produces dark, mini movies, almost like visual postcards from Twilight Zone that fit her songs and image perfectly. Each video is so professional you can be excused for mistaking it for a big budgeted production.
Just imagine that Ruena`s video to “Paraffin” was shot in her own house, mostly her living room. And it has a better quality than a video from a big label industry plant that amessaed 10 millions views on Youtube, had a budget of 1,5 million pounds and was shot by a movie director. I wish I was exaggerating here but I am not, I checked the figures. If some big label decided to throw this amount of money on Ruena, she would probably end up being the youngest British EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, Golden Globe) winner in history. Sad reflection on the side of this review, that the British music industry promotes medicores while closing doors on real grass root talent.
Not like Ruena needs majors anyway. Hell, no. It is much better for any artist these days to simply operate on an independent or recording (not touring) basis than be signed to a label. The last thing I’d want for Ruena is to be under a 360 contract, have all sources of income confiscated and have to sit on Tik Tok singing covers.
Women in music literally blossom when they get released from their labels: Raye or Leigh-Anne being good examples here, Kesha being another and somebody please check on Kim Petras, shouldn`t her new album be out already, why the delay?
If a label was involved in “Why Heal When You Can Repress”, the whole EP would not see the light of day for several reasons: the material is very outspoken and personal (including Ruena`s own battles with self image),angry and complex. Songs are unpolished, sometimes complicated on purpose, mixing genres that don’t always make for a smooth listening: nu metal. industrial, bubblegum punk and avantgarde. This is a demanding, ambitious record and not something you can put on while washing dishes.
Ruena insists that her listeners pay close attention to what she says and how she delivers it. She decides on her own pace, her terms and the form, creating a very bold and unique collection of songs. A true sign of an individual who has a lot to offer and knows how to get things done.
I can now – with a clean conscience – start anticipating her full album. Whatever Ruena will do next, it is going to be splendidly good.
Our coverage:
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/2025/07/31/ruena-paraffin-single-review
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/2025/09/05/ruena-just-because-it-breathes-single-review/
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/2025/10/27/ruena-the-tide-single-review
Additional reading:
https://www.spinvybemagazine.com/interviews/exclusive-interview-ruena
https://devolutionmagazine.co.uk/2022/09/08/review-singles-round-v1-4/
You can follow Ruena on socials:
https://www.instagram.com/itsruena
https://www.tiktok.com/@itsruena
https://www.youtube.com/@ruena
https://soundcloud.com/ruena-music
https://ruena.bandcamp.com
Malicia Dabrowicz
Indieterria 