Melodifestivalen has just finished all its semifinals, and that means that the Swedish charts are flooded with songs from the competition. The #1 of the charts in the Nordic country is currently held by Samir & Viktor's "Bada nakna", a really contagious song!
2016 is being a great year for our interviews section! We are having some fun (and, at the same time, deep) talks with some of our favorite artists. And here we go once again, now to North Macedonia, to chat with an artist whose work we really admire. She is one of the biggest and best stars in the Macedonian music scene. These are our 10 questions for Simona Popovska:
Sounds European!: We are always curious about the artists' music background. Who were your music idols when you were growing up? Who are your current idols? How and at what age did you start singing? And when did you start singing professionally?
Simona Popovska: I first started singing at the age of six. I also had my first performance at that age, and grew up listening to Mariah Carey. My current [idol], I don't know, is Rihanna.
SE!: You took part of the Macedonian National Final for Junior Eurovision in two occasions. In 2004, you came second; two years later, you finished third. What memories and lessons do you keep of those experiences? Have you ever considered representing your country on the adult Eurovision?
SP: I learned a lot during those events. Like what it takes to fight for your place – and also how to take advantage of your five minutes to show that you have what it takes. It's a dream to represent my country [on Eurovision] as a professional singer.
SE!: We absolutely love the music you produce. Your single "Ne e najdobro", for example, was on our list of the 50 best songs of 2014. We see your music as pop at its purest state: catchy, contagious, timeless and entertaining. Is it your objective when making songs? How would you describe your own music?
SP: I would describe my music as very heartfelt and truthful. There is no specific formula on creating my music, I am singing what I feel at the time.
SE!: Another thing which really calls our attention about your work is the aesthetics of your music videos. They are extremely beautiful and well produced. Is it a concern of yours to have attractive videos?
SP: In the videos, I want to show that a woman can always present herself formally and still be sexy. I also pay really close attention to the details and coloring of my music videos.
SE!: You are developing a work together with Macedonian DJ and producer Erik Fox, called The Sound Messengers. What can you tell us about it? How did you decide to start it? What kind of music do you produce? And how is it to work with him?
SP: We have been randomly bumping into each other. So we began to talk about what we both could bring to the table. I am a professional singer and he is a very well known DJ in North Macedonia. The Sound Messengers is based on house music and vocals. This is something that has been missing in messaging for quite some time. We then realized that this is something that can be taken out of North Macedonia and be brought worldwide. We're on a good run so far: we've already made five songs and our most popular hit, "Love me".
"I would describe my music as very heartfelt and truthful" (Picture: official Facebook page)
SE!: You took part on last year's Skopje Festival. Even though you ended second place, you were the most voted by the audience. What can you tell us about your experience in the festival? And what did it mean to you to have such a great acceptance with the public?
SP: It was a great experience overall! I'm very happy that I reached the second place. But, overall, I've got the biggest smile on my face knowing that the crowd really appreciated it and was supporting me all along the way.
SE!: North Macedonia is, in continental proportions, a small country. How is it to develop a music career in a country like North Macedonia? Do Macedonian artists need to expand their music to other countries to make a living? And do you dream of going international with your work?
SP: Being a professional singer in North Macedonia isn't the easiest thing to accomplish. Given the fact that it's such a small country, you have to make sure that you're on your "A" game. It's always been a dream of mine since I was a little girl to have concert tours worldwide.
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Macedonian and international artists you'd like to collaborate with?
SP: If I could choose anybody in the world, I would like to collaborate with David Guetta.
SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect for 2016?
SP: I'm currently working on new songs to release my first album. This upcoming year should be very interesting, as I have two more music videos to be released and a couple of tours during the summer.
SE!: We would like to post a song of yours to close this interview. What is your favorite song of yourself, and why?
SP: Well, my favorite song currently is "Jas ne te sakam". The reason I choose that song is because that's my style of music, in the rhythm that I enjoy.
We would like to thank our Macedonian friend and collaborator Ace for helping us with the research which allowed us to develop this interview.
Swedish-born singer Helena Paparizou is back to our site! Her most recent single is "Misi kardia", a song in which Helena turns back to her Greek roots: not only the language, but some traditional sounds mingling with the pop-rock tunes make the song one of her finest releases!
Not long ago, Sounds European! talked about the project Balavoine(s). The tribute to Daniel Balavoine has resulted in some amazing new versions for some of his biggest hits. And "Le chanteur" is another track we'll highlight. Emmanuel Moire's rendition of the song is intense and appealing, and shows Daniel was surely ahead of his time.
Updated on April 17th, 2016, with the official video.
Vaults is a band from London. Their mix of sounds is just explosive, as their latest single shows. In "Midnight river" you can catch a glimpse of alternative sounds mixed with pop and even a hint of soul. The blend is simply irresistible!
Julian David is a German singer who was born in Mannheim. After being a member of the group voXXclub, Julian is now starting his solo career. And his single "Hollywood" is a clear example of what a schlager-party track can be. It's an irresistible invitation to dance along!
Gothenburg-born Anni Bernhard is Full of Keys, a Swedish singer and producer based in Stockholm. Her most recent single is "Me & the sea", a powerful sample on how Swedish pop and R&B tunes combine amazingly well!
Time to get to know Macedonian singer Pance Kasapski, from the city of Štip. His single "Uste si mi ti" is an excellent and well-built ballad. His smooth voice fully fills the song with tremendous quality. The involving chorus is just the perfect complement for this massive track. We are in love with it: it's our song of the week.
Javi Valencia, Bubby Sanchís, Jesús Gutiérrez and Jaime Gutiérrez are Full, a Spanish band hailing from Seville. If you like Spanish indie-rock, you're meeting your new favorite band: their most recent single, "Aullando", has a unique power!
Raleigh Ritchie is the stage name of Jacob Anderson, actor and singer who was born in Bristol in 1990. His new single, entitled "Never better", is a great one. It has an involving mood, built by a special combination of voice and melody, and surely one of the coolest choruses of the year. The instrumentals, specially in the chorus, are a masterpiece on their own.
