Tag: journalism

Finally, London

Hola everyone.

Oh my god, I don’t even know where to begin. First of all, I’m so so so sorry for not posting anything for so long. But, and here comes the biggest news of, like, ever, I didn’t get to write anything as I moved to London a few days ago. I moved to London. I now live in London. London has become my home. No matter how many times and in whichever way I say it to myself, I’ll probably never realize it a hundred percent. I can’t believe is this is really happening. It feels like a dream.

.

You can probably guess that this is what today’s post is going to be about because I can’t even put into words how happy I am ever since I came here, so I have to share this happiness. It has literally been the best time ever. First of all, I have to say that this, the move to London and the ability to call London my home, has been one of my biggest goals for over 10 years. I remember when I first came to London, during a school trip, I immediately fell in love with the city. It was then that I knew that this place was where I wanted to live, where I wanted to spend my life, even if it would just be a part of it. So I dreamed about London for years and years and years and worked my butt off to get where I am right now. Whether it was my uni degree or just actively talking to people and going to places to make it happen, I did everything I could to have my dream become reality. Obviously, this also could’ve never happened without the unreal support of my family and friends, so the biggest thanks go to them. I’ll be forever grateful for everything they’ve done and still do for me. I love them, with all my heart. And now, after so many years, I’m finally able to call this amazing city, this heaven of a place, this absolute dream, my home. And I could cry just thinking about it.

.

Whenever I leave the house now, where I live with my best friend, just to mention that, – which obviously makes everything so much better and easier and even more perfect – I always get this sudden shock when the realization of where I am hits me. And with every step I take and every day I spent in this city, I fall more and more for it. It’s just so damn perfect. The architecture, the possibilities, the cinemas, the concerts, the people, the shops, the restaurants, just everything about it. It’s all so perfect. And now I live here and am able to take part in and make use of all of it. Just like that. How crazy is that? Also, I have to add that we also live together with the cutest cat and dog and I am so in love, this is literally more than I could’ve ever wished for (besides being able to shrink my house plus my family and take them with me).

.

I also started uni today, which, unsurprisingly, was absolutely amazing as well. You know, even after having decided to transfer to London, I was still worried a bit that I maybe had made the wrong choice. But oh no. The building is awesome, the teachers seem super lovely and motivated and so far the class has been super nice as well. I was a bit nervous walking into a class of people who’ve already spent a year together, but in reality, I didn’t feel weird at all. And, in the end, it’s just uni. The most important part is to enjoy the time and make the most of it. And I’m so planning on doing that. Also, I think I’m probably one of the only students who are actually happy to be back at university. In all honesty, I really did miss it. So much. The lectures and the teachers and just the learning. The truth is, once you actually get to study something you really enjoy and love, even a 9am lecture is fun. It’s all about loving what you do.

.

And now I’m sitting in my room, in the middle of Brixton, and I still can’t really fathom that I’m really here, with Leni just a few stairs away and the city welcoming me with open arms and waiting for me to explore it. I can only think of the future and of all the exciting things that are going to happen and, honestly, I can’t wait. This is exactly where I need to be. London is finally mine and it feels good to be home. Finally.

.

Of course, I am planning on taking you all with me on this journey in and through London, so please stay tuned for more exciting adventures. Obviously, if you’ve got any questions, please don’t hesitate to leave them and your other thoughts down below. I’m so happy that I get to share all of this with you and I really look forward to more. But until then I wish you all an amazing week and hope that you’re doing good. And, as always, thanks for reading. x

Ps: Ed just opened his own bar called Bertie Blossoms in Notting Hill and obviously I had to visit it as soon as possible. It’s literally the cutest place ever. Might have to save up some money to have dinner there some time. It’s a must, let’s be real. Pics are below.

.

 

Power to the local dreamer

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to another Monday and another week. I hope so far you’ve had a great day and that you’re doing good. Today I’d like to talk about something very special – how the move to the UK and my time there and basically the aspect of living my dream has influenced me personally and my view of life. I know, it might sound a bit philosophical now, but, actually, I want this to be a story of a dreamer. Of us, I daresay.

.

