Eurovision 2025 Has Officially Begun – And I’m Living for It
It’s that time of year again… Eurovision is here! But this year is even more special – ESC 2025 is in Switzerland, and I couldn’t be happier.
Today (Sunday) was the Opening Ceremony, and what an unforgettable experience it was. Each delegation introduced themselves to the fans, and let me tell you, it was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. I loved every single minute of it!
The Parade of Stars: A Fan’s Front Row Experience
First up: Australia, with GoJo – aka the milkshake man! You all know they hold a special place in my heart because George from Sheppard co-wrote the song. Instant goosebumps.
Then came Sweden, with the already-iconic Kaj. Sweet, talented, and incredibly kind. They adored my double Sweden-Finland flags, and I was already on cloud nine.
I kinda missed Italy because I was still starstruck by Kaj (can you blame me?!), but I’m sure they were great too.
Then came my dark horse – Iceland’s Vaeb! Two 16-year-olds with such a catchy song. Absolute love. Please vote for Iceland!
Estonia brought us a mysterious espresso macchiato vibe – and some very secure-looking “security”? Unsure if it was a show or real guards, but either way, a whole vibe.
Armenia and Poland followed – and wow, the Polish performer looked incredible. Glam to the max!
When Malta stepped out, Miriana was SERVING. Queen energy!
Sparkle, Sass, and Some Serious Vocals
Ireland really turned it around from last year’s Bambi moment. She was so sweet in her glittery dress – a total star.
Georgia showed up looking stunning as ever. Honestly, where do they find all these gorgeous women?!
Azerbaijan: beautiful staging and super stylish outfits. Norway’s Kyle gave a full-on performance – one of my faves with his “Red Lighter” song. ????
Staying in the red zone, Belgium’s Sebastian got a huge cheer. Loved the energy!
And then… San Marino. The crowd went WILD! Everyone was singing “Tutta L’Italia” together – goosebumps all over again!
From Buses to Bops – The Line-Up Kept Delivering
Montenegro’s Nina – stunning (and yes, I might be biased because what a great name). Then Germany’s Baller made an appearance. Rumour has it they’ve changed things up… I’m curious to see!
Croatia’s Poison Cake is criminally underrated in my opinion. Sitting in last place right now and I truly don’t get it – I love the song!
Spain brought the volume UP again with loud, passionate cheers. Then came the UK’s Remember Monday, who were absolute sweethearts. Waving, cheering, taking in all the love. Adorable!
Pretty Faces, Big Voices, and Magical Moments
Cyprus and the Czech Republic brought out some very handsome gentlemen. Not mad at it. Portugal lit up the space with their colourful suits. Denmark’s Sissal was a ray of sunshine! Her vibe filled the entire Marktplatz and she officially became one of my new faves!
Latvia’s delegation looked like forest fairies – ethereal, friendly, and SO photogenic! And then came Finland’s Erika – soaking up the sunshine and the crowd’s love. Her energy is always on point!
Right after, Claude from the Netherlands had a sweet moment with Erika – she stepped off her bus to greet him and they sang together. Cutest thing ever. I love them both!
Then came the ever-so-gorgeous Princ from Serbia. The girls next to me (and my flag) caught his attention – he waved at us! His song Mila is SO good and so underrated!
The Grand Finale (Well, Almost…)
Austria’s JJ came out to greet fans and take photos – a sweet gesture, even if I don’t fully get the hype yet. Then came Greece – she looked absolutely stunning in her golden dress. Of course, I gave her a big woop woop!
And finally… our very own Zoe Me – and what a reception she got! The biggest cheer of the day by far. I followed her journey to the EuroVillage, and walking behind her felt like representing Switzerland itself. The energy, the support, the love – it was overwhelming (in the best way). Zoe took the time to interact with fans and was so genuine. A real moment I’ll treasure forever.
A Quick Tip and a Warm Goodbye
Before heading home, I took a quick look around the EuroVillage – snapped some pics and caught part of an interview. Super fun, but I was totally wiped out from all the cheering and excitement.
Pro tip: don’t bring ANY bag to the EuroVillage. Not even a tiny one. No bag. None. Nada. You’re welcome!
Eurovision Week, Here We Go!
Now that I’m home, I can honestly say: I CANNOT WAIT for this Eurovision week. It’s going to be unforgettable – and I’m so here for it.
Stay tuned for more updates from ESC 2025 and follow me on @kekoaskorner !
Ten years ago, I saw Sheppard live in Mascotte—and I still have the handwritten setlist from that night, courtesy of Emma herself. This spring, I brought it with me, and it turned into the perfect icebreaker. George spotted it, smiled, and immediately started singing “Free.” “Blast from the past,” he said. It really was.
