Greek star Anastasios Rammos can do no wrong. Every new single he releases is another hit for his career. He has just released "T' asteria mou", and we have no doubt: it's set for the same path of success. It's Greek pop at its best. It's as catchy and captivating as a song can be!
British singer and songwriter Amy Macdonald has just released a new single. And we cannot stress enough: it's an excellent one! "Woman of the world" offers a delightful mix of pop and country elements, which results in a highly addictive song.
It's time to remeet Pepa Dimitrova, who was another artist to present a wonderful entry for this year's Makfest. Her song was "Docna e", an epic folk ballad with a growing melody and a very powerful second half. We love it!
Romanian star Liviu Teodorescu is enjoying a lot of success with his most recent single. And it takes only one listen to understand why: "Toate momentele" is outstanding! It's a song which offers a beautiful melody, wrapped by Liviu's amazing voice. It's irresistible!
Look who is back! It's Estonian star Birgit, who has a new single on offer. And it's surely a must-listen! "Me täna öösel ei maga" is a very catchy pop song. Its melody is captivating and highly entertaining!
Sounds European! remeets Max Giesinger. And, once again, he is here to prove he is one of the best names in the current scene of German pop music. His new single "Zahause" is absolutely wonderful. It's a song to listen nonstop!
Hungarian star Joci Pápai is back, and he has a great new single on offer. With "Kirakós", he brings his ethereal alternative pop into game, and the result is delightful. It's a song to enjoy from first to last second.
This year's Makfest, one of the most traditional music festivals in the Balkans, was filled with excellent music. And Macedonian diva Simona Popovska had one of these amazing songs: "Ostani" is a pop banger with irresistible electronic elements. We love it!
Once again, it's time to meet Slovak band King Shaolin, and another outstanding single of theirs. They return with "Mountain", a tropical kind of pop-rock that will make you groove along. We are totally into it!
Mabel Matiz is the stage name of Fatih Karaca, Turkish singer and songwriter who was born in Erdemli in 1985. Mabel is reaching a lot of success with his new single "Sarmaşık". It's an emotional ballad filled with ethnic instruments. The result is lovely!
Numbers don't stop growing! Time goes on, and our history develops: with this text, Sounds European! is reaching its 8000th post. As it is our tradition, we celebrate it with posting a song with the achievement's number: this time, "The wheel", by British icon PJ Harvey, whose lyrics contain "8000 Sun-bleached photographs faded with the roses".
Dora Vestić is a Croatian singer who was born in Osijek in 1995. She rose to prominence after taking part of the first season of The Voice of Croatia. Dora has just released a new single, entitled "Odlazim". It's impossible to listen to it and not get hooked by her beautiful voice!
Pedro Vicente is a Portuguese singer and musician who was born in Lisbon. He has just released a new single, and we couldn't be more in love with it. "Volto a estar sozinho" is a delightful pop-rock song with a very captivating melody.
Mina Blažev is a Macedonian singer who was born in Skopje in 2003. She rose to international prominence representing her country on the 2017 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Mina has just taken part of this year's Makfest, which presented several high-quality songs to the audience. Her "Vo drugi dushi" is clearly one of them: what an exciting song it is!
It's time to remeet Carpark North! The Danish band has recently released a new single. It took us a bit of time to listen to it, but we are fully addicted, now. Their synth rock blooms, and the glimpse at their live performance only enhances the power of the single.
Belgian star Lara Fabian has just released a new single. And it's a wonderful one! "Papillon" is an interesting downtempo pop with a contemporary touch that shows another side of Lara's repertoire.
Spanish band Funambulista have just released a new single. And we cannot stress enough: it's an excellent one! "Esa luz" is an exciting pop-rock song with a marking melody and a chorus which is very strong and captivating. We love it!
Meeting of huge Eastern European stars! Valery Meladze and MBAND got together for a wonderful new single. It's "Mama, ne goryuy!", a song which offers a perfect mix of their styles and voices. The result couldn't be any better!