First of all, I obviously need to say that moving to Brighton and attending BIMM was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Yes, it was a big and quite scary step. Far away from home, completely on my own and surrounded by strangers. And yes, it was difficult when I first got there, but I knew that it would get better. And I knew that it was what I needed to do in order to get one step closer to my dream. My goal. And that’s actually the easiest way to get through something – if you’ve got something to actually work for, something to look forward to. It might not make the stones in your way smaller, but you’ll grow a tiny bit bigger.

.

And it all paid off because in a matter of two months, I was already at a place I never thought I’d get to in such a short amount of time. There I was, living in the UK for the very first time, on my own, and living my dream. Interviewing musicians, going to one concert after another, actually becoming a part of the music industry. The risk had paid off.

.

I often talk to my friend Leni about how the whole trip influenced me. And all I can say is that it taught me to firstly value myself and secondly my dreams. And to fight for them, no matter how crazy they might sound. I would’ve never believed that I would manage to actually be stuck in a room with Hippo freaking Campus for over an hour. Or that I would get to hug Tom after seeing him live for the very first time and doing an interview with him. It all would’ve sounded way too crazy for me if someone would’ve told me about it a few years ago. But it all happened. And it did because I was willing to fight for it and try my best to reach all of my goals.

.

And now that I’m back home, I get to really digest everything that happened and I noticed that after having been at that point of total happiness, of living the dream, there’s simply no way I can go back. I now know what it feels like to do the one thing you were always meant to do, you always dreamt about doing, and for me, there’s no way back now. And that’s totally fine. Even when I’ll be growing old, I don’t want to look back and just see this as the phenomenal time I had while being at uni. That’s just not how it goes. Because that’s simply not who I am. Not anymore, at least. I want the dream to become my life. Permanently.

.

I often see people just walking around, living their life, not complaining much but also not doing anything overly exciting. They’re simply alive, doing what they’re supposed to do, earning the money they need to stay afloat and once in a while, they go on holiday or a weekend trip and that’s when they’re free and get to feel alive. And I don’t mean to sound like that’s something bad. I know people who’re extremely happy with their lives like that. They just have other dreams and goals than I do. Or than some other people.

.

I remember back in school when my teachers would ask me what I wanted to do when I’m older and I always said that I wanted to move abroad, to London. I was 16. And I definitely received more than one strange look from my classmates after saying this. Because, at the age of 16, having the ultimate goal of moving abroad simply sounds strange. And crazy. But I really meant it. And still, I kind of thought that I was a bit weird, maybe also a bit delusional. Because I had never met anyone with the same ambitions as me. Maybe I was crazy.

..

But then I moved to Vienna and met one dreamer after another. People like me, who also had those crazy dreams they were fighting for with all their power and will. And then I met Leni and now we’re moving to London together. We are doing exactly the one thing nobody ever really believed we would truly accomplish. But now that we have that, it’s “go bigger or go home”. Especially for me. I want to wake up every day happy about the fact that I get to go to work. I don’t want to always think “oh, I’m going to be happy or going to do that once I get home or once the weekend is here”. That’s not what I want from life. I mean, what a total waste of time. Why can’t we all be happy all the time? I mean, of course, we can’t, because we’re humans and we’ve all got our problems and struggles, but still. And after all this time, I think it’s more than okay to ask these questions. Because we all deserve to be happy with the life we are living.

.

I know, this really turned into a huge philosophical post now (sorry), but that’s kind of what has been floating through my head the past weeks. Maybe because I miss the craziness that was BIMM and doing interviews and rushing from show to show. Another reason why I can’t wait to be back. But I think it’s also because I notice how more and more people are now actively ready to fight for their dreams. And I think that’s so damn important. One of my friends decided to move to London with Leni and me. Another one started a new program at university to fulfil her passion. And my mum quit her job and just started her own company. They all did what they had to do in order to be happy and I’m so damn proud of that. Some people might have told them that they are taking way too many risks or that it could all go wrong. And of course it could. But they’re all still here and probably happier than they were before. And isn’t that the most important part?

.

What I want to say: it’s totally alright to want more from life. To dream big. To fight for what you believe in. To take risks in order to be happy. Do whatever you need to do in order to be happy. Seriously. It will all work out, I promise. Power to the local dreamer (yes, that’s a Twenty One Pilots line and, yes, I had to add that in).