Ida Corr was born in the Danish city of Aarhus in 1977. She became one of the most prolific artists in the country, having released four studio albums and having received numerous awards. Her most recent single is "Down", a song which mixes contemporary pop sounds with epic vocals.
Mimi Werner is a Swedish singer who was born in Borås in 1990. Her participation on this year's Melodifestivalen, the National Final of Sweden for Eurovision, with "Ain't no good" was short, but great. Even though she didn't get qualified, her song left a great impression: it presents a very cool mix of country and Swedish pop.
Finnish pop diva Jenni Vartiainen ended 2015 with the release of a new single. The song is the haunting "Susta enkelit pitävät huolta 2.0", which is a new version for the song Jenni included in her 2013 album "Terra".
Emilie Ramirez is surely a name to pay attention. The Danish singer has clearly got potential to become an important name in the European music scene. Her single "Tranquilizer" is an impressive display of this potential. It's a mix of pop and R&B with some electronic spices. It has a haunting melody and, more than anything else, a huge vocal performance by Emilie.
Michaela May was born in Scotland, but has been living between London and Toronto for the last couple of years. "1954", her latest single, is a really cool track: a simple yet very effective pop song, with a catchy chorus and a nice beat to dance along.
The queen of Dutch music is preparing a new album, so we are sure great music is ahead of us! Anouk's "Queen for a day" is set to be released in March, and while we are waiting, its third track (following "New day" and "Dirty girl") has already been released. "Run away together" is a very classy pop-rock. The song's melody builds an intense, involving and mysterious mood. And Anouk, as always, shines all over the track.
Icelandic singer Greta Salóme (Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir, Mosfellsbær, 1986) was the big winner of Söngvakeppnin, the local National Final for Eurovision. The winning song was "Hear them calling" ("Raddirnar" in its Icelandic version), a pop track which includes folkloric and indie elements to convey a sound that really represents the current music scene in Iceland. You won't want to miss the stage presentation Greta did for her entry – it is really fantastic!
Updated on May 9th, 2016, with the official video.
Ella Endlich is a German singer who was born in Weimar in 1984. Her new single "Adrenalin", which is one of the candidates to represent Germany on this year's Eurovision, is schlager exactly as we expect it to be: its extremely effective melody and captivating chorus make the song highly addictive!
Updated on March 27th, 2016, with the official video.
It's time for another interview on Sounds European!. We managed to chat with the Slovene artist who was featured the most times on our site – which means, in other words, we really admire his work! So, obviously, it was an honor to be able to have this conversation with him. These are our 10 questions for Nino:
Sounds European!: We like to start interviews getting to know a bit about the artists' music background. So, what artists did you use to listen when you were growing up? Do you feel they have any influence on your current work with music?
Nino: As a child, I listened mostly to pop and rock music. As a teenager, also some R&B and even hip hop music. But in music school, I learned classical music. I have never had just one idol, but I liked songs of different styles and artists. As a little boy, I was fascinated by singer and pianist Oliver Dragojević, so I decided to play the piano. He has had a major impact on my seriously starting my pop music career.
SE!: You are multitalented: you are a singer, songwriter and musician. And you are very young, so we figure you started it all very early in your life. Can you tell us a bit about your first steps? When did you begin to study the piano? At what age did you start singing? And when did it become a profession for you?
N: I started to learn the piano more seriously at the music school at the age of six. I was also singing in the music school choir. I was always fascinated by pop music, so I wrote my first songs during primary school. When I was 17 years old, I released my first official radio single. The stage and recording songs became like drugs – I'm addicted to music! :)
SE!: You are also a very versatile artist. Your songs explore different areas of pop: some are more directed to rock (such as "Zvezdno nebo"), other ones are uptempo and dance (such as "Mi amor"), and some others are delicate and beautiful ballads (such as "Simfonija"). Is it an objective of yours, not to be tagged as an artist with only one style? How would you describe your own music? And is there any genre which makes you more comfortable to perform than others?
N: Generally, I would describe my music as pop. But yeah, pop with influences of rock, funky music, soul and sometimes even jazz. :) I also write music for other artists in Slovenia, and I really like to listen to a wide variety of music styles. As a singer, I know I'm better in pop – that's why I don't write hard rock or hip hop songs for myself. But it's great that I can compose music in different styles for other artists. I think that there are just two types of music: top and bad. In all styles, you can find good and not so good music.
SE!: Besides your music career, you are also a voice actor for cartoons. Can you tell us a bit about this side of yours? How did you start getting involved with it? What characters have you played so far?
N: Cartoons have appeared because of music. A lot of cartoons have great music. Dubbing can be really fun, that's why I see this as leisure and not as work. :) For cartoon movies, I have just done some great characters: I was Patrick Star on "SpongeBob SquarePants" and Theodore on "Alvin and the Chipmunks". I also dubbed some TV series.
SE!: Your music videos are usually very beautiful and well produced. Do you care about having great videos? How important do you think they are for promoting your songs? Also, you have several amazing pictures. Have you ever considered becoming a model as a parallel career?
N: Thanks for the compliments! :) When I record a video or have new promotional pictures, I want a great result because it can make the product as a whole be even better. But if I'm honest, I actually really dislike this part of "music"... videos, photo shootings, you know. :) I got a couple of offers for modelling, but music is my first and only great love. If you want to be not just good, but the best in your career, you have to practice a lot. That's why, for me, it's just music, music, music!
"I think that there are just two types of music: top and bad. In all styles, you can find good and not so good music" (Picture: official Facebook page)
SE!: We saw a comment of yours on Facebook, in which you said you already had a favorite for EMA, the Slovene National Final for Eurovision, this year. Have you thought on entering the competition yourself? Would you like to represent Slovenia on Eurovision?