Tom Leeb (Paris, 1989) is a French singer who is making a tremendous success with his first single. Entitled "Are we too late", the folk-inspired ballad has already reached more than 20 million views on YouTube. We were a bit "too late" to discover it, but we love it!
Luka Basi is a Slovene singer and musician who was born in Ljubljana in 1989. We have just got to listen to his single "U bijelom", and it was instant love! It's a song which mixes pop and Slovene folk music in a beautiful way. We are in love with its melody and chorus!
Helena Paparizou is arguably one of the biggest European names when it comes to masterpieces of pop music. And the Swedish-born Greek singer has done it again, with her new single "Kati skoteino". Melody, voice, chorus, ambience... everything is impeccable. We just can't get enough of it: it's our song of the week!
British singer Paloma Faith has just released a new single. And it is just one more sample of the stupendous moment her career is going through! "Loyal" is a momentous ballad with an epic chorus. We love it to bits!
Miroslav Dimov Kostadinov is MIRO, Bulgarian singer who was born in Dobrich in 1976. He rose to international prominence after representing his country on Eurovision in 2010. MIRO has an excellent new single on offer. "Losho skroen (Rebel without a cause)" is fully addictive, catchy from first to last second. We just can't stop listening to it!
Katerina Lioliou is a Greek singer who was born in Thessaloniki in 1994. She rose to prominence as a participant of the first season of The Voice of Greece (she reached the semifinals). She has just released a new single, and it's an outstanding one! "Megala logia" is an extremely catchy song with a very marking chorus.
We have already said that the 2017 edition of Operación Triunfo has filled Spain with new talent. And here comes another singer whose career shot to stardom after the show: Marina Jade, from Seville. Her debut single is the impressive "Drinking like I'm sober", a song with deep lyrics and a contemporary alternative vibe.
It's time to listen to an amazing folk pop song coming from Armenia! It's "Tapalel es", by Hripsime Hakobyan, singer from Yerevan. Listening to it can make anyone feel like being in Armenia: it's absolutely irresistible!
Danish band Lukas Graham have just released a new single. And we couldn't be more excited! "Not a damn thing changed" is an intense ballad with a set of lyrics that is as dramatic as its instrumentation.
Greek star Malu has just released a new single. And that can only mean one thing: it's time to listen to top-quality pop music! "Atakto paidi" is a song which takes one listen to stick to one's head. We are fully addicted!
Get ready to listen to an excellent song coming from Ireland! It's "Glow", new single by Gavin James. It's a guitar-led song with an entertaining melody and an upwards ambience. Its chorus is so fun and captivating!
Turkish singer Uğur Etiler is back with a new single, and it's getting a lot of airplay in his home country and region. And we are also very hooked! It's a delightful song: it's that calm kind of Turkish pop that will evolve you with its rhythm.
British band Don Broco has just released a new single. And we cannot stress enough: it's as good as rock 'n' roll can be! "The blues" offers a powerful melody, built by strong instrumentals and great vocals, and a very contagious chorus.
Sounds European! remeets Norwegian superstar Sigrid with a brand-new single. It's "Sucker punch", an edgy pop song with a very enticing melody. We are totally in love with it: we're listening to it nonstop!
Updated on October 28th, 2018, with the official video.
Czech singer LinaKaro is back with a new single on offer. It's entitled "Honey", and it's a smooth and groovy electropop with an inviting melody and an irresistible vibe. The chorus is very marking, and got us fully addicted!
Alija "Alen" Islamović is a Bosnian musician and singer who was born in Sokolac in 1957. Alen has joined Croatian diva Indira Forza to record and release an awesome new single. "Moje vrijeme" is a great folk pop song with a very enjoyable chorus!
In the middle of a tour that took her music around her country and even to Luxembourg, Portuguese singer Cristina Branco returns to our site with her most recent single. "Eu" is a song which talks about life wrapped in a mix of traditional and jazz sounds.