VIP Experience: Stories, Questions & Serendipity
The VIP session was heartfelt and full of surprises. We got to ask questions, hear their journey, and connect with other passionate fans.
“What’s it like living in Nashville?”
“It’s amazing,” they told us. “We’re writing songs every day with so many talented people.”
We heard incredible stories from fans, like:
A Boston family whose 6-year-old’s favorite band is Sheppard.
Two Swiss fans who saw them at a festival in Australia and then heard “Geronimo” on the radio months later.
This moment led to an impromptu a cappella performance of Geronimo—on a warm spring day, surrounded by smiling strangers. Pure magic.
The Show: Heart, Hits & Positivity
Once on stage, Sheppard brought the house down.
High energy. Deep emotion. Big laughs. We were treated to stories behind the songs and a setlist that didn’t miss.
A personal highlight: “Kiss My Fat Ass”—a body positivity anthem led by Amy. She’s not only a vocal powerhouse but also a strong advocate for self-love.
–> Follow Amy on Instagram if you don’t already. She’s the real deal.
The crowd was totally into it—dancing, clapping, cheering. It felt like a celebration of everything good.
Eurovision Buzz & a Surprise Reveal
Then George casually said,
“We almost went to Eurovision with On My Way… and this year, we co-wrote GoJo’s Milkshake Man.”
And how else do you close the night but by shouting “Say Geronimo” at the top of your lungs? It was the kind of moment that makes your heart feel full.
Final Thoughts
Thank you, Sheppard, for giving us a night filled with nostalgia, laughter, and new memories. Here’s hoping we don’t have to wait another ten years for the next round.
Das Rudel versammelte sich fleissig am Freitag im Hallenstadion und Kontra K spielte mit viel Energie, Fangesängen, Hände und Liebe, die unter die Haut geht.
Am Freitagmorgen habe ich den Post gesehen: Heute Loyal Ink Shop im Hallenstadion. Kontra K’s Tattoostudio, das normalerweise in Berlin zu Hause ist. Für mich war klar, das ist eine einmalige Gelegenheit im Hallenstadion von Loyal Ink tätowiert zu werden. Also ging ich um kurz nach 16.00 Uhr zum Venue und liess mich von den super talentierten Künstlern – während Kontra K soundcheckte – tätowieren 🙂
Um 20 Uhr gings dann wieder zurück ins Hallenstadion, um Anna Grey – den Support – anzuhören. Sie hat eine super schöne Stimme und ist ebenfalls ein Swiftie! Die Vorfreude auf nachher wurde immer grösser…
Der Startschuss
Endlich war es 21.00 Uhr und das Intro startete. Das Cover von “die Hoffnung klaut mir niemand” war gross auf einen Vorhang projiziert und Kontra K’s Lava-Augen flossen langsam Richtung Boden. Und Bäm – Vorhang runter, alles voller Rauch und dann stand er da. Von Sekunde 1 spürte man Kontra K’s Energie und er hatte die Halle im Griff. Natürlich durfte ein kleines Warm-up nicht fehlen – Alle Hände hoch, kreisen und dann bouncen!
Von langsamen Songs “Die letzte Träne” bis härtere Songs “Warnung” war in den ersten Minuten schon alles dabei. Im August am Zurich Openair habe ich Kontra K kennen und lieben gelernt. Was für ein Live-Monster! Mit “Puste Sie Weg” fand er den Weg in mein Herz… und jetzt liebe ich alles Songs. Auf “Puste Sie Weg” folgte “Blei”. Einfach ein perfekter Übergang!
Anna Grey kam natürlich für “Narben” zurück auf die Bühne. Was für ein emotionaler Song. Auf “Ein Schritt” habe ich mich mega gefreut. Ich hatte ein Bild in meinem Kopf wie der Song live sein sollte und Kontra K hat es einfach total erfüllt. Viel Feuer, viel Pyro und perfekt zum Text passend. Ein Highlight auf das “Gib mir keinen Grund” folgte.
B-Stage – Kontra K sieht alle!
Für “Nur für dich”, “Die Sonne”, “Follow” und “Ich Seh Dich” ging Kontra K auf die B-Stage.. wie er dahin kam, fanden wir leider nicht raus 😀 Plötzlich sass er da auf dem Klavier. Am Schluss schwebte er auf einer weiteren Bühne oberhalb der B-Stage. Die Lasershow dazu war einfach mega! Passend zum Song sagte Kontra K:
Ich sehe Euch!