N: I have a favorite, yes. I wrote the song for the band San Di Ego. It is entitled "Brez tebe" (in English, "Without you"), so of course they are my favorites. :) The song is a rock ballad and it has a very strong energy. My career goal is not to perform on Eurovision Song Contest. But if I ever had a song which I would feel appropriate, I maybe would. Why not? :)
SE!: We feel the music you produce is very friendly for European audience. Do you dream of expanding horizons, and exploring an international career?
N: I love my native language, so I want to create for Slovenia, in Slovene language. I still have many challenges in Slovenia. But when I run out of possibilities, I can also try other countries.
SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect for this year?
N: Finishing recording my second album. It will be released in spring. There will be so many new and very interesting songs. I cannot wait to introduce them to my fans. I'm really excited because I wrote my best songs ever! :) The first single is out now, it's entitled "Pod tušem" – in English, "Under the shower". :)
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Slovene and international artists you'd like to collaborate with?
N: There are so many, both Slovene and international ones. It would be too hard to choose just one. Probably great Slovene artists who are known outside of Slovenia, such as Gramatik. And of course Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé...
SE!: We would like to post a song of yours to close this interview. What is your favorite song of yourself, and why?
N: When I love a song, I listen to it so many times! :) All the new songs from my new album, especially the title song of it, "Pod tušem". I currently also really like the song "When we were young", by Adele. :)
Italian singer Arisa is known for her soft and delicate ballads. And her most recent single follows her style very accurately. "Guardando il cielo", the song with which she took part at this year's Festival di Sanremo, is a beautiful song!
Simone Egeriis is a Danish singer who was born in Slagelse in 1992. She took part of the 2016 Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, which selected Lighthouse X to go to Eurovision in Stockholm, with "Heart shaped hole". Even though Simone didn't win, her song became a fan favorite. It's a very entertaining pop track.
British singer Birdy is finally back with a new single! "Keeping your head up" is a mixture of her mysterious and very intimate music with contemporary pop, conveying an explosive track!
Time to get introduced to the project Balavoine(s), which is a tribute to Daniel Balavoine, one of the biggest stars of French music history. Some of the most important names of the current pop scene in France are part of this project, such as Emmanuel Moire, Florent Pagny, Jenifer, Marina Kaye, Nolwenn Leroy and Zaz. Our favorite track of it is Shy'm's version to our favorite track by Daniel, "Vivre ou survivre".
Madeline Juno was born in 1995 in Offenburg, Germany. She is one of the most popular and prolific young artists in her country, where she captivated her fans with her soft and mellow sounds. Her most recent track, however, is nothing like her previous singles. "Stupid girl" is a very upbeat and groovy pop song.
Flaka Krelani is a singer who was born in Gjakova, Kosovo, in 1989. Her song on the latest Albanian National Final for Eurovision, the traditional Festivali i Këngës, was one of the highlights of the night. She didn't win the festival, but her "S'je për mu" has called our attention as one of the most original and strongest songs of the night.
Nicoleta Matei is a Romanian singer born in Ploiești in 1970. In 2008, together with Vlad Miriţă, she represented her country on Eurovision with "Pe-o margine de lume", finishing 20th in the final. Her most recent single is "In locul tau", a very cool can enticing R&B pop.
British star Florrie is always surprising us. Every new single of hers is a clear display of how much she is becoming more and more mature with her pop. "Real love" is an amazing song! The chorus is great and highly effective.
Icelandic sweetheart ALDA (who gave us a lovely interview some days ago) took part of the local National Final for this year's Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Now". The soft and uplifting sounds that characterize her music blossomed on stage, taking her to the second place in the competition. The song also has a version in Icelandic, called "Augnablik", which has the same magic of the English one!
Emma Smetana is a Czech singer who was born in Prague in 1988. Only one listening to her single "Waiting" was enough for us to fall in love with it. Its classy instrumentals are a clear highlight, but not the only one: the chorus is very entertaining, and Emma gives an excellent vocal performance.
British-Norwegian producer Alan Walker is taking his music all around Europe! His single "Faded" is currently charting in several countries around the continent: it reached #4 in the Netherlands, #3 in Belgium and Denmark, and #1 in Austria, Norway and Switzerland!
Whenever the editors of Sounds European! think they've had the best interview of the site's history, a new one appears and goes further beyond. And it's exactly what has happened once again: we've had the chance of talking to one of the most talented artists from Finland. And she was totally open to discuss all topics with great depth and detail, resulting in an amazing interview. These are our 10 questions for Jannike:
Sounds European!: Tell us a bit about your music background. What artists did you grow up listening to? Who are your current idols? Do you feel they influence the kind of music you produce?
Jannike: The radio was always on at my childhood home, so I grew up listening to music. My mom tells me I used to point at this old Bach LP and wanted her to play it so I could "dance"... by then, I couldn't even walk, so I guess I was kind of a weird baby... Only Bach would do. :)
When I started to choose my own music in my early adolescence, I first started listening to ABBA. I just loved them and I still can sing every word to their songs! I also loved Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Céline Dion, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder... and of course I had to go with a boyband as well, which in my case happened to be the Backstreet Boys. :)
Nowadays, I listen to a lot of different music – everything from Adele and Taylor Swift, to Dixie Chicks, to Adam Lambert, etc.. If it's good, it's good! Of course I take influence and get ideas from the music I listen to, but I don't want to sound like someone else – that's important to me, so I really just let me get inspired and then try to create my own thing with my producers. I'm very much involved in the studio and I love it!
SE!: We know that music has been in your life since a very young age. How did it all start? When did you realize that music was your passion? You have studied piano and violin and attended classes at renowned music academies. How were these experiences for you?
J: If I danced before I could walk, I definitely sang before I could talk. My mom has these compact cassettes with me singing, and I just really sang my heart out even then. :) I was put in music school when I was three, had my first solo gig at the same age, started taking classical piano lessons at five and began with violin lessons at nine. At home, I taught myself to play chords on the guitar.