Greek band 7he 7ouch are living a wonderful phase. Every new song of theirs is another sample of how great they are. And their new release, "Knobs", proves it once again. It's such a powerful and exciting song!
British rock band You Me At Six are back with a brand-new album, "VI". From it, we now listen to the awesome "Back again". We are totally addicted to it: it's a delightful and captivating song with a very cool chorus. It was love at first listen!
Vitas is the stage name of Vitaliy Vladasovich Grachov, a Latvian singer with a unique voice who was born Daugavpils in 1979. He rose to international prominence with his hit "The 7th element". Vitas has just released a new single, named "Symphonic". It's a marvelous song, which perfectly displays his vocal talent.
It's finally time to remeet Macedonian singer Pance Kasapski, whose most recent single is a true gem. "Namini nokva" is a very entertaining song, with a groovy melody, an involving melody and a very fun chorus. We love it!
Taylan Ülger is a Turkish pop singer who was born in Ankara. He has just released a new single, entitled "Çık hadi". It's a great song, which offers a contagious mix of folkloric sounds and electro beats.
Danish superstar Christopher has just released a new single. And you know what it means: it's time to listen to great music! "Irony" is a lovely piano-driven ballad with a wonderful melody and very interesting lyrics. We love it!
Sounds European! remeets Slovene singer Nika Zorjan. She has just released a new single, and we are totally in love with it. "Za vedno" is a song that starts as a sweet ballad and grows with each passing second.
Libby Whitehouse is a young British pop artist from Brighton. She has just released an exciting new single, entitled "New boy". "The track is a different vibe to anything I've done before, it’s got more of a dance vibe to it", Libby says. And we can totally feel it: it's awesome, and it's impossible not to get hooked!
Updated on October 27th, 2018, with the official video.
Portuguese band Mopho are back to our site with a powerful new single. Celebrating the first anniversary of the release of their album "Estranho em mim", they released "Alter-ego", an enticing sample of classic rock!
It took us some time, but we are finally remeeting Slovak band King Shaolin! We've just got to hear their single "Nobody said", and we were instantly hooked: it's a perfect mix of soft pop, synth beats and rock sounds!
Dutch band Within Temptation are finally back with a new single! It's "The reckoning", featuring Papa Roach's lead singer Jacoby Shaddix. The song is an intense and addictive rock 'n' roll with an unforgettable chorus.
Bulgarian star Mihaela Fileva has just released a new single. And we couldn't be more excited about it! "Tsyala nosht" is a groovy song with an involving melody and a very sexy ambience.
Carlos Ares was born in A Coruña, Spain, in 1996, and is an up-and-coming talent rising in the Hispanic pop scene. His most recent single is "Me falta el Sol", in which he is featured by Argentine pop singer Jimena Baron. The song is a great sample of Latin sounds!
Macedonian singer Martija Stanojkovic has a great new single on offer. "Te sakam" is a lovely ballad, with classy instrumentals and a wonderful vocal performance. The song grows into a very strong and involving second part!
We couldn't be happier: it's finally time to remeet British band Mumford & Sons! They are back on the music business with "Guiding light", a lovely mixture of raw folk sounds. The song is also the first single of their new album, "Delta".
After reaching the first top ten and the best result ever of the Czech Republic in Eurovision, Mikolas Josef is finally back with a new single. "Me gusta" is an international-sounding pop in line with contemporary beats. We can't get enough of it!
Irish singer Rea Garvey has a new single on offer. And we are completely in love with it! "Kiss me" is a great pop-rock song with a strong melody and a memorable chorus. All of that is wrapped by a beautiful video.
Dutch band Causes have just released a new single. And it's totally a must-listen! "Run to me" is a stupendous song, with a captivating melody and a very marking chorus. You will be singing along with it in no time!
The Dumplings are a Polish electropop duo from Zabrze, consisting of Justyna Święs and Kuba Karaś. They have just released a new single, entitled "RAJ". It's a song which blends their electronic music with retro sounds, creating a very special atmosphere.