Das Publikum war immer wieder hell beleuchtet und man hatte wirklich das Gefühl, dass er bis in die letzte Reihen die Leute sehen konnte. Auf jeden Fall waren alle mit dabei und die Hänge gingen in Höhe. Mein absoluter Lieblingsteil der Show kam jetzt:
“Like Woo” ist seit dem Release mein Wecker und meine morgendliche Motivation. Es endlich live zu hören, war einfach nur meeega! Natürlich musste “Kampfgeist V” folgen mit einem lauten “Ahhhuuuu” wurde der Song eingeleitet. Diese beiden Songs sind einfach nur Motivation pur. Kennt ihr die Gummibärenbande? Das Intro zu “Adrenalin” darf natürlich nicht fehlen “So mal ich mir die Welt, Wie-sie-wie sie mir gefällt”.
How time flies….
Dann habe ich auf die Uhr geschaut und ich konnte es nicht glauben. Es war schon 1h 20min vorbei und das Konzert näherte sich dem Ende zu. Wir waren nicht bereit und dann wie wenn Kontra K mich gehört hätte, hat er dasselbe gesagt und könnt ihr noch? Natürlich, können wir noch! “Der Letzte Tag” muss natürlich am Ende des Sets kommen, denn passender könnte der Text nicht sein.
Das Publikum liess Kontra K und seine Crew nicht gehen. Mit lauten Zugabe-Rufen kam er wieder auf die Bühne. Sein erster grosser Hit “Erfolg ist kein Glück” – ein Crowd-Favourite! – durfte natürlich nicht fehlen. Als letztes Highlight einer zweistündigen energiegeladenen Show mit Herz stimmte er “Wölfe” an. Das Lied, das mich nun in die Ewigkeit begleitet <3 Danke Kontra K für ein Mega-Konzert, das bereits jetzt zu meinen diesjährigen Highlights gehört.
Schaut euch die unglaublich tollen Bilder von Loads of Music an! Klickt hier.
Drake Milligan brought some old school Country Music to Switzerland. Not only did we enjoy his set but I think him and his band did too. A small town boy turned into an Elvis-like musician who made it to Zurich – what a Story to tell!
Drake and his band of 5 took the stage and you could feel they came to play! Right away Drake wrapped his female fans around his little finger with his sexy winks and the intense eye contact. But no, Drake is not just good looks and charming – he is an incredibly talented musician.
From Country to Bluegrass – Drake Milligan can do it all. “Tipping Point” and “Over drinking, under thinking” were got us dancing and singing. Not just the ladies in the crowd loved him. I saw many men bopping their heads and clapping. Speaking of heads… it wouldn’t be a country gig without some cowboy hats! As you probably know I loove cowboy boots and have been wearing them for years. So of course I wore my newest addition from Boot Barn in Vegas 😀
Want to read more about our country gig in Las Vegas? Check out Dustin Lynch.
After just a few songs I was sold. Drake Milligan is super funny and the band has great chemistry on stage. They know exactly what the other one does and can react accordingly. It was so much fun to see them play. A highlight for me was the song “Hating everything she tries on” because sometimes that’s just how we women feel and yes the bedroom looks exactly like he describes it:
Hatin’ everything she tries on
But I don’t know what for
Two dresses on the bed
Three more in the floor
She keeps saying, “I’m sorry it’s taking so long”
She don’t know I’m loving watching her
Hatin’ everything she tries on
Drake Milligan also paid tribute to Buck Owens – Bluegrass Legend with the song “Buck’Em”. And then suddenly he said someone yelled “Cowgirl for Christmas” and he probably wouldn’t be back before Christmas to sing this song… so he just played it! You know I cannot get enough of Christmas so that was right up my alley. The lights were green and red and we could sway to a lovely X-Mas song in March 😀
During “Goin’ Down Swingin” the band and Drake got closer together and did a little Grand Ol’ Opry style version of the song. You really have to appreciate the amazing band: Kelly, Adam, Clay, Ryan, Lucas you guys ROCK!
Drake Milligan
On we went with the set and with every song I enjoyed Drake and his band more. He also covered “Pretty Woman” which I enjoyed a lot. They didn’t stop for one minute – it was a funny energetic musically brilliant show and with loud claps and shouts of we want more and whistles they left the stage. The lights came on, the security started to move us away but the audience kept on clapping and shouting! I was so surprised that this audience could be so loud and persistent.
The crowd couldn’t get enough of Drake Milligan and apparently neither could he. The band came back and they played a special encore of covers including a little “Twist and Shout”. He then said he’ll be taking pictures with everyone after the show and what felt like 30 seconds later he was standing by the merch stand. What a wholesome night and I cannot wait for my next country gig with Darius Rucker in April!