In the music school I went to, you had to perform many times a year, play in exams and take part of the orchestra and the choir, so I really had my hands full with music. I loved playing my instruments, especially the piano, but my number one passion has been and will always be singing. That is my most precious instrument. It has always been clear to me that I want to breathe music, in one way or another, so after high school, I applied to the Sibelius Academy (which is a very famous music university) and spent over ten years studying there. I loved it, and sometimes I wish I could do it all over again, although it was very, very stressful and I felt I had to be so good all the time and achieve a lot. I'm very grateful and proud of my degree!
SE!: You took part of the Finnish version of Idols in 2008. What took you to audition for it? What did it feel like to be judged by the public week after week? And what were the lessons you've learned with the show?
J: The year before Idols, I was really torn because I wanted to pursue a music career but I didn't know how to do it, and sometimes I wasn't even sure what I wanted. A little part of me knew I wasn't ready, but I attended the auditions with the worst flu ever the day after my grandma's funeral. It went okay and suddenly I was living in a house with cameras on me and was thrown into the limelight. I learned a lot and made great friends, but I wasn't happy there. I felt the show wasn't edited in my favour and I remember standing on stage singing live and wishing the three minutes would be over soon. Then I felt it was not right and that also, of course, affected my performances. I wasn't really there and I felt quite relieved when I was dropped, finishing in ninth place.
I think the judges were right most of the time, but they also needed to say some unnecessary things because of the format of the show. It was quite a negative atmosphere back then. But it was a great and fun experience in many ways and a good school on how to handle the media and the audience and how not to care about what people think. You can't make everyone happy – that's just the way it is. After Idols, I was really down and questioned myself a lot. I decided to take a break from the music biz. I also didn't want to be "just-another-Idols artist". I'm glad nobody remembers me from that now when I'm back with my own stuff. ;)
SE!: You have worked with some big names of the Finnish and Swedish music scene, such as Jari Sillanpää, Robin, Peter Jöback and Loreen. Can you tell us a bit about your work with them? What could you learn from them?
J: I was on tour singing backing vocals with Jari Sillanpää and Katri Helena (two of the most loved artists in Finland), and I really had the time of my life! It was sooo much fun! I loved going on stage without the pressure of being the solo artist, and I learned so much. How to always be professional. How to always put a smile on your face even though you are having the worst day. On a big and fancy gala concert, the producer of the show wanted me to rehearse a song with Peter Jöback, teaching him a harmony before I sang backing for him at the actual show. I was such a big fan and was so nervous being his "music teacher" for a while. :D After the concert, he said we were the best backing singers ever and wanted to take a selfie to post on his Instagram. It was lovely to see such a big star behave so "normal". I guess that's my biggest lesson with all my backing history: all the great artists are just like you and me – people.
SE!: About your solo work. You are giving your first steps into a solo career. And, by the way, they are very promising steps, in our opinion! We love what we've listened by now: your singles show an interesting versatility, and an ability to explore different possibilities of pop music. Is it your objective? What kind of music do you intend to offer to people?
J: Thank you so much! I like that I can be versatile, and I love surprising my listeners with different styles. I'm definitely into pop, but quite the grown-up style. I will probably lean to the more acoustic sound as I work on my new songs. I'm having a lot of fun testing the waters with these different styles and I think you shouldn't decide which way to go too soon. Or ever. Who knows, I might wake up one day feeling like I want to be a rapper! No, all jokes aside, I know what I'm capable of, I know what I like and how I want to be portrayed as an artist. I am more of the sensitive storytelling woman with the sensitive voice playing the piano. I want people to relate to the lyrics.
"I know what I'm capable of, I know what I like and how I want to be portrayed as an artist" (Picture: official website)
SE!: You have recorded songs in Swedish, worked in the United States and shot videos in Greece. And, very soon, you will be launched as a new artist in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. That's very international! Have you always dreamed of having a career abroad? When you imagine the future, what do you project for your career? What do you want to achieve in the music business?
J: Yes! Although I was born in Finland and my career started there, I have always wanted to be launched abroad. I'm so happy and thankful I got signed to a German record label. It's hard to say when you think you've "made it". I mean, things are going very well, but I feel I have just gotten started with my career and I'm working very hard on it. I have a great team and we always try to come up with unique ideas to get me further. I want to make a living out of my career and enjoy it at the same time. I don't have just one dream, like some people want to be able to scream "Thank you, Wembley" – I have so many! I'm a big planner, but you never know which plans succeed and I'm very realistic about that. I want to become more successful and live the true artist life everyday! That is my dream.
SE!: Finland is a country which is usually recognized worldwide because of its rock music. However, the local pop scene has a very high quality. Why do you think Finnish pop gains so little attention outside Finland? Is it easy to produce pop in your country?
J: If I knew the answer to this, I would be very happy! It's an unsolved mystery. It's easy to produce music here, but people tend to like the more melancholic and sad music. And it's something with the Finnish people, they just don't know how to get out their music, or then they don't care. And most of the artists over here sing in Finnish anyway, and they are the biggest artists in Finland. The Finns need to understand the songs in a different way. It's hard to explain...
SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect for 2016?
J: Oh, so much! My first album is coming out in Finland and Germany and that is very exciting. I'm planning to have a great record release concert in Finland and to tour a bit in the summer. I'm also doing a lot of big and fun gigs, doing some live videos and so on. Stuff is constantly happening. And, of course, I will continue to put out music and music videos regularly! My next one will be a big surprise and a lot of fun! I constantly update my Facebook page, and I have a website, so all the updates can be found there. For Germany, we have a different plan and schedule, as I'm being launched as a new artist over there. And the German team is working hard to get me as much attention and PR as I can during the summer. So I hope I'll spend much time there as well!
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Finnish and international artists you'd like to collaborate with?
SE!: We would like to post a song of yours to close this interview. What is your favorite song of yourself, and why?
