These days I am having a great time with the crew of PureMix. They are shooting new tutorials for their website and I get to visit the set. I feel like in a candy shop, checking out some mouth-watering gear and learning from the most knowledgeable audio engineers.
A few weeks ago, True Motion Pictures reached out to me to produce a song for them. So I sat down with my Hammond SK1, a notebook and lots of Starbucks coffee to come up with a riff, the melody and, of course, lyrics.
But writing lyrics and composing a melody is just one step of the whole production process. You have to arrange the song, which means deciding on tempo, key, style and instrumentation. You could turn a Beatles tune into a death metal song or Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” into a dance track. You don’t have to, of course, I’m just saying– that’s what ‘arranging a song’ means.
Once you know what you want the song to sound like, you wanna make sure you record with great musicians. I am lucky, because I am surrounded by quite a few badass musicians who are fun to work and hang out with. I also had my first Pop Tart ever while recording drums with James Applegate. Now, when you have recorded, edited and premixed the tracks (editing as in cut out laughters or nonsense talk about Pop Tarts) there is a slight possibility that you can’t stand to hear your own song for another time. That’s because you have been playing it for about five days in a row over and over again. Don’t worry, that feeling will pass! Maybe take a walk and meet friends who tell you things like: “Dude! You’re so pale! Do you ever see the sun?”
The final step of the production is the mix and the mastering. Besides great taste and excellent ears you also need a lot of experience for these matters so you might wanna hand your tracks over to an expert, which I did. Sal Ojeda has been mixing for film as well as for ridiculously famous artists (who we’ll not even name because we’re too cool to even bother).
All there is left to say is: I am really grateful for my wonderful team. Thank you for your passion, musicality and inspiration @ James Applegate (drums), Benjamin Krause (Hammond/bass), Mike Hernandez (guitars), Andres Fonseca Alfonso (percussions), Sal Ojeda (mix/mastering) and Alexander Papastawrou (True Motion Pictures).
High Five!
I remember the first time I set foot into a professional recording studio. I was 13 and my uncle, a trumpet player from New York had brought me along to record one of my original songs. I was super intrigued by all the equipment and a little intimidated by people talking in a language I would not understand yet. But I also felt that this was where I belonged.
Countless recording sessions later, I still feel the excitement and an instant happiness when I get into the studio. You close the door of the vocal booth and leave the world outside. It’s just you and the song.
Wow… over 35,000 hits on YouTube for my German song “Einfach Nicht” – Thanks for listening!
Last week, I got a call from an old high school friend in Germany who had heard my song on the radio– it’s a bummer that I am not in Europe while World in Your Hands is climbing the dance charts over there!
Shout-outs to the awesome producers Denis the Menace, Syke’n’Sugarstarr & Erick Morillo and a big THANK YOU to the fans for supporting the song!
Much love ♡
11 PM in one of Berlin’s hippest night clubs. Asphalt Club. Poetry slam meets live music. We call it Glitterati. Produced and directed by Rainer Meifert and Marco J. Schuler. Actors and writers get together for a performance that is rebellious, different and creating buzz in Berlin’s arts scene. Ben Becker, Dirk Bernemann, Franziska Weisz, Mia Ming –and me.
The first time I perform, I’m quite nervous. Accompanying myself at the piano, I sing a bunch of Pop and Rock tunes, translated from English to German with Google Translator. Hilarious results. Turns out, it’s quite fun to leave the comfort zone: Mara meets Gaga.
For our Glitterati Summer Edition we picked an open air location: Café am Neuen See
As part of my endorsement, I was invited to Hammond Germany to check out their newest Stage Keyboard. The HAMMOND SK 1. Here’s what it sounds like…
To me, writing music is a matter of the heart. It’s a chance to share my perception of life, a chance to connect with others on an emotional level. I like the idea that people around the world, who I might not even have met in person, can relate to what I sing about in my songs. That’s why my music has to feel consistent with who I am– otherwise that connection would just not be true.
I am not doing this for the money.
I am not doing this for the fame.
I am doing this simply because I love.
Wanna ride with me?