Dustin Lynch in Las Vegas at the Superbowl weekend was just incredible. The country vibes in the US plus the party atmosphere made for an unforgetable great gig!
As a country fan it was a must see when we heard that Dustin Lynch performs in Vegas during our super bowl trip. And luckily we got there early and made barrier. The weather was great and the atmosphere was buzzin. People came to party – and that’s what we did!
Partying in Las Vegas, Baby!
Dustin opened the show with “Stars like Confetti” and everyone was already jumping and having a good time. Everyone could singalong and were dancing to some brilliant country music songs. For us Swissies it is so special to see/hear country music artists live and experience the party atmosphere that comes with it.
Of course Dustin Lynch played all his hits. During “Tequila on a boat” he took shots with the audience and in the background we saw a hilarious clip – yes it involved some nudity too 😀 But who can blame them if they were in their “Party Mode”.
Party Mode
I was so looking forward to my two favourite songs “I’d be jealous too” and “Small town boy”. Especially the latter because I knew after Vegas we were heading to small towns in Utah and would be experiecing the real America. But what we didn’t know was that my Highlight came during “Thinking ‘Bout You”.
Dustin Lynch had a bath in the audience and I knew this was my moment. I had prepared some friendship bracelets for Vegas in general – Marry me Sweetheart – as you do in Vegas right?! So I thought why not give him one of these! He was singing to people just in front of me and I waved the bracelet in front of him. He saw it and knew exactly what to do. I smoothly put the bracelet around his arm and EVERYONE around us was loving it! Taylor Swift had the best idea with these friendship bracelet thing! It’s such an easy way to connect and everyone enjoys it.
However, Dustin had to get back up on stage and broke my friendship bracelet before he could even read it. He said: “Make me another one!” So Dustin Lynch I heard ya! You better come to Zurich to pick your new and stronger friendship bracelet up 🙂
Amy MacDonald stopped in the Hall on her last night of her shortest tour ever – and we were grateful that she did. She brought her hits from 2007 and introduced us to new songs of her album The Human Demands.
Thanks to Gadget I got to see Amy MacDonald for the first time in concert. Yes, I know it’s clearly unbelievable how I haven’t seen her before. Especially because I loved her first songs and she always seems like a really funny and nice person. Her beautiful Scottish accents only adds to her charming personality. I’ve been saying this on my instagram and I am saying it again I could listen to her talking for hours! 🙂
Just before 9 o’clock Amy MacDonald took the stage with “We could be so much more” at the Hall (formally known as Samsung Hall). The seated audience stood up and it was a great atmosphere from the start. It still feels very special to be back at gigs – like normal – like before. And we Swiss are always special – we listen. It was so quiet when Amy MacDonald talked to the point where she was not sure if we understood her or not. But loads laughed so she knew we understood her lovely accent.
“The Hudson” was on just before her first big hit ” Mr. Rock N Roll”. What a song! I takes me back to my teens haha. Everyone stood up and sang and rocked along. “Dream On” literally made wander off and think about nice memories. “Automatic” and the title track from the new album “The Human Demands” were next. Poor her she mentioned that no-one was interested in the new album but I guess it was 2020 and the last two years have been just a blur for everyone.
Another of her hit songs was next “Don’t tell me that it’s over”. Amy MacDonald is such a talented singer but also an amazing guitarist. I enjoyed watching her do her thing and in-between she cracked jokes and understood how to entertain us. “Bridges”, “Slow it down” and “4th of July” was the next trio. I particularly enjoyed the latter. I don’t think I’ve heard the song before but I instantly was singing along which to me is always the best sign of a good song.
“Feed my fire” reminded me of Vance Joy’s cover of “Im on Fire” during his support on the Beautiful Trauma Tour. So very good memories were coming up again. Amy MacDonald then said that this was her shortest tour ever with only 4 concerts in total and this was her last night. So we can all be very grateful to her that she made it to Switzerland. Putting a tour together is a lot of work and to play it only 4 times is just a bit sad really but in all fairness I think we was happy to play and we were thankful to hear live music again!
“Run”, “Poison Prince” and “Statues” were next. Just before she left for the Encore Amy MacDonald played her biggest hit “This is the Life” and the Hall rocked! The song was over waaay to quickly! Such a tune! 🙂 The audience was super loud and we of course wanted her back on stage! “Never too late” brought out the lights on the phones of the audience. For the next song “Down by the water” it was time to put us to work. We were her choir with ” Down Down Down”. She closed her set with “Let’s start a band” and after 1 1/2 hours we left with a happy heart.