.

And with that I’m going to end today’s post. I hope that some of you could get a bit of reinforcement and strength out of my words. If any of you want to talk, please don’t hesitate to comment down below. And until then I wish you all a lovely week and thanks for reading. x

‘I passed my goal a long time ago’

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog and a new week. I hope you’ve all had an amazing weekend and that you’re doing well.

.

Today, I’ve got to share something very very special with you, guys. Something I haven’t really discussed with you in the past. I’m of course talking about the interview I did with the one and only Lewis Capaldi. And yes, I really mean THE Lewis Capaldi. The Scottish dude who’s currently at number 1 with his debut album and who recently sold out his tour in the UK within a few minutes. That guy, yes.

.

Some of you might remember that I briefly mentioned going to his concerts in Brighton and London and meeting him in the past (here’s the link if you want to check that one out), but I’ve never really talked about the interview itself. Which, in all honesty, I don’t even want to do, because it doesn’t feel right in any way. The opposite of professional, actually. But now that some time has passed, I thought it would be nice to finally share the finished piece I wrote about the interview with you.

.

But before you jump right into it, I want to add one thing: The interview I did with Lewis was my very first big one with a musician and even though it’s been about 8 months since I met him, I still can’t wrap my head around it. It still feels like a dream. Because, I mean, it’s Lewis freaking Capaldi. The guy I’m confidently calling the next Ed Sheeran. And I literally sat in a room with him, chatting for about 45 minutes, cracking jokes, the whole deal. Absolutely unbelievable. I’ll never ever forget how nicely he and his whole team treated me. It was my first step into an industry I’m hoping to become a full member of in the future and they all treated me like I had been part of the team for years. I can’t put my feeling of gratitude into words. I’ll never ever forget that interview. Never.

.

So, and now that you know that, I’m proud to finally share my Q&A with Lewis with you. It was definitely one of the funniest, nicest and most interesting interviews I’ve ever done and if you haven’t become a fan of this guy until now, you really need to ceck out his new album ‘Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent‘ and become one immediately. He really deserves all the attention he’s been receiving and so much more. He’s really a one-of-a-kind artist, especially once you get to see his Instagram and Twitter pages and experience his humour. And just so you’ve got an idea of what I mean – on his Wikipedia page it says that he plays ‘sunglasses’ for an instrument. Lewis, we all know you wrote that, just admit it. And, on another note, his twitter name is Lewis Crapaldi, because some hater called him that and he loved it so much, so he quickly turned it into his own joke. Yep, that’s Lewis. You just gotta love him.

.

And now, without further ado, please enjoy the article down below. And, as always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. I’d love to know what you think. Until then I wish you all a fantastic week and, of course, thanks for reading. x

.

‘I passed my goal a long time ago’

.

At the young age of twenty-two, Lewis Capaldi’s career couldn’t be more fairy-tale-like. Within less than two years the Scottish singer-songwriter went from singing in karaoke bars and self-releasing his heart-wrenching debut track ‘Bruises’ to supporting the likes of Sam Smith and Rag’n’Bone Man and selling out one tour after another.

.

I caught up with Lewis before his sold-out show at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire to talk about his most recent experiences with success, staying true to himself in the age of social media and handling all the attention he’s been receiving.

. 

A few years ago, did you think you would end up where you are now?

No. I mean, I was kind of always doing this, but I didn’t think I would be doing it to this level. I did think I would be playing music, but my goal was to play 350 capacity rooms around the UK and, if I was lucky, 100 capacity rooms in Europe. And not even to necessarily play my own songs. I just wanted to play music and be able to make money off it. And so far it’s been very nice, but to be playing shows this size is a very weird thing. To have someone come to my room to ask me questions and write down what I’m saying so people can read it is a very weird thing. And having people outside in the queue know who I am is very weird. And it can all go away very fast. I’m not saying I would be okay with it, but if it did go away, I would still be playing music. I passed my goal a long time ago.

.

That must feel pretty amazing, right?

I’m pleased with it. But I’m sure we’ve all done amazing things, but have been too close to them to realize how amazing they are. That’s when you need to take a step back and go ‘oh, that is kind of amazing’. Sometimes I’m really bugged down about things going wrong. I think, as people, we are kind of drawn to focus on the things that go wrong rather than the things that go right.