J: Right now, my favorite songs are from the album, so they are not released yet. But, of my singles, I think I like my second single "Hallowed ground" the best. It was written by Linda Thompson (who has written for Whitney[Houston], Céline[Dion], etc.), and she wrote it about what she learned about life from her ex-boyfriend, who happened to be no other than Elvis Presley. So I guess you could say that Elvis is singing through me, haha. ;)
Italian singer Francesca Michielin confirmed her great moment last week. She was the runner-up of this year's Festival di Sanremo with "Nessun grado di separazione", a ballad full of charm and sweetness. The news didn't end there, though: Francesca is going to fly the Italian flag on the 2016 Eurovision in Stockholm. She is going to Sweden with a bilingual version of her song (which you can check by clicking here), and we are sure that she will bring a fantastic number!
Akis Diximos (or Deiximos) is a Greek singer who was born in Moschato. He is offering a great pop with lots of Greek spices with his new single "Tsigara". It is a grower song, whose explosive chorus is as catchy and involving as one can be. And Akis's voice is perfect for this kind of track.
Ukraine's music scene is dominated by female pop singers, but there is obviously room for male singers too. Nikita Kiselev, from Kiev, shows us that men can also do amazing pop in this country. His newest single, "Padayu v nebo", is a very intense and captivating song!
Max + Johann are a German duo from Berlin. They gathered with Vincent Malin, from Frankfurt, to record and release "Wenn du schläfst". It's such a delightful song! The easy and refreshing melody is the perfect complement for the smooth vocals, which fill the song with personality.
Sophia Somajo is a Swedish singer and designer born in Stockholm in 1985. Her music career, prolific since 2007, shines with her newest release. "Klein blue" mixes perfectly indie and alternative sounds with the kind of pop only Swedes can do. It is highly addictive!
Pieter van der Zweep is a 26-year-old Dutch singer who was born in Delfzijl, in the province of Groningen. While he is preparing an album for this year, he has already released a single, entitled "Zal de liefde winnen". It's pop at its purest core: catchy, enthusiastic, captivating and highly catchy. It has one of the best choruses we have listened in very long. Excellent track! It's our song of the week.
Sasha Holiday is a singer and model born in the city of Samara, Russia, in 1988. Her latest single is a shower of pop as only Russians can do: "Tsvet zhelaniy" explodes with electronic beats and portrays a unique voice to make up a fabulous track!
Is it possible for a kid to win a talent show over adults? Well, Flavio Rizello proves us that it is, indeed, possible! He won the fourth and most recent season of Die Grössten Schweizer Talente, the Swiss version of Got Talent, and he is (believe!) only 11 years old. After you listen to his single "Wings", cover of Little Mix, you won't wonder why he was the winner: all his enormous talent is very clear on it. Amazing song!
Danish singer Medina is back to the music business with a fabulous new track! "We survive" is an enticing and catchy pop song, decorated with soft electronic beats. Medina at her best!
In a year that even France is considering sending a song in English to Eurovision, here is Austria choosing an entry in French! Zoë Straub, who was born in Vienna in 1996, had already tried to represent her country on Eurovision in 2015, but she finished third then. This year, she gave it another chance, and her "Loin d'ici" was chosen to go to Stockholm. It is a very charismatic and charming song. It has a great chorus, and ZOË delivers an excellent vocal performance.
Updated on May 9th, 2016, with the official video.
Spanish singer Sergio Dalma is living a very prolific moment of his career. Some days ago, he presented his brand new single, "Eres". The song is a classic pop-rock, with gentle verses, a very cool chorus and the trademark of Sergio's raspy voice.
Maan de Steenwinkel is a 19-year-old Dutch singer who was born in Bergen, in the region of North Holland. She has just been crowned the winner of the sixth season of The Voice of Holland. Her debut single "Perfect world" is already becoming a hit in her country. It's a great electropop which displays all her talent.
Demet Aktaş is a singer born in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Her latest single is a shower of fun: "Yol ver" mixes dance and pop music, and adds a very subtle ethnic touch to combine a very cool song!
It's time for Sounds European! to remeet ways with Greek star Dionisis Sxoinas. His new single "15 eti fotos" has everything to become another huge hit in Greece. It has a catchy melody, a chorus which is very easy to get addicted and, as usual, Dionisis's huge charisma to take it all to an even higher level.
As she told us in her amazing interview some days ago, Finnish sweetheart Krista Siegfrids made one of her dreams true last Saturday, when she participated on the second semifinal of the Swedish Melodifestivalen with the song "Faller". In a fun and very well produced number, Krista showed she can sing and dance, spreading joy all along!
Femme Schmidt is a German singer from Berlin. "Surround me with your love" is a single from her upcoming album "Raw", to be released in March. It's a very unique song! The melody is haunting and mysterious, and Femme's voice completes the ambience surrounding the track in the most exact way possible.
We are very proud to present another great interview! And "proud" is, indeed, the proper word to describe our feeling, since we had an amazing talk with one of the most talented artists of the music scene in North Macedonia. She was our song of the week and, later, ranked in our list of the best songs of 2014 – can there be any doubt of how much we love her work? These are our 10 questions for Rennata:
Sounds European!: Every artist has their own references. What about yours? Who were your idols when you were growing up? And who are your current ones? Who inspires your work as a singer?
Rennata: I grew up listening to Céline Dion, Mariah Carey, Sade, George Michael, then Destiny's Child, Christina Aguilera, No Doubt and so many other artists. I'm a child of the '90s. Born in the most remarking era of pop and R&B music. The artists I have already mentioned above were the defining moment for me to realize what purification of music really sounded like to me. I still grow with these musicians! All these artists, including Beyoncé now as a solo performer, have inspired me first of all as a human being, with their actions and personalities embracing the world, and then with their spectrum of music.
I experiment with my music, trying to find the sound that resembles my personality, everything that I am in a different timeline. My music is inspired on everything that is real: real feelings and moments I've been through. I share the good times and the painful moments I've experienced. The upcoming singles will be even more honest and real, from some defining private moments. I'm willing to give you so much more than just a piece of me.
SE!: When did you start singing? And how were your first steps into the music scene? You took part of many festivals during your childhood. Can you name some of them? How do you remember those experiences? What were the most important things you learned at such an early age?