Amy MacDonald came to rock the Swiss audience in the Hall with her new songs and her classics! Gig 3 this year made me really happy and hopeful that we can enjoy many more gigs like that.
Kekoaskorner durfte zum zweiten Mal Wincent Weiss interviewen. (hier geht’s zum ersten Interview) Dieses Mal natürlich Coronabedingt per Zoom.
Dein Neues Album Vielleicht Irgendwann ist seit kurzem releast. Du hast einige Vlogs zum Songwriting gedreht. Wie, würdest du sagen, schreibst du deine Lieder am besten?
Am besten schreibe ich die Songs im Team. Ich schreibe mir kurz auf worüber ich schreiben möchte – die ersten Gedanken. Das Ausarbeiten ist dann immer im Studio mit meinen Freunden. Songwriting ist für mich Teamarbeit.
Würdest du sagen, du hast zuerst die Melodie und dann Text oder umgekehrt?
Es wäre so schön, wenns da so eine Regel gebe. Es ist immer unterschiedlich. Mal ist der Text zuerst da und die Melodie wird drum rum gebaut und dann wieder umgekehrt. Es gibt leider kein Rezept wie Songwriting funktioniert. Schade eigentlich!
Sonst würden’s alle machen 😉
Was wolltest du schon immer machen, konntest es bisher aufgrund deiner Karriere nicht tun?
Da gibt es bestimmt einiges. Ich hab letztens gemerkt, dass ich gerne wieder in einem Verein Sport machen würde. So regelmässig Dienstag und Donnerstag in den Verein gehen. Egal was Fussball, Basketball…
Ich wollte eigentlich dieses Jahr Fallschirmspringen!
Diese zwei Sachen würde ich gerne machen.
Wow. Also keine Höhenangst?
Nee gar nicht.
Was hast du Neues über dich gelernt während Corona?
Das man sich Zeit für sich nehmen sollte. Das habe ich die letzten 5 Jahre nicht gemacht und das letzte Jahr aber viel. Zeit zum Selbstreflektieren, Zeit zum Wahrnehmen, Zeit für sich, das ist ganz ganz wichtig. Muss ich noch lernen öfters einzubauen.
Auch bei uns Konzertgänger ist das Thema Corona allgegenwärtig. Denkst du, wir sehen dich bald in der Schweiz an einem Konzert?
Wir arbeiten dran! Durch die Pandemie, darf man ja nicht so oft spielen wie man gerne möchte bzw. gar nicht. Ich versuch natürlich alles, dass ich wieder in Deutschland, der Schweiz etc. wieder auf die Bühne darf. Ich hoffe, dass es dieses Jahr noch klappt.
Wird es wieder ein Medley bei den Konzerten geben? Schon eine Ahnung mit welchen Songs?
Ja, ein Medley wird es sicher wieder geben. Ich möchte, das immer an den Konzerten machen. Wir hatten aber noch keine Bandproben. Dann schauen wir mal was es für Songs gibt und was man machen kann. Ich liebe die Medley’s und bei den Fans kamen sie auch gut an. Jetzt können wir sogar 2 Jahre in die Medley’s packen! Wird ein langes Medley 🙂
Ein Sommersong für die Sommerkonzerte! 🙂
Du hast schon eine ziemliche Sammlung an Konzerterinnerungen: welches ist deine wertvollste Erinnerung und welches dein emotionalster Konzertmoment?
Boah, schwierige Frage. Das Konzert ist immer das Highlight am Tag – wie eine Achterbahnfahrt der Gefühle. Einer der beeindruckendsten Momente war in der Schweiz im Stade de Suisse – weil es einfach eines der grösste Konzerte, die ich gespielt habe. Auch mein allererstes Konzert war auch im Hallenstadion in Zürich als Vorband von Andreas Bourani. Da war ich so unfassbar aufgeregt. Das war krass. Da denke ich aber gerne dran zurück. Habe letztes eine Erinnerung bekommen auf Social Media, das war vor 5 Jahren! Unglaublich.
Apropos Konzertmomente… Letztes Jahr als du da warst, verteilten Vanessa und Daniela 2000 Herze in der Samsung Hall. Vielleicht kannst du dich da noch erinnern.
Ich habe das Gefühl, dass bei mir die ganzen Fanaktionen extrem präsent sind. Ich kenn das bei anderen Künstler gar nicht, dass da soviel gemacht wird. Bei mir ist es so riesig, alleine 2000 Herzen!
Wie steht es mit deinem Schweizerdeutsch?
Puhh… jedes Mal wenn ich in der Schweiz bin, möchte ich es besser machen. Leider wird es nicht ganz so viel besser. Ich verstehe es, eigentlich ganz gut, aber sprechen kann ich es nicht. Ich bin auch schlecht darin, andere Sprachen zu sprechen.