.

Why did you start your career by releasing your music yourself?

Nobody wanted to sign me. *laughs* I’m joking. I just think the first thing you release should come from you. If you want your first piece to be exactly how you want it to be and how you see it, you should release it yourself.

.

Sounds like music means a lot to you…

I approach it as I approach everything else – I don’t take it too seriously. If I’m having a shit time and I write a song about it, I’m able to work through it, but it’s not like therapy. I don’t agree with people who say it is. But being able to look at things from that angle and seeing they aren’t necessarily as bad as they seem is good. Sometimes a good song comes from a bad thing. But I don’t want to put too much weight on things, even with music. It feels more like an old, familiar friend.

.

Which part of being a musician do you enjoy the most and is there something you hate?

I love playing live, that’s the main thing. That’s where I came from, that’s why I’ve done most of it. I’ve played live more than anything else. But I fucking hate being in the studio. It’s the most boring fucking thing ever. And I don’t know if that comes across in my music, but it’s just so tedious. Not so much being there with a producer and coming up with ideas, that’s fun. But the actual recording of the vocal is the fucking most boring fucking thing you’ll ever do in your life. For me, I record music so I can go and play it live.

.

And what about interacting with your fans?

Again, this is a very weird job. So having lots of human interaction online and during the shows is very important to me. And I mean, how often are you sat in your room, just randomly scrolling through Facebook and Twitter, bored out of your fucking mind? And I can just go and talk to people. It makes me feel more normal about everything. Suddenly it isn’t just a big, faceless crowd. And also, it can probably make someone’s day, so if I can make someone feel good, that’s just fucking sick.

.

Speaking of the internet – how do you stay true to yourself in the age of social media?

So many singers nowadays are very careful about what they do online. And I think, if you’re not a horrible person, you don’t really have to be careful. I was like this at the beginning, but I don’t want to not be myself because of that. I think it’s a hard thing to do for a lot of singers. But, again, this is a very weird job. The fact that so many people follow me on Instagram is a fucking weird thing. But you know what, it’s not that weird if you just ignore the fact that it’s weird. When I was growing up, I would have liked people to just be themselves as much as they can. That’s why, in the past, I always used to say: ‘if you don’t like a chubby guy singing sad songs you’ve come to the wrong fucking place’.

.

Also published in: The Sun & Brighton Life Magazine

Tim’s last farewell

Hola everyone.

How are we all doing on this beautiful Friday? I hope you are all well. Sorry for not posting anything on Monday. As I had mentioned in my last post, I just moved back home from Brighton and got here on Sunday night, which means the past few days have been filled with unpacking all my stuff, washing clothes and getting used to the literal hell that is the outside until at least 7 pm. Okay, no, I don’t want to be one of those cringy people who complain about the weather all the time. I actually really love that it’s 8 pm right now and that I’m typing this while sitting outside, still wearing shorts. It’s this warm. Lovely.

.

But that’s not what I wanted to talk about. Yes, I know, the weather is a highly fascinating topic, but no. Today, I thought, I’d finally write my already announced post about Tim’s/Avicii’s new, posthumous album “TIM” that just got released. Some of you might remember that last time, I briefly mentioned the release and that I had gotten the chance to go to the album release event in London. Which is exactly what I want to fully explain today. And, of course, I want to dig deeper into the whole album and tell you my thoughts. So, buckle up for a hell of an emotional EDM ride.

.

As most of you will probably know, I’ve always been a big fan of Tim. He was the one who got me into EDM and I, for sure, wouldn’t be the person I am today without him. Which is also why his sudden death last year hit me this hard. It was the first death of a celebrity that really broke my heart. Even more so after watching his documentary “Avicii: True Stories” and seeing how the industry and his idiot of a manager broke him into pieces. In 2016, Tim announced his official retirement. This, on the one hand, made me sad, because I knew that I would miss seeing him live. But on the other hand, I also liked how he had decided to choose himself and his health. Not the business. Not the money. He just wanted to get better. And I really thought he had. But unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. And now after listening to his new album, I can’t help but ask myself if we maybe ignored Tim’s own SOS.