R: I was around six years old. I used to sing all the time, and I mean it: ALL THE TIME (lol). My family and closest family friends would ask me to sing something for them, because anyone could notice how passionate I was about it. I had my deodorant in my hand, substitute for the microphone, and I was putting on a show at that moment with outfits and stuff. My mother noticed that I actually got in that role so deep, and got my grandfather buying me a real mic. I was the happiest girl in the world. I almost collapsed! That day is still a fresh memory in my head. I was pretty young, but I knew that this was going to be the journey I was about to take on.
A year later, I starred on a music show for children called Sitel Bambini, where we performed our songs. I was seven when I recorded my first song ever in a studio. Well, that was a big thing for me. I was singing on a couple of more shows until the [National Final for] Junior Eurovision Song Contest happened. I remember being in front of the camera for the first time, I had no fear, no stress, unlike my family (lol)... I was excited, but I was calm and very focused. Back then, I told my mother: "I want to be a singer, like for real". I wanted to be on that stage. I felt free, I still do. It's love at first sight after all. You know why you got brought to this world. Everything makes sense. It's an amazing feeling that still captivates me.
SE!: You also took part of the Macedonian National Final for the 2003 Junior Eurovision. What memories do you keep from that event? Have you ever considered on participating on the adult Eurovision?
R: I have to mention before I go on with this question. My mother was the person that I got through every single audition, and any showcase in my life actually. She has believed in me since a very young age and she has been my foundation, my ultimate support through good and bad. I am who I am, and I am where I am, mostly because of her love and just for always being there for me. We went together to the audition for Junior Eurovision. I got elected, out of 1,000 kids, into the final 15. She's my lucky charm.
For the contest, I was in a female group with two other talented and gorgeous girls. It was something new for the three of us. We were so caught up in the whole euphoria! We started having dance rehearsals, vocal practice, making matching outfits for the show. In our minds, we were the Destiny's Child (lol). We didn't end up winning, but we shared an amazing experience, learned how to deal with teamwork and got producers working with us at such a young age (almost 14). I remember ending up in tears with the girls because it all had to end, of course, and there was a little disappointment on our faces – taking the fact we didn't win, but worked so hard on the performance. But, no hard feelings in the end, it was a huge motivation and a lesson on how to keep patient for the things that are not ending in your most desired way. About the adult one, I'm not really focused right now, because it's the people's choice. If I get elected, I want it to be the word of my people that's going to be the last.
SE!: We know that, besides singing, you have been exploring some other professional areas, such as studying and – more recently – modelling. Can you tell us a bit about these activities? How do you combine all of this and music in your life? Is any of them a favorite of yours?
R: I've been studying languages, Croatian language and literature, and Spanish for a year. That's one of the many passions in my life. Talking about modelling, I have never been a model. Every single photoshoot I have ever done was for the needs of my professional music career, for new singles or just announcing a new project. I have some stylish "model" photoshoots for Drama Studio, one of the best designer clothing brands in North Macedonia, owned by my personal stylist, Ivana Knez. Sometimes, we want to pull those photos out, because we feel the moment of creativity with such a unique print and we want to express ourselves in a different way. But always with some codes that are meant to be decoded, or not? (lol)
SE!: Your first singles were in Macedonian, but your most recent ones are in English. Why did you change? Do you think English can appeal to a broader audience? Is it a definite change, or can we still see some work in Macedonian?
R: Before I got offered to make songs for a broader audience, I actually had only one song released officially in Macedonian, and another one unofficially. But when I had to focus on the international music market with the label we worked on those songs, SkyEye Ent., we had to put the Macedonian versions on standby. I promised my fans that I would release songs in Macedonian too and finally the time has come. I'll be working in parallel, both in English and Macedonian. It's a huge challenge to me and I feel so happy. I just can't wait for the next projects. I've already started, but I won't say a word until the singles are officially released in the Balkans and all around the world.
"I don't know the level of success I'm about to reach, but one thing I know: I like the view from the top" (Picture: official Facebook page)
SE!: Balkan pop music is often very influenced by folkloric instruments. However, your singles go beyond it. They sound very international, very connected to what the worldwide pop scene is offering. Is it an objective of yours when making music? How would you describe your own music?
R: Having some folkloric instruments is a part of our culture in North Macedonia. It's a tradition, a way of life. That's something historical and a great treasure for my country. It's true that with pop music, even dance and every other genre of music, you need to experiment and improvise. I tried to bring that folkloric sound and arrangement with the producer Zoran Aleksic, who produced every single you've had the chance to listen, for example "Trust your feelings" back in 2014. We made it, and it sounded perfect. That's a mark for our music, for the future sound, and people liked it a lot, which is the greatest pleasure for a singer/songwriter and a producer.
I never plan how the next single should sound, but I'm wide awake when it comes to listening to some new singles that are hitting the top charts, catching what's in at the moment, so I can think about what would be the next chapter or level of music that I want to listen and present to the world. I find myself looking into the future. I'm working on that vision and sound now, because I feel like people used to know me just by the pop/dance tracks that I do. But I want more. That's just a small part of my capacity and personality. I want to surprise myself again. That's how "West side story" came along. Different than any other song I've sung. I love that sound. That's so me! But let's see what happens next.
SE!: Some of your songs have made it abroad, being played in radios around Europe. What was your reaction when you got to know of this? Also, you were the first Macedonian singer ever to have a VEVO channel. How does it feel to have achieved all of this, specially still being very young? And looking forwards, what do you dream to reach in your career?
R: If I believe in something, I go for it all the way down. When I heard "Time, time" for the first time, there was a strange feeling inside of me. Like strange in a positive way. It felt so new, so catchy, so fun. The final version was the "thing" that I was waiting for at that time. I experienced the success of the song firstly in my mind – I could foresee the moment, the reactions. The song had the same impact I was hoping for with the crowd and with the radio stations across North Macedonia, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Germany, Romania, Indonesia. "Time, time" was distributed over 7,000 radio stations all over the world with other world hit songs performed by the biggest stars. Rennata was among Ne-Yo, Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé, thanks to the executive producer of The Coca Cola World Chart Show, Mark "The Shark" Brower. That was the life-changing moment.