Du hast ja nun doch schon das eine oder andere Tattoo – welches ist dein neustes und wofür steht es?
Mein neustes müsste eigentlich auf dem Knie sein. Da steht “Schreiben”. Das ist ein Partnertattoo mit meinem Songwriter-Kollege. Seit 7 Jahren schreibe ich mit ihm alle meine Songs und deswegen verbindet uns das Schreiben und jetzt eben dieses Freundschaftstattoo.
Schön. Tattoos müssen für mich immer etwas bedeuten.
Ja klar. Man muss etwas in Verbindung bringen, was einem etwas bedeutet. Ich habe mittlerweile 9 Stück oder so und weiss bei jedem, wann das war, wo das war, welche Situation und was ich damit verbinde. Viele schauen auf ihr Handy die Bilder an und ich auf mein Bein und hab schöne Erinnerungen.
Was bedeutet dir dein Without Fear Tattoo? Und hast du ein Lieblingssong von Dermot Kennedy?
Er ist ein Artist, der mich sehr inspiriert. Er darf gerne mehr Alben rausbringen 🙂 Er ist als Songwriter geil, als Sänger geil, die Livekonzerte sind super. Without Fear darum, weil ich wüsste noch wovor ich Angst haben sollte in meinen Leben. Ich schaue immer super optimistisch nach vorne, deswegen passte der Titel.
Beschreibe deine Crew in 10 Worten.
Familiär, weil wir ja seit 7 Jahren schon zusammen sind.
Loyal
Lustig
Manchmal auch schwierig.
Super Musikalisch!
Unfassbar kreativ
Launisch *lacht*
Alt, ich bin ja der Jüngste
Verfressen, aber sehr sehr liebenswürdig
Dein Buddy Johannes Oerding ist ja zurzeit Host bei Sing meinen Song. Könntest du dir das auch vorstellen?
Ja, das könnte ich mir schon vorstellen. Aber erst zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt, wenn ich mehr Erfahrung gesammelt habe und bisschen länger im Musikgeschäft bin. Johannes hat ja mittlerweile 6 Alben und macht seit dem er Kind ist Musik, hat also super viele Erfahrungen schon sammeln dürfen. Ich bin da realistisch und würde gerne noch mehr Erfahrungen sammeln, aber gerne in ein paar Jahren.
Funny Questions mit Wincent Weiss
Was war das Lustigste, dass dir je auf einer Bühne passiert ist?
Was ist dein Lieblingsspiel?
Ich glaube Wizzard, ein Kartenspiel. Das spiele ich auch mit meinen Grosseltern.
Dein Lieblingswitz?
Oh ich kann keine Witze erzählen… *überlegt*
Er fängt etwas an zu erzählen, aber die Zoomverbindung ist genau in dem Moment sehr schlecht…
Heute feiert Rita Roof den Release ihres ersten Albums “Stimm i mir”. Das Album ist der perfekte Soundtrack für chillige Sommerabende, die wir hoffentlich bald wieder geniessen dürfen. Kekoas Korner traf sie zum Interview. Viel Spass beim Schauen!
Singer songwriter Patrick Droney moved to Nashville 5 years ago. The influence of the bustling music city and the mekka of songwriting can be heard in his new single “State of the Heart” which will be released this Friday, 26th March. The single is the second song from his album which is set to come out in June. Kekoas Korner was able to talk to him just ahead of the release.
We talked about how much we miss live music and Patrick gave us Nashville sight-seeing advice so I am sure you’ll enjoy our 10min talk which you can watch here:
Patrick Droney’s bucket list venues are also on mine! Slane Castle is a huge estate in Ireland which hosted many great live shows already such as Metallica or Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Situated in the middle of a 1,500 acre estate in the heart of the Boyne Valley, Slane Castle is the perfect venue for big outdoor gigs
Red Rocks of course. If you’ve been following my blog you heard a few artists already mentioning this amazing venue. The amphitheatre is located in Colorado and has been the home of many great nights of big artists such as The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac and Colorado’s very own OneRepublic.
If you’ve enjoyed this interview make sure you follow him on his social media and check out tomorrow’s release “State of the Heart”!
The Australian band Sheppard best known for their Uber hit “Geronimo” released their newest record “Kaleidoscope Eyes” on 26th February. We met up on Zoom to talk about their favourite songs and the differences between countries while touring.
Hi guys, how are you doing?
Amy: We just finished our production rehearsal. We have a show here on Friday. We had a full day of rehearsing and it’s going really well.