.

Here the music, which suggests a pure love for life, there the musician, who himself was anything but happy with his own. But that isn’t the only reason why the release of “TIM” is inevitably bittersweet. On the one side, us fans all over the world now get the chance to celebrate twelve new hits, but on the other side, the fact that the artist behind these songs cannot celebrate them with us fills the music with a deep melancholy and breaks my heart a little. A certain, profound mix of emotions I also felt while attending the album event in London one week before the official release. In different cities all around the globe, Tim’s team had put up cubes that fans could walk into and experience his new songs for the very first time. But besides getting the chance to listen to a few seconds of the album, the whole event meant so much more. Because in order to get to listen to the snippets, you had to put your hand on the touchscreen placed inside the cube. The screen then connected itself to another cube in another city where somebody else’s hand had also been placed on it. As soon as the connection had been made, you could actually see the other hand next to yours on the screen and after that, the song started to play.

.

I know, you could now say that it was all fake and that they just showed some silhouette of a hand, but it wasn’t. I got connected to someone in Stockholm, presumably a girl, as the hand featured a ring. And I know it might sound strange, but in that very moment, I felt such a deep connection to that person. Two human beings, two strangers, doing the very same thing and getting to hear the very same song at the very same second. It was just so special. And it definitely accomplished its goal, as I did not only get to connect to someone who wasn’t even in the room but also to the other fans who visited the cube. I might not have known Tim personally, but I can definitely say that he would have loved this.

.

.

Personally, I would say that the album itself couldn’t be more special and emotional and straight up important. Tim himself was always fond of being one of those songwriters who like to mix heaviness with ease. A concept that runs like a thread through all his musical works – as well as his latest pieces. Because, once you look and listen beyond the fantastic beats and euphoric rhythms of the new songs, you suddenly get to hear lyrics like “Can you hear me? SOS. Help me put my mind to rest.” and “And I think I just died. I think I just died.”. And that is why the release is so bittersweet. The lyrics depict the state Tim was in while writing and producing the new tracks before his death in April last year. They tell the story of someone who was lost but still holding onto the last fragments of strength and hope. But it still wasn’t enough. No wonder I had to fight back tears while listening to the album on the tube in London. Crazy how songs can say so little but mean so much.

.

In addition to these unfinished songs, Tim also left countless demo clips, notes, texts and emails behind in which he described exactly how his new album should sound. Enough material that his songwriting colleagues Kristoffer Fogelmark, Albin Nedler, Vincent Pontare and Salem Al Fakir (Vargas & Lagola) decided to complete the tracks without him, but as close as possible to his visions. The result can be seen as the late testimony of a troubled but inspired musician. Or simply as a palette of excellent electronic beats that never fail to put a smile on the face of any music lover. I, for my part, have deeply fallen in love with the following three tracks, for various reasons. They all feature amazing beats, fantastic lyrics and make me want to listen to them again and again. But most importantly, I adore the stories they tell.

.

.

.

.

Although it may just be a small ray of hope in the midst of a tragedy, Tim’s family has recently launched the “Tim Bergling Foundation” to raise awareness for mental illness and suicide prevention in the music industry, which I think is an amazing cause and a fantastic idea. The net proceeds of Tim’s new album also go to the foundation, which I think he would’ve loved as well.

.

Unfortunately, “TIM” doesn’t give us any answers as to what might have happened to him during the last years of his life. But there is something else in the album – a musical heritage that will shape not only the soundtrack of today’s but also that of future generations. Tim may not be with us anymore, but his music will live on forever. And I know that the world will always remember him as one of the greatest artists. I definitely will.

.

But what do you think about the album? Do you agree with my thoughts? Please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below, guys. And, as always, I hope you enjoyed this post and wish you all a lovely weekend. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

‘The definition of ambition’

Hola everyone.

How are we doing today? I hope so far you’ve all had a great week and that your Friday is going great. Today, guys, I have the honour to share something very very very special with you. Some of you might remember that this February, I finally got see one of my favourite bands live – the one and only Hippo Campus (here’s my post about the show – click me). But that wasn’t the most exciting part, oh no. Easily the best part was that, before the show, I also got to interview them. And yes, I know. How crazy is that? I honestly still can’t believe that this really happened. When I think back to it, it feels like I had some kind of weird fever dream and that it was never real. But it was. I really met and talked to them. And they really were the nicest, coolest and most chill people I’ve ever met. I can’t even begin to describe how eternally grateful I am that I really got to do this. What a dream come true.