Formed in the French town of Hossegor in 2013, Sunset Sons are a trio of British and Australian musicians who are having a great success within the indie music scene. Their latest single (and the title of their most recent EP) is "The river", a song which shows their amusing style in a touching set of lyrics.
Since the last timeSounds European! has met Goryachiy Shokolad, the Ukrainian girlband has gone through some member changes. But if names have changed, quality hasn't: they are still delivering high-quality pop music, and their new single is here to clearly prove that. "Szhigay menya dotla" is excellent! It's a grandiose song, with an intense melody and a chorus which sticks to the head after the first listen. We are fully thrilled: it's our song of the week!
Get ready to listen to an outstanding new song coming from the United Kingdom! British star Claire Richards has just released "End before we start", and we cannot stress enough: it's definitely a must-listen. It's pop at purest form: enticing, addictive and highly catchy. A special highlight for its chorus, which is as memorable as one can be.
Taburete are a Spanish indie pop-rock band formed in Madrid in 2015. They have joined Dvicio to release an excellent new single. It's "5 sentidos", a very entertaining pop-rock song with a chorus which is a party on its own.
Melissa Naschenweng is an Austrian schlager singer and musician who was born in Villach in 1990. She has just released a new single, entitled "Die nachbarin", and we are already completely addicted to it! It's pure entertainment, from first to last second.
Finnish star Ellinoora can do no wrong. Every new release of hers is another great and positive surprise for us. And her rendition of The Rasmus's "Funeral song" keeps the pattern steady and strong. What a great song it is!
Sotiria Schenk is a German singer from Berlin who rose to prominence as the lead singer of Eisblume. Sotiria has gathered with Unheilig to record and release an amazing new single. "Hallo leben" is the title track of her debut solo album, which has just been released today. It's a wonderful song!
Few artists are able to deliver great Greek pop with the consistency of Giorgos Papadopoulos. And the Cypriot-born singer keeps the rule with his new single "Na pernas". As usual, the local instruments help building a powerful melody, and Giorgos's voice owns it all in a unique way.
After many years without having a new work, French star Zaz is finally back to business. She is about to release a new album, "Effet miroir". From it, we can already listen to the single "Qué vendra". It's a song which offers a sassy mix of Latin and French sounds, put together beautifully.
It's time to meet a great new young talent who is rising in the Austrian music scene. It's Wenzel Beck, singer, songwriter and musician who was born in Vienna in 1999. Wenzel has just released "Immer wieder", a delightful song which displays his great voice in a very endearing melody.
Swedish indie rock trio NONONO have a new single on offer. And we just can't stop listening to it! "Dancing (Mumbai wedding)" is a wonderful song, with a well-paced melody, marking beats and a great chorus.
Updated on November 1st, 2018, with the official video.
Lewis Capaldi is a Scottish singer and songwriter from Whitburn, a small town halfway between Scotland's two largest cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Lewis has just released a great new single, entitled "Grace". It's a calm ballad with R&B flavor and touching lyrics.
Spanish singer Cepeda is enjoying a tremendous success with his debut album, "Principios". Here comes another single to emerge from it: "Por ti estaré" is a delicate ballad that finds its strength in his voice.
Trust No One have arguably one of the most characteristic sounds of Finland – we could say it's almost a trademark, it takes little time to recognize a song of theirs. And that can easily be proved with their new single, "Love will bring us down". Retro pop-rock as only they can make!
Tanya German is a Russian singer who was born in Moscow in 1990. She has just released a new single, entitled "Ustroju zae bal", and we are listening to it nonstop! It's a very powerful sample of how entertaining electropop can be.
It's high time we remet Ukrainian star Max Barskih. He has recently released a new single, and we fell in love with it after the very first listen! "Vspominat'" is a great song, which offers a contemporary approach to electronic pop.