After all that, the signing with some labels and producers in the UK and Italy came along, for distribution and broadcasting. MTV Adria and Balkanika Music Television, the hugest music televisions in the Balkans, gave their full support too. I remained focused, but also pretty excited. It drives my constant motivation for even greater success.
VEVO was an affirming moment in my career, as it is a certified label with certified artists having their channels. I became a part of the family, which was a great opportunity for my music to become even more heard. I'm glad that all of this happened to me. Honestly, I still feel like I haven't achieved anything yet. It keeps me on ground and thirsty for more by working like an absolute beginner. I'm not dreaming anymore, I woke up in time. This is my reality, my life and I will keep going further. I have the whole universe on my side, I got nothing to worry about, only creating and bringing happiness. I don't know the level of success I'm about to reach, but one thing I know: I like the view from the top.
SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect for 2016?
R: This year, I'll be putting my effort into releasing albums in English and Macedonian. Many shows, performances, having a creative team who works for Versace and Cavalli for the artistic covers of the projects, collaborations, working with different producers. Levelling things up. :)
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Macedonian and international artists you'd like to collaborate with?
R: I would love to do something remarkable with Tavitjan Brothers, also known for being the biggest music ambassadors of North Macedonia worldwide. I would love to see myself in a duet song with Céline Dion and Sade too. That would be nothing more than a childhood dream come true.
SE!: We would like to post a song of yours to close this interview. What is your favorite song of yourself, and why?
R: I won't hold it back, without any doubt. Definitely "West side story". This song is very dear to me, and it's a very private form of saying "I lived that, that's my personal story". I wrote it when I actually felt every single word about this man I fell in love with. It's the glorification of one love story that happened and remained alive no matter the long distance between the two of us. It's like you can always meet halfway when someone makes you that comfortable to sing about it. I know that anyone could relate to it, that's why it's my favorite.
We would like to thank our Macedonian friend and collaborator Ace for helping us with the research which allowed us to develop this interview.
Bárbara Reyzabal González-Aller is the real name of Barei, a Spanish singer born in Madrid in 1982. Right on the beginning of this month, she became this year's Spanish representative for Eurovision with the song "Say yay!". The single is an uplifting mix of pop and soul, with a marvelous display of Barei's vocal power.
Updated on March 13th, 2016, with the official video.
Denmark has chosen the group Lighthouse X to represent the country on the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. And if you follow us on Sounds European!, you have already been introduced to them. Their entry for Stockholm, "Soldiers of love", is pure pop. Marked chorus, good mix of vocals and catchy melody are some of its best qualities.
Updated on March 20th, 2016, with the official video.
Cenk Taşdemir is a Turkish singer born in Istanbul in 1992. His most recent single is quite different from what we are used to from his country: "Söndür" mixes funk and pop, with gentle electronic beats and a lot of groove!
Jennie Lena is a Dutch singer and songwriter from Amsterdam. She was the fourth place of the most recent season (the sixth) of The Voice of Holland. The single she has released on the reality show, "Wasted love", is a huge proof of her talent. It's an amazing song, which gives space for her to shine and display all her vocal capacity. Simply outstanding!
Georgian singer Nodar Reviya returns to our site with a fantastic song. If you're looking for some energetic rock for your day, then you must press play to his latest single: "Pozovi..." is a very powerful and intense track!
It's finally time for us to remeet Danish singer Patrick Dorgan. His new single "Painkillers" is amazing! Its melody and instrumentation are extremely classy, and Patrick's singing is the perfect wrapping for it. The result is a high quality and very entertaining song.
Delia is an old acquaintance of Sounds European!. Every new single of hers is a delight, and the latest one is not an exception. "Gura ta", which features Romanian pop duo Deepcentral, is a soft and mellow ballad with slight beats of R&B.
Giannis Ieremias is a Greek singer who was born in Rhodes in 1987. His new single, "Min argiseis", is a very beautiful ballad. Its well-paced melody is involving and, together with Giannis's beautiful voice, can make you easily in love. Enthralling song!
Laura Tesoro is a singer born in Antwerp in 1996. She participated on the third season of the Flemish version of The Voice, where she finished as the runner-up. This year, she took part of Eurosong 2016, the Belgian National Final for Eurovision. With the funky and groovy "What's the pressure", she conquered the local audience and won the ticket to represent her country in Stockholm.
Updated on March 13th, 2016, with the official video.
SDP, or Stonedeafproduction, are a German duo formed in Berlin by Vincent Stein and Dag-Alexis Kopplin (also referred to as DagalexusDux). They gathered with German star Adel Tawil for "Ich will nur dass du weißt", a beautiful midtempo ballad with great vocals and a very catchy chorus.
Zayn Malik left One Direction last year, and all the fans were brokenhearted. But he assured he'd be back with music of his own, and he stick to his promise: "PILLOWTALK" came out last month, and it was an instant hit. The song is this week's #3 in Austria, #2 in Norway and the United Kingdom, and #1 in Ireland and Sweden!
Monday on Sounds European! is already becoming a synonym for interview. This time, we are traveling to Portugal, where we talked to a duo whose work has always pleased us a lot. And now, after this very fun and honest talk they had with us, we like them even more! These are our 10 questions for Fingertips:
Sounds European!: Tell us a bit about your music background. What artists did you grow up listening to? Who are the ones that inspire your work nowadays?
Fingertips: That's a pretty cool exercise: remembering what artists made us want to be musicians when kids!!! There are a lot, like Pink Floyd, Queen, Elvis, Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Blondie, Joy Division, Michael Jackson, amongst others. Nowadays, we still listen to a lot of these artists, and some new, of course, but we feel we get very inspired by Depeche Mode, Joy Division, as said before, and Muse. We also keep an eye on Lorde and a few weeks ago, we started listening to this new guy, Troye Sivan. He sounds really nice!