George: We’re very excited about it. It’s the biggest show that we’ve done for ourselves in a long time. It’s our first show in our hometown in Brisbane in about 2 years. All of our friends are coming. The whole Covid thing is easing up here in Brisbane. Vibes are good 🙂
That’s really nice. Hopefully we have some easier restrictions soon too.
Emma, George and Amy
Last year you did 12 songs in 12 months. How did you come up with this cool project?
George: We decided early on in the year that A we needed something to do with our year because we already weren’t doing a lot of touring. We toured the year beforehand. People consume music in such a different way nowadays. It’s all about singles and people don’t listen to a whole album anymore. So we decided to give each song of the album its moment in the sun and ourselves the challenge to write, record, release and film a video clip for a song every single month. We thought it was a good idea at the time. It was a really big struggle at times but I think it’s one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.
Emma: It was really rewarding. We got to enjoy every single instead of just being worried about one single and a lot of pressure on that one single. So it was nice to just release a song and focus on the next.
OK so you literally wrote the song in one month and did everything to it and then released it?
G: Sometimes. We did have some demos that we’ve been working on and we did have a basket of songs that we kept picking out: „What about this one, what about that one?“ „OK we try that one“ and then work on that one for the rest of the month.
That is a really big challenge!
G: There were some songs that we started from sratch like solid gold or animals.
Will they be on your new record?
G: Yes, so the 12 songs that we released last year are on the album. We also got another extra couple of tracks – sort of like bonus tracks.
We’re looking forward to „Kaleidoscope Eyes“!
G: Me too, can’t wait to have it out there properly!
What’s your favourite song on the record?
A: I think we all have different favourites. Mine is probably solid gold. It’s been picked up by NBC in the States as the official olympic theme song. That’s a really big deal for us. I just loved writing it. It nearly didn’t make the album because we had a really good chorus but for some reason the verse didn’t really fit. We couldn’t think of anything. So we thought we would just gonna abandon the song. Which happens to a song sometimes but we stuck with it and we came up with a new verse and it worked really well!
G: For me it’s symphony. I really like the energy of it. It’s very uplifting, anthemic, happy song. There’s not a single minor cord in that song which I find interesting. It’s just this massive uplifting declaration of love. You can just feel the electric energy in it and I really enjoy performing it on stage.
E: For me I would say Brand New it’s just really happy electric…
*Everyone laughs*
G: Happy electric declaration of love.
E: It really is though. I just love the lyrics and what they mean to me.
Uplifting is good. We need it right now. Who were/are your musical i nfluences?
G: We’ve got a couple. A lot of old timy songs. Artists like Elton John, Cat Stevens and the BeeGees. We grew up listening to that sort of music. Our Dad and Mom instilled that timeless sense of classic songwriting in us from an early age. So we always try to instill that in our music. In terms of bands nowadays I’m a huge Coldplay fan. I really like the vibe they have – that stadium feeling – we’re in it together. It’s really lovely energy in a live show. That’s one of my fav band of all time. What about you Emma?
E: I love Noah Cyrus at the moment. Love her songs and her voice as well.
A: My biggest influence is more old timey stuff like Fleetwood Mac because they have the male female lead vocalist, lots of harmonies, great hooks and everyone of their songs are quite unique. That’s something we really do well as well.
You do! 🙂 Now touring internationally has been impossible the last year. But as soon as it’s allowed again will you be coming back to Europe?
*All three of them are nodding emphatically*
G: Absolutely! Kind of want to sneak over there somehow now. Nearly get a boat and find out where we land. We’ve got a big fanbase in the netherlands and belgium and Switzerland and Sweden. There is this whole collection of European countries that are really big on Sheppard. We just can’t wait to get back over there and play to our fans again. It’s a long time coming. It feels like we really need to get back over there.
Yes, it’s been 6 years since you’ve been here!
G: 2015 when we played in Zurich.
Yes, at Mascotte and look I still got the set list!
Sheppard, Mascotte 2015
All: Wow. Oh my God. 🙂
G: That’s Emma’s handwriting! 🙂
Do you still handwrite your setlists?
G: Sometimes, if we haven’t got a printer but right now we’ve got a bit more professional. We have a laptop and portable printer. But still people take them and we sign them for them. Maybe if we come back to Switzerland you can have one again!
Hopefully so! And you can sign both of them! 🙂Speaking of touring… What would be your favourite or most special venue you’ve played in or want to play in?