.

And, so, now that you know this, you also know what this post is all about. Exactly, the interview. But before you get all excited, no, I don’t mean I’m going to spill the beans of the whole experience. Oh no. Even better. Today, I finally get to share the finished piece I wrote about the interview with you. And trust me, I waited quite a while to be able to say this. But I’m so so so glad the day is finally here. So, without further ado, here’s my feature about one of the best bands ever – Hippo Campus.

.

THE DEFINITION OF AMBITION

.

There comes a point in every band’s existence when the youthful enthusiasm of the early days has to give way to a more sophisticated version of themselves. Formed in 2013, the Minnesota band Hippo Campus was born from a group of high-school friends who were just looking to have a good time. But after releasing their first album, years of touring and gaining popularity, especially in the ranks of indie fans, they suddenly found themselves in a less inspirational atmosphere. They needed a change.

.

This special desire to shake things up has always been present in the five piece’s music, and their second album ‘Bambi’ is a liberal, maybe darker, more experimental realisation of exactly that. While their debut release ‘Landmark’ was full of bubbly excitement and youthful lightness, they felt driven to change direction and go that little bit deeper. They wanted an honest reflection of themselves. “I think it was mostly reflective of the times. We were all in this weird kind of state. The stress of creating a second album, there’s a lot of pressure on that. And we didn’t want to have that pressure. It’s darker just because of where we were at that time,”, says Whistler Allen, drummer of the indie group.

.

“Part of that was that we felt chewed up a little bit. You get out of high school and after the first couple of years of touring and after the first album, you experience something that isn’t what you thought it was,” adds Nathan Stocker, lead guitarist of the band and co-writer of most of the Hippo tracks. “People suck sometimes and there’s hurt. The process of maintaining the relationships that actually matter to you and to what you’re doing as a musician, artist or whatever you want to call it, gets really tiring.”

.

Thus, calling this new era of Hippo Campus “real” would be a strong understatement. As they turned the page to pave the way for ‘Bambi’, the band found freedom in being an open book lyrically, but also personally. “It’s a very vulnerable place to be a songwriter, because it’s like ‘okay, I’m going go outside and use a megaphone to let everybody know what I think and what is going on in my life and feel free to look over my shoulder and hate me or love me’. You’ve got open arms to the world and the audience you have and that’s so scary. Because they can chew you up and spit you out,” Stocker explains and pinpoints the one aspect, the sheer honesty, that gave their newest release a certain feel of relatability. “Really, there’s no reward in it other than making it for the sake of being in that place at all. There’s really no other tangible reward. Even if it resonates with people, it still sucked for me to write.”

.

It seems that the American band never shies away from acknowledging the fears and emotions of the current generation, actively addressing issues like the #MeToo movement, mental health or toxic masculinity, and using their album to process and accept them at the same time. Whether it be overwhelming worry (‘Anxious’), inescapable self-doubt (‘Mistakes’) or failing relationships (‘Why Even Try’), ‘Bambi’ covers nearly every area when it comes to the highly personal issues the band members had to face. The album fluctuates between blissful calm to vigorous chaos, while the lyrical discomfort fits in with the awkward, socially uncertain times that they were dealing with.

.

And although it’s a reckless existence, the Minnesota five-piece wouldn’t have it any other way – gig by thrilling gig – their path so far has surpassed even their greatest expectations.  Now, it’s even the small issues and tiny stones that stop them in their ways they get excited about. “That’s part of why we love it so much, actually. If you don’t get irritated by little things, then you won’t know that you’re having a ton of fun with your friends every day,” exclaims DeCarlo Jackson, trumpet player and newest addition to the band. Stocker adds, “I’m excited to be irritated by stuff that actually matters. That’s the definition of ambition. It’s tackling problems that actually further us.”

.