Sounds European! remeets one of the most talented artists from Malta. It's AIDAN, with his new single "Mine". The song, which was released during his audition in the Maltese The X Factor, is simply stunning. It offers a smooth ambience and an involving melody – plus AIDAN's flawless voice, which completes it all to perfection. We love it!
Spanish-born star Nico Santos has a new single on offer. And we couldn't be more excited about it! "Oh hello" is a modern electropop song with an irresistible melody and a very catchy chorus.
Updated on December 3rd, 2018, with the official video.
Whenever Italian diva Elisa Toffoli releases a new single, one can always be sure: good music is on its way. And her new single, "Se piovesse il tuo nome", meets all expectations! It's a grandiose song, with classy instrumentals, a very effective melody and a memorable chorus.
Portuguese singer João Couto has just released a new single. And we are fully in love with it! "Carta aberta" is a relaxed guitar-and-voice pop song. It's a song to enjoy from first to last second!
It's time to remeet British singer Dan Owen, who has just released a wonderful new single. It's "Stay awake with me", which is also the title track of his debut album. The song is an emotional ballad written as an ode to Dan's grandfather.
Swedish star Felix Sandman has gathered with American-born singer Rhys Clarstedt to record and release an exciting new single. "Starfish" is a contagious song, with a hypnotic ambience and a chorus which is absolutely outstanding.
After a full year without releasing new music, German-born singer Sebastian is returning at last! And his comeback single is a gift to the ears. "Bestseller" is a delightful pop-rock with an irresistible chorus.
Look who is finally back! It's Polish star Szymon Chodyniecki, who is returning with an amazing new single. "Puste słowa" is a song which has a well-marked melody and pace and a very cool electropop chorus.
Spanish singer Marta Soto is back with a new single on offer. It's "Entre otros cien", a guitar-led song which offers the proper set for Marta to display all of her personality and vocal quality.
The Rasmus are back to business, and they are not saving on new songs! The Finnish band have released another new single, this one entitled "Holy grail". It's a song which offers a softer approach to the band's exquisit rock sounds.
One of the most traditional music festivals in the Balkans has just taken place: the 2018 edition of Makfest has presented several great new songs to the audience, and they are all getting a lot of airplay. Even though Macedonia doesn't have an official chart, we are sharing one of these new local hits, Lena Zatkoska's excellent "Karavan".
Måneskin didn't win the latest edition of The X Factor in Italy, but that did not stop them from achieving great success. Their singles are getting a lot of airplay, especially their most recent one: "Torna a casa" is leading the Italian charts this week.
British trio Years & Years are back with a great new single. It's entitled "All for you", and it's an uptempo pop song with an irresistible melody and a chorus which is highly effective and contagious. It's impossible to listen to it only once!
Italian diva Laura Pausini has a new single on offer. And our ears can only be thankful for that! "La soluzione" is an endearing ballad which offers the perfect set for Laura to give her usual powerful and perfect vocal performance. It's such a lovely one!
Swedish star Benjamin Ingrosso has just released his debut album, "Identification". To celebrate this very important milestone of his career, he has also released a single from it. "Behave" is an excellent song with a smooth and groovy ambience which is becoming Benjamin's signature. You can also listen to the James Carter remix, clicking here.
Sounds European! remeets Polish singer Ania Dabrowska, who has just released a new single. "Serce nie sluga" is a well-paced pop with delightful retro spices both in instrumentals and melody. We love it to bits!
Josh. is Johannes Sumpich, an Austrian singer and songwriter from Vienna. His most recent single is getting a lot of airplay and streams, and we can totally understand why: "Cordula grün" is awesome! It's impossible to listen to it once without wanting to repeat it over and over again.
Whenever a God of music releases a new song, our ears are ready for a masterpiece. And we cannot stress enough: Paul McCartney has fulfilled every bit of expectation we built when we got to know he had a new single. "Fuh you" has everything one can wish – great instrumentals, delightful melody, perfect vocals and an irresistible chorus. We had no doubt since our first listen: it's our song of the week!