SE!: How did you guys get to know each other, and how did you decide to form a band? In your biography, you say that you've found your "secret in music", and this is why you could be together as a band. What is this secret?
F: We have a very funny and magical story!! The Fingertips were born in 2003. Initially, they were a group of friends that really loved music and wanted to create their own sound, which they did, and, by that time, I (Joana) was only a fan! Not a groupie!! But, honestly, I used to follow every band's step. In 2010, they started looking for a new lead vocalist and my mind said "Why not, Joana?". So I joined the contest they ran all over the country to find the new vocalist. And I was the big winner! You know, a thing like this, becoming your favourite band's lead vocalist, doesn't happen very often! So, it was one of the most magical moments in my life!
Through the years, we've found out that music is the ignition to everything we do in our lives. That's why we say that music is the secret. Music is the key to make our life look valuable from every perspective. Like a Rubik's cube. God, I love this analogy. Because, in a Rubik's cube there are a lot of wrong twists and turns, but when you find out the key to complete one side of the cube, you realise that you finally complete the task, in every side of that magic cube. Music is our passion. It completes every day's tasks. It's the reason why we get out of bed every morning. It's what makes us feel fulfilled.
SE!: You've performed in huge events, like Lisbon's Rock in Rio. You've shared stage with names such as Queen, Nelly Furtado, George Michael, The Corrs and The Cure. What can you tell us about those experiences? What was the hardest thing when facing such events? Which one do you keep the best memories of?
F: Every single stage is very important to us. But getting to know in person the artists we love and share those stages with them is... thrilling!! Even if you live for ten more lives in this world, in ten more different bodies, you won't forget the chills of having Brian May entering your dressing room and chit-chatting with you as if you're friends for years! That's when you learn that the bigger you are, the humbler you can get. It was an unforgettable experience! But yeah, you may sweat a little more than in the other concerts and get some extra nausea before getting on stage... but that's OK!!! It will be worth it!
SE!: How would you describe the music you produce, in style and genre? How would you like the fans to perceive your songs?
F: We don't really like to label things before people get to know them, but we can put our songs into the alternative rock genre. We really like when fans come to us telling that our songs are very energetic and cool, because we believe that it can bring joy and a sense of will to their lives – which can change the world. And if it wasn't for changing the world, we wouldn't be here composing songs!
SE!: Your work sounds, in our opinion, much more international than the average Portuguese music. Was it your aim to produce songs which would appeal to worldwide audiences? Do you have any plans of promoting your work abroad?
F: Yeah, for sure! It was always on our mind, the idea of going abroad. It's a big and old dream of the band: going overseas, sharing our songs with different people, in different countries. And we are already doing it. In the past year, we visited a lot of places, such as New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Amsterdam, Japan, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Brighton, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. They gave us a very positive feedback of our songs and our concert, which is very important and motivating for us. Now, we are just keeping the work in progress internationally!
"We use lyrics as if they are letters addressed to each person who listens to our songs"
SE!: When you are composing music, what are your favorite topics to write about? Where do you get your inspiration from? Do you have any particular moment or place to compose?
F: As Pablo Neruda once said, "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working"! Once your brain never stops having musical ideas, the composing moment can be everywhere – from the studio to an airport, or even on your own bed, when you are just about to get a good sleep. I know it sounds a bit exhausting, but in fact it is pretty good. It means that your soul uses every instant and every place of your life to get inspired.
We really love to write motivational and empowering lyrics. We use lyrics as if they are letters addressed to each person who listens to our songs. As musicians, we get the power to sow important messages in every place we go. That's why we also usually write about peace, truth, respect, and the world itself. Oh, and we also write about love! The universe never gets tired of a really good love song, right?
SE!: All of your singles so far have been in English. And this is not the most common language within the Portuguese music scene. Why did you choose writing them in English? How do you see the use of language in music as a whole?
F: Wanting to go overseas was always an ambition for us. So, from the very beginning, we thought about writing in English. And we also grew up listening to all those artists such as David Bowie, The Doors and The Beatles, who sing in English. That just got stuck under our skin. It's hard to imagine ourselves composing in any other language. Besides, we don't believe that it is a problem or less patriotic to sing in a language that is not our mother one, once the music speaks for itself. If you can convey your message to much more people by singing in English, then you are doing a great job!
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Portuguese and international artists you'd like to collaborate with?
F: Oh, we would like to collaborate with so many other artists! In fact, it is one of the most amazing things in music: singing along or sharing your work with other musicians. There's this band, named Best Youth, in Portugal. They've been doing a really good job!! We like them! Internationally speaking, it would depend on the mood of the song. It could be a rapper like Eminem. Or it could be Justin Bieber if we were looking for a "bad boy, but not that bad" type of lyrics!! Coldplay and Muse, of course, they are huge. But, honestly, I can't die before singing with Bryan Ferry! So many years of music in that soul!! I can even imagine the chills!
SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect for 2016?
F: This year, we will be playing in Los Angeles at Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood, MUSEXPO and Worldwide Radio Summit. We are working on a European tour, too. We are thinking about it in two occasions: one in the summer and another one in the winter. And we are also projecting a huge concert here in Portugal, to our fans who have always supported us!! It would be in the summer, probably in Porto. But follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to get the updates of our work!
SE!: We would like to post a song of yours to close this interview. What is your favorite song of yourselves, and why?
F: "Out of control"!! Probably because it was the last one to be released. Probably beacause it was produced by Mark Needham, who dressed it with the intensity we were looking for. Probably because it reminds us of our stay in Los Angeles or the filming process of its video in Shanghai! We don't know the reason, but it means so much to us! It's our brand new single. And it's a song about breaking the rules of society. A song that shouts out that it's OK to be who you are, even if you feel different from the rest. Embrace your differences and be confident about it. You're beautiful! Believe in yourself and never stop chasing your dreams!