This is where their newest LP comes into play, as where ‘Landmark’ only touched the surface, ‘Bambi’ dives in head first. It’s the new side of music and writing that the band hopes can shine a light on the gap between reality and society’s expectations of constant perfection. Especially at current times, social media and the pressure that comes with it push down on a lot of bands. A pressure Hippo Campus isn’t willing to accept. “Naturally, if you’re not being the most honest version of yourself, there’s nothing else you could be except somebody else. Because if you’re not being you, then you’re definitely trying to marble yourself after someone else. But you know, sometimes we dress up,” Allen insists.

.

It’s this way of wearing their hearts on their sleeves and being their truest forms that seems to capture their fans. Together, they share this powerful connection that has been there from the start and only gotten stronger through their newest release. “The fans are everything,” Stocker agrees. “They just continue to be unbelievable people, who, for whatever reason, love our music. It’s always really bizarre to interact with them. Because it’s like ‘what have I done to deserves this?’. It’s just really good to feel the love and support and to see they’re real people who are experiencing real things and sharing a space with us. I know it could be a lot more segregated in terms of feeling like we have some superior upper hand to them, but it is pretty communal, on and off stage.”

.

From the start, always returning to this certain kind of passion and unapologetic honesty, Hippo Campus have looked to create a release that is both enchantingly light and devastatingly dark when it needs to be. While it focuses strongly on issues that clearly mean a lot to the band, the general tone of their newest record is one of optimism, looking for the brief moments of joy in a world with little to spare. And at the end, it’s the sheer love for music that brings them all together and provides the album with its special glow. Stocker concludes: “Music is the most interesting and spiritual example of memory that humans can have, to me. There’s nothing else really that is as fascinatingly metaphysical than the feeling when you listen to a really good song for the first time. For me as a person, there’s no other thing that exists other than memory. In the end, that’s all we have. Our entire progress is based on it, it’s the foundation of life. The fact that we can remember, the fact that I can play my instrument, is entirely based on memory. And music is the prime exemplification and personification of memory. And fin.”

.

So, there you go, guys. I dearly hope that you enjoyed reading this piece. Also, please do go and check out this band, they really deserve all the attention they are receiving right now and so much more. Here are all their social media handles: Spotify, YouTube and their official website.

As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your comments and thoughts down below and do please get in contact if you’ve got any questions. And until then, I wish you all an amazing weekend and, of course, thanks for reading. x

Interview with Saint Raymond

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog. I’m sorry for being gone for so long, but I hope you’ve all had a great time and that you’re doing well. I know at the end of my last post I said that I’d be coming back with a huge post about Avengers: Endgame, but, honestly, it’s been over a week since I saw it and I still haven’t been able to fully process it. My plan now is to watch Infinity War and then see Endgame again straight the day after, so I can really say which one I prefer. And then I want to put all my thoughts, emotions and opinions into one long, deserving post for you all to read. Unfortunately, that means it will be packed with spoilers, so I’ll just say it now – if you haven’t seen the movie, don’t read anything about it, don’t ruin it for yourself and just watch it. Also, props to you if you’ve made it this far without coming across spoilers. Well done.

.

So, now that we’ve talked about that, let’s get to the real deal, which is something I’ve been burning to tell you ever since it happened. Some of you might remember the concert review I did of the Saint Raymond show I went to in March (here’s the link if you want to check it out). I absolutely loved the show, but I didn’t tell you everything that happened on that day. So, here comes the crazy part: I didn’t just go to the concert, I actually met up with Callum (Saint Raymond) before his show in Brighton to do a little interview with him. I know, I know. Holy moly. I still haven’t been able to wrap my head around it either. And oh wow, it was such a lovely interview. I felt so welcome and it was just so chill and nice. And Callum was absolutely fantastic as well. Definitely one of those hours of my life that I’ll never ever forget. And I’m so happy that I finally get to share the piece I wrote about it for my university magazine with you. I really hope you enjoy it. Also, please don’t forget to show Callum some love (here’s the link to his Spotify and his website), he really deserves it. And, as always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts down below and thanks for reading. x

 

‘It’s a show-off world’

Nottingham born and bred Callum Burrows, aka singer-songwriter Saint Raymond, exploded on to the music scene in 2013 with his EP release ‘Escapade’. Following that the young artist not only went on to open for some of the biggest names in music, but also toured festivals including Glastonbury, right before releasing his No. 1 debut album. After a short hiatus, the singer is now ready to go bigger than ever. I met up with Callum at Patterns in Brighton before his show to chat about standing your ground in the music industry, crime-podcasts and supporting music-star Ed Sheeran.