Some times, we are presented to songs which are not as recent as the ones we usually share in our site, but they are so outstanding, we break our routine and present them to you, anyway. And it's totally the case of "Ukhodi", by Sonya Sukhorukova (Ukrainian singer who was born in Kharkiv in 1992). The song is almost one year old, but is worth every second of it. What a stupendous track it is!
It's time to meet a new star who is rising in the Swedish music scene. It's Tilda Austen, who has just released her second single. And we are listening to it nonstop! "Bail" is extremely addictive, from verses to chorus.
Vasil Garvanliev is a singer who was born and raised in North Macedonia and has been in the music world since the age of seven. After decades of living in other countries, he is back home, ready to share the best of local music with the world. And it's exactly what he is offering with "Gerdan": first-quality Macedonian folk music. It's a song to appreciate from first to last second!
Spanish star David Bisbal has gathered with Colombian actress and singer Greeicy Rendón to record and release a new single. "Perdón" is a huge Latin banger, with irresistible melody and a very effective chorus. We love it!
German folk music group voXXclub are back with a very entertaining rendition of a pop classic. It's "500 meilen", version for the '80s hit "I'm gonna be (500 miles)", originally performed by The Proclaimers (and Ted and Marshall's only road song). It's a song to enjoy from first to last second!
Great new band coming from the United Kingdom! It's STIIR, a four-piece from North London. They have just shared the video for their debut single, "Free yourself". And what a great song it is! It's rock at its purest and most delightful form.
Milbo is the stage name of Thor Milbo, Danish singer who was born in Rødovre in 1999. He has just released "25 timer", and we simply cannot decide what is more entertaining: the song itself or its video. We love it all!
Spanish-born star Mabel has a great new single on offer. It's entitled "One shot", and it's a groovy and irresistible pop song with a modern melody and a very marking chorus. Mabel's voice is perfect for this kind of music!
Norwegian singer Hanne Leland has just released a new single. And it's a great one! "Fortress" is a hypnotic electropop with intense beats and captivating melody and ambience. We are listening to it nonstop!
After almost two years without releasing a new single, Irish singer and musician Hozier is finally back with new music. And the wait was fully worth it: "Nina cried power", featuring American singer Mavis Staples, is absolutely awesome! It's a grandiose song, as only Hozier can deliver.
It's time to remeet the very talented Saint Clair, who has just released a new single. The British singer has just released "I'll stay", a grandiose song with classy instrumentals and an awesome vocal performance. We are fully in love!
Polish star Margaret is finally back with a new single. And it's a true banger! "Lollipop" is a very modern pop song with a unique set of chorus and post-chorus. It's impossible to listen to it without finding yourself completely involved by it.
Kosovar-born star Rita Ora has just released a new single. And you know what that means: a new worldwide hit is on its way! "Let you love me" is a perfect sample of the best contemporary pop can offer, wrapped by a flawless vocal performance by Rita.
Finnish star Jenni Vartiainen has a new single on offer. And it's surely a must-listen! "Made in heaven" is a very unique electropop song, with instruments which are not usual for the genre and that touch only Jenni's songs can offer.
One more great single by German band Revolverheld! "Liebe auf distanz" is a beautiful song with a very modern ambience and a perfect mix of voice and instrumentals. The song was treated with a very cool short-film video. You can also listen to a version of this song featuring Antje Schomaker, clicking here.
British star Liam Payne has gathered with American rapper French Montana to record and released a new single. "First time" offers a unique melody, built by a mix of classy and modern instrumentals, and a very groovy ambience.
Spanish star Antonio José has a new single on offer. And it's a very exciting one! "Solo dime" exudes Latin passion through its melody and instrumentals, exploding into a very powerful and captivating chorus.
Look who is back! It's Czech star Ewa Farna, who has just released a new single. It's "Málo se známe", an excellent, inviting pop-rock song with that energy only Ewa seems to know how to put into the form of music. You can also listen to its version in Polish, clicking here.
