Sunnysiders started in June 2010 as a duo by the singer, guitar, ukulele, harmonica player and a songwriter Boris Hrepić Hrepa, a long time Croatian professional musician who was a member in one of the Croatian most famous bands Daleka Obala during the 80’s and 90’s, and the singer , percussion and guitar player Antonija Vrgoč Rola. In 2010 they won the 2nd Croatian Blues Challenge and in 2011 played in the semifinals of the 27th International Blues Challenge in Memphis, USA.
Following Memphis they became a four piece band and recorded three albums:
- – Licence to Blues (2011) – nominated for Porin Award for best blues album
- – 10 kartolina s daleke obale (2016)
- – Click Play (2017). -Fender Mega Music award for the best Croatian blues album of the 2017/ 2018 season.
At 2013 Sunnysiders were, with two songs, a part of Blues For You – Tribute to Buha project, dedicated to Dražen Buhin Buha, a late founder of Croatian Blues Forces. Album won two Porin aword, a Croatian Grammy.
2014 was a sweet year for Sunnysiders, they recorded a Chocolate Flavored Song, a first ever blues song published as chocolate vinyl single, single made of chocolate that can be played on turntable, by Nadalina chocolate factory. A song and chocolade single were promoted in Brussels during 5th European Blues Challenge.
Sunnysiders also represented Croatia at the 3rd European Blues Challenge in Toulouse, played at Cahors Blues Festival and numeorous Croatian blues festivals ( Split Blues Festival, Zagreb Blues Festival, Kastav Blues Festival, Umago Blues, Thrill Blues Festival…). They are proud to have supported Johnny Winter, Ana Popovic, Eric Sardinas, Manu Lanvin, and Eric Noden & Joe Filisko among others.
Sunnysiders perform as a duo, a four semi acoustic piece band and a five-piece power band.
Their set features mainly original tracks, but also famous blues covers and songs outside the blues genre transformed to fit in their rhythmic and melodic sound structure, which is distinctive for its two-part singing and playfulness of the arrangement.
Boris is also a president of Croatian Blues Forces, a Croatian blues society that received a Keeping The Blues Alive award, a member of Blues Foundation and European Blues Union and a art director of Thrill Blues Festival, one of youngest festivals here in Croatia but within the period of three years, as it has started, has become one of the most visited and media exposed festivals in the region. He is a blues mentor in Poprock school from Sisak. Poprock School pupils were three times in Memphis as a part of Youth Showcase, performing and recording in Memphis.
At 2019 they wrote a song Keep The Blues Alive, dedicated to Croatian Blues Forces KBA award, and recorded it at Ardent Studios as a part of Croatian Blues All Stars Band The Memphis Expedition, along with kids from Poprock School.
2020 is year when Sunnysiders celebrating their 10 year anniversary by recording 4th album „The Bridges“ with their blues friends as guests (Manu Lanvin, Norman Beaker, Lorenzo Piconne, Yogi Lonich…). Last January album was mixed at Ardent Studios in Memphis, and it was be published at autmn. Rola and Hrepa started anniversary promotion during International Blues Chanell in Memphis with live TV performance at Channel 3.
During Corona time Sunnysiders had online Couch Blues Sessions performing from their home. Couch Taxi Session was also a part of online Viral Antiviral World Tour organized by Blues International Radio from Miami, Florida.
The Bridges reached position 117 at Roots Music Report’s Top 200 Contemporary Blues Albums for the year 2020 and received more than 40 great reviews from blues and rock magazines and portals from all over the world. Single You’re Not That Good For Me To Cry reached many radio Top charts and passed to semifinal of 2020 International Songwriting Competition in Nashville. Right now they are promoting third single Tiny Soul which reached position 41 at Roots Music Report Contemporary Song Chart.