.

Did you ever expect to end up where you are now?

No, not at all. Obviously I hoped I would, but I never thought I’d be doing music as a career. I never expected it to get to a point where I get to do it for a living. Which is still weird for me to say, because I think I sometimes take it for granted. Like with anything, you have your highs and lows and I often forget that music is my job. Which is pretty cool. Ten years on, still get to play shows. It’s crazy.

.

What is the one memory you will never forget?

There was this special moment when I played a hometown show in Nottingham, at Rock City. I actually played it three times, but that first gig was an unreal experience, because I had grown up going to gigs there. And suddenly people were queuing to see me and I just thought ‘what the hell is going on?’. So, that will always live long in my memory. And besides that, the tour with Ed was super crazy as well.

.

Speaking of that – how did you get to support him?

I met him through a mutual friend and then ended up going to his birthday party, where we had a chat. And then, about a month later, he just texted me out of the blue saying ‘hey man, do you want to go on tour?’. I couldn’t believe it. I actually kept it a secret from my band until the official announcement. I just told them that we would be going on tour in October. That really was an amazing experience, which I’ll be forever grateful for.

.

Looking back on all your songs – what’s your favourite one?

That would probably be ‘As We Are Now’, because it meant so much to me at the time. I wrote it when I was kind of hoping to do music for a career, but I wasn’t sure that I was going to. All of my friends had gone to university, so they knew what they were going to do for their jobs after. But I was just in this period where I wasn’t a kid anymore and had to take some responsibility. So that one will always be a special one.

.

Is that why you released two versions of it?

Yes, that was a mad decision, to make the fast version. I don’t want to bitch too much, but I prefer the slow one. You know, there are a lot of things that happen with music, especially when you’ve got a big team around you, where decisions just get made that aren’t always the right ones. Or not solely what you want. But it’s hard when a lot of people are throwing in their opinions, because, at first, you know what you want, but then you get a bit lost in it. So that’s what I’ve learned over the last few years, to stand my ground a bit more and go for what I believe in. I was very young when I made that first record, it was a big learning curve.

.

What’s another part that you had to get used to?

Definitely social media. I think Twitter is such an important tool as an artist, but I struggle to use it to its full capacity. It’s easier now when I’m on tour because I can talk about that, but it’s really hard to interact when you’re not doing those things. At least for me. I know some other people who are amazing at it, like Lewis Capaldi. He’s got it nailed down. But then again, right now, there are a lot of people in the industry trying to copy that. And that’s when you look like an idiot. Because you’re trying to be someone you’re not. Which is mad. Especially now with the whole Instagram world, I think it’s so important to be who you are on social media. It drives me crazy how people are living a life that isn’t real. It’s a show-off world.

.

How about using Twitter and Co. to connect with your fans?

Oh yeah, I think it’s so important to interact with them. Before social media, bands were untouchable. You couldn’t access them unless you went to a show or met them somewhere, whereas now you can genuinely have a chat with anyone. You can literally send a message to the president of America, not that you would want to. But that’s how the internet works now. And I think sometimes people forget that if it wasn’t for the fans, they wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing. Because who would buy the tickets, the t-shirts, the albums? They start to think they are on a platform above them. Which isn’t true. That’s why, after every show and not just on social media, I’ll always try to come out and talk to people. I mean, them coming to the show means that I get to do in in the first place, so why shouldn’t I?

.

And would you call yourself a fan of someone as well?

Of course. Loads of people. But my biggest inspiration right now has to be Ariana Grande. I once saw her perform live at this charity event in Central Park in New York. She came on stage with Coldplay and, until today, it’s the best live vocal I’ve ever heard. The whole day overall was just absolutely crazy. I stepped on Jay-Z’s foot by accident and then met Leonardo DiCaprio. Weirdest day of my life. And besides that, I’m a huge fan of murder podcasts. They’re my jam.