Belarusian group Napoli is back with a brand-new single. It's entitled "Ne mogu", and it's a powerful electropop song with beats and melody which are set to take the listeners into a full hypnotic mode.
Updated on November 1st, 2018, with the official video.
British star Rick Astley has just released a new single. And we cannot stress enough: it's an absolutely outstanding one! "Try" is an irresistible pop-rock song with a chorus which sticks to the head after the very first listen. It's a song to be in everyone's playlist!
It's time to listen to a very entertaining new song by Peg Parnevik. The Swedish singer has just released "Break up a bit", and we just can't stop listening to it! It's pop at its best form: catchy, inviting and highly addictive.
Father and son together for a wonderful song! It's Andrea Bocelli and Matteo Bocelli, with "Fall on me". The mix of these two beautiful voices is flawless, and the result couldn't be any better. We are listening to it nonstop!
Sounds European! remeets Dutch star Nielson, whose new single is totally a must-listen. "Ijskoud" offers hypnotic beats and melody, building a delightful ambience, which flows until an irresistible chorus.
Tuure Kilpeläinen is a Finnish singer, songwriter and musician who was born in Uusikaupunki in 1970. Tuure is taking part of the current season of Vain Elämää, a show where artists cover each others' hits. We now listen to "Elämänpuu", a very unique version for The Rasmus's hit "First day of my life".
German singer Jonas Monar has a new single on offer. It's "#DuBistMirWichtig", a song with a well-paced and involved melody and a chorus which is marking and very modern. We love it!
She is a complete artist – she is a great singer, and also a great songwriter. As a singer, we have no doubt: she has one of the sweetest voices of European music. And, after this interview, we now know the voice is an extension of the person, as she is extremely sweet herself! These are our 10 questions for ZOË:
Sounds European!: You have been singing since you were a little girl. How did you start it? And who were your inspirations at such an early age? Going further, you come from a musical family. What was (and is) your family's role in your relationship with music?
ZOË: I grew up with music all around me, since my father is a musician and has had his studio at home. To me, being a singer, being a musician, has always been something "normal" and not out of the ordinary. So my first dream job, at the age of three, was becoming a pianist. At the age of four, it changed into becoming a professional opera singer, since my grandfather had shown me "The magic flute", by Mozart, and I sang the "Queen of the night" aria all day long. Thankfully, my parents have always been very supportive of my ambitions, but never pushing me into something. So when I was 10 years old, I wanted to participate in a singing contest for children. They told me to think about it very carefully, but if it truly was my wish, they would support me in every way.
SE!: All the songs from your first studio album, "Debut", were written in French. It is an interesting choice – and even unique, we'd say, as Austrian artists usually sing in German or English. Why did you choose French? And are we correct in saying that it is possible to feel a French influence, besides the language, in the musical style of the album, too?
Z: When I first started writing music together with my father, it was just for fun and we didn't plan or even think about all of the things that would or could happen – we were just happy creating something creative. I went to a French school in Vienna, as well as my father many years before me, so we both speak French fluently. That one evening of our first songwriting session, I just came home from school. He took the guitar, played some chords and I sang along... in French! I suppose that those French lyrics came because I still had my whole school day in my head, and somehow it fit. So we decided that maybe we should just follow our instincts and write in French.
About the musical style, I actually don't really know if language and style worked together, but the spirit of the first album was very much influenced by the gipsy swing style.
SE!: After a first try in 2015, you were chosen to represent Austria on Eurovision in 2016. What made you want to participate in it? What can you tell us about your experience in the contest, as a whole? And you performed "Loin d'ici" on a huge stage, all by yourself. How did you handle that pressure, especially in such a large-scale event?