G: Over in Europe we really enjoyed Paradiso in Amsterdam. I thought that was a really beautiful venue. Those really big nice theatrical venues. We are actually doing one right now here in Brisbane. It’s probably the best venue you can play here. It’s called the fortitude music hall. It’s brand new. 3000 capacity and right in the center of town. It’s something we’ve needed in Brisbane for so long! It’s this really beautiful venue. We’re stocked to be able to play it last Friday night!
It’s so nice hearing about concerts! It’s like I wish!
G: I know! We’re gonna have 1000 people there so it’s not full capacity but we still get 1000 people at a show, we get to perform live. I’m pinching myself!
Do you notice cultural differences in fans? Like people from Australia are different to people from Switzerland or Amsterdam?
E: Yes, for sure. We talked about this in another interview as well. In Japan they just stand there and they’re trying to be polite. That’s just the way that they are. You don’t know on stage and you think you are playing really badly and then they’re clapping and cheering at the end. Every different country has a different way of celebrating music. We went to Italy once and they sang every single song even though they probably didn’t know them – which was amazing! What would you say?
G: Germany is I think the same as Japan where they just stand there and watch. They are enjoying it and they just take it in. You think that you’re bombing out on stage. As soon as the song finishes that’s their time to show appreciation whereas in Australia, Holland and Italy I’ve noticed it especially they just don’t stop making noise.
E: I noticed it in Switzerland as well. They’re very quiet during the set and we went off stage and thought „Oh God we really did a bad set!“ and they were calling for an encore! And we were like oh we did all right then if they’re calling for more!
I enjoyed it a lot I can tell you that!
G: We I hope you’ll enjoy the new show as well!
I’m sure! I can remember it so well! A little show but a great one! I’ll be back 🙂 What do you like most about Switzerland?
Sheppard about Switzerland
You’re three siblings in a band. What would you say is the most difficult part?
Everyone: Mhhhh
G: It’s not really too much that’s difficult about it. I think we fight more than a normal band would but it’s also not really anything too serious. So whenever we do have a fight it’s more common. We might fight about something stupid like who gets the front seat of the van. It’s very trivial stuff. We can be honest with one another and just get past it which I don’t think a lot of people can do in other bands. I don’t really think there is anything bad…
A: Except for like it’s Christmas Day and it’s hard to switch off from work. You’re talking about the album. Sometimes it’s hard to switch back to family mode. That sometimes gets a bit difficult especially if you had a bad day or something negative happened it’s hard to remember that we were family before this.
G: That’s a good answer.
What would you say is the best part of being siblings in a band?
E: That we can be honest with one another.
A: On the flipside where you have each other all the time. You can run ideas by each other at all hours and you can really rely on each other because you’re family and obviously you’re not gonna – hopefully *looks at George and Emma* – stab me in the back That’s definitely a benefit for us.
G: You’re never lonely on tour. We’re always together. There are so many moments where the other guys in the band are like I wish we had family with us and we get to do that every day. We are very lucky! We just miss our father who’s up in Papua New Guinea and we don’t see him as often as we’d like. Our Mom comes with us everywhere and we’re always together so we’re really lucky.
Now we have some Fan Questions:
With Corona Virus making it difficult for artists at the moment. What do you miss most?
E: I would just say miss flying. Being able to choose whether to tour or not. Our songs are taking off overseas and we can’t go over there to push them. So it’s a bit annoying.
A: I think it’s just the human connection for me. We spent so long in the studio. We’re so used to being able to then go to a show and meet and play for our fans and hear them singing back to us. That’s all been taken away.
G: That’s where you really discover what impact your music is having. Because you can do livestreams and play for the fans and then see the comments coming up and you get likes on Instagram but it’s not the same as being at a show seeing the people’s faces in the crowd, feeling the energy and that happiness and the impact your music is having. That’s when you get to gage it and you loose that when you don’t get to tour live. It’s easy to feel like you’re not succeeding or your music is not really going anywhere. It feels like you’re just stuck.
What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you on stage?
George about his most embarrassing moment on stage
What’s your favourite food?
E: Ohhhh!
G: Emma!
E: This is a hard question.
G: No it’s not! You know…
E: If I could eat it everyday I would. Crawfish!
G: That’s not at all what I thought she was gonna say!!
E: I could eat anything Asian but Viatnamese is at the top of my list.
A: I’m a simple gal. It’s chocolate ice cream.
So you definitely have to come back to Switzerland.
A: Yes! I love chocolate! 🙂
G: I’m an even simpler guy. I love Vanilla ice cream.
I love the fact that two out of three mentioned a ice cream as their favourite food! 😀
G: Emma’s the adventurous taster. She’s the first to eat crickets in Mexico. She really wants to eat Tarantula if she gets a chance.
Wow! 🙂 Well thank you so much for the interview that was a lot of fun!