Z: Participating of Eurovision has always been a dream of mine, which I thought would never come true – because it was just so big, so amazing and thus too unrealistic to actually be a part of it. So after school, I was just starting to write music with my father, at that point just for fun, and we had just written two songs so far. One of those songs was "Adieu", and I was to perform it at one of my father's events, which was hosted by an Austrian radio host. He went towards us after the show, and told us that our local TV station was currently looking for singers, to be in the national preselection for Eurovision, and that we should send in our song. I was really scared, because I had never thought that I would actually have a shot at it. From round to round, I went further, and then ended up being third place. Since I saw that this might really be a dream that could come true, I decided to try again the following year, and that time it came true.
The pressure was still very high, because then I really wanted to go to the final. But I enjoyed every moment of this journey, which helped me cope with my pressure – and all the energy that came from the Eurovision fans was so overwhelming that I just loved being on stage.
SE!: "Debut" peaked at #5 on the Austrian album charts and was certified gold. On Eurovision, "Loin d'ici" was very well received by the audience, placing eighth in the televoting of the final. How is it for you to have your music recognized by the public, both in your home country and abroad?
Z: It is amazing, to be working a job that actually is my biggest passion, so being recognized for this is such a huge compliment and I am extremely thankful.
Also, when you write your songs, when you are on stage, you show your most intimate persona, the person you really are, to people you don't really know, and you put yourself in a position to be judged – that is part of the job and, perhaps, the most frightening part of this job.
SE!: Your most recent singles mark a shift in your style, as well as in your choice of language. Looking back and comparing with your present work, how would you describe the changes in your music?
Z: I was always curious to try out new styles of music, since we never stop growing, changing and getting to know ourselves. I think it is quite natural that the process of finding "your style" of music never stops, either. I love trying out new things, and I enjoy almost every style of music, so I am pretty curious about what comes next.
"I just want the audience to escape from everything and enjoy my music, feel what I feel when I sing and connect with them"
SE!: Since we are talking about music styles, how would you classify your own music, in genre and style?
Z: I would say my music is still something with a lot of emotions in it, may it be in French, English or German. I love to write about love, so whatever style of music it might be next, it will be about real emotions – that, I ought to say, will never change.
SE!: You are not only a great singer, but also a great songwriter. How is the process of writing songs for you? Is there any time, location or situation that inspires you to compose? What do you want the public to feel, when listening to your songs?
Z: Thank you so much! I love the songwriting process, it might be my second favorite thing after being on stage. I almost always write together with my father, and it is just something so fulfilling to create something. Sometimes, we work for hours on a song and in the end we decide that that song wasn't "it", but we still enjoyed every moment of the writing because it simply is so much fun. We usually start with the melody and then focus on the lyrics. The mood is usually already set by the chords and the melody. After that, we just ask ourselves: "What kind of story do we wanna tell this time?". I think you can be inspired by every moment in your daily life. I just want the audience to escape from everything and enjoy my music, feel what I feel when I sing and connect with them.
SE!: Austria is a country with a very rich music history. But sometimes, currently, we feel most Austrian artists are a bit dependent on the German market, having to adapt to their preferences and needs. How would you analyze the current Austrian music scene? And how is it, for you, specifically, to develop your music career there?
Z: I believe that the music business in general is very tough, and to make the choice to be a part of it is always a risky one. You have to be passionate, have a lot of discipline and you really, really have to want it, and be prepared to fail and try again.
I was really lucky to have the chances I had, and to have this very supporting family around me. I know that in the future there will be tough times, better times and hopefully great ones, but I am prepared to face them and to not give up on my dreams.
SE!: What can you tell us about your plans for the near future? What can your fans expect from you and your music? And looking a bit further in the future, what do you still dream of achieving in your career?
Z: I can't really tell you that much, but we are currently working on new songs... I also hope to continue my acting career, because one of my biggest dreams is to be a singer, a songwriter and an actress in the future, because those are my two biggest passions.
SE!: We would like to finish this interview with a song of yours. What is your favorite song by ZOË, and why?
Z: Hmm... tough question. I think because of what happened after we wrote that song, one of my favourite songs is "Adieu".
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Updated on November 25th, 2018, with the official video.
