Friday March 28, Hind, the Dutch Eurovision representative 2008 with Your heart belongs to me, gave an
excellent performance in the North Sea Jazz Club in Amsterdam. The venue
has this night club look and relaxed atmosphere that made Hind shine
and sound bright. With her excellent new band, she delivered around 10
songs. Hind's music is not easy to be put in a box. At the moment,
it's a mix of pop, Maroccan, Spanish and jazz and she fuses it to Crosspop, a name she used for her latest cd. Check it out here.
A few days earlier my Flying reporter Robert got a
chance to have an interview with Hind where he asked her to look back on
her Eurovision adventure. What does she remember from 2008? Who was nice? Who was doing something naughty? Would she do it again? What does she think of Ilse & Waylon's song? And should artists try it more than once? Read it all here:
Hind,
what have you been doing since Eurovision 2008, it's been six years?
I
have been doing a lot! Mostly music. After Eurovision I released my
third album, but not in the usual way. It was funded by donators via
website Sellaband. It was something very new back then and for me it
was a very interesting way to create an album as it also brought me
closer to my fans. It was a challenge and I was a bit afraid as
everyone could see the amount of money collecter with the meter on
the site...
This
was of course something very new then but the music industry has
changed so much the last few years....
That
was the main reason I wanted to something different as the record
labels don't have budgets anymore to produce cds thanks to illegal
downloading and so many have had to merge together to survive. It's
sad but that's how it is now and we found a way to produce this
album. It also got a lot of media attention and I raised 40.000 euros
in 11 days! It was the biggest tsuccess ever on Sellaband. And I was
able to produce the album CrossPop. I went to London to write and
record it with Steve Power who produced the most succesful albums of
Robbie Williams. It was a dream come true for me. It all took about a
year.
Do
you do a lot of live gig?
Yes,
all the time, every week. Mostly in the Netherlands but since a year
I have my band and we tour a lot in Germany, too. After the album it
was important for me to find someone to guide me; I can sing and
write songs but I need a good management, too. So, I changed the
whole team around me and since a year we have been working on new
songs and trying to get international exposure as well. That takes
time...
So
is Germany your next step?
Oh
it doesn't really matter. If the song is good it doesn't matter where
it hits, the Netherlands, Germany, England.... If my music is success
I'm happy, it doesn't matter where! But the most important thing is
to have a good song.
Do
you write a lot of your songs?
Well
yeah, I started writing songs when I was 17 years old but I had no
experience and I had to learn how to do it. I started writting for
real after my first album when I got more secure and I had the
feeling I needed to have something more of myself in my songs. So I
started co-writing. I don't play any instruments so I need someone
next to me who plays guitar or keyboards or makes beats with computer
and I can sing along.
So
you don't read notes either?
No!
I do everything with feeling and intuition. Sometimes I wake with a
melody in my head at night and I take my phone and record it, or on a
plane.... that's how I work. And you never know when you have a good
song, how it will turn out. Sometimes when you listen to my demos
they are completely different from the original tracks. But that's
the nice thing about music!
Going
to your Eurovision experience. Going to Eurovision, Belgrade and
representing your country? How do you look back at it now?
Well,
when they asked me to go and represent the Netherlands as they did
ask me, I was actually very honored. But at the same time I was
thinking what if I have to sing a song I don't like? So I told them
it's very important for me that it's my own song. So I got the
freedom to create my own song and find the team around me so it was
very comfortable for me and I was very happy. I saw it as a new
challenge and a new experience in my music career. We worked for half
a year around the song and the act, the outfit because that's also
very important in the Eurovision. I enjoyed it very much!
Do
you recall any of your collegues out of 2008 Eurovision who impressed
you or you had more contact with, someone you clicked with?
Yeah,
the only one I remember is Vania Fernandez from Portugal. Wonderful
voice. She had a lovely fado song and when we met we had a very nice
time, I loved her. But for the rest.... You know, everybody's on
theirselves, concentrating... I remember the one who won! The guy
from Russia, I remember he was... before he went on the stage he was
coming out of the toilet, and he had still something on his nose. Ha
ha ha, I was just like What's going on here? And I heard he bought a
beat from Timbaland and that Russia spent like millions on that act.
And he won. For me that was like the moment I realized this is not
about the music anymore, it's only about which country has the most
money to win the Eurovision! That was for me very disappointing to
see...
You
felt it wasn't fair...?
It
wasn't fair! That guy didn't sing any notes right, they were all
flat. That is frustrating when you work half a year seriously for an
act and you think you may have a chance. And you believe in it. I
wouldn't have started this Eurovision song contest if I didn't
believe I have a chance. Also because the Netherlands hadn't been
doing so well.
So
you were hoping to change that?
Yes!
I was hoping to get at least to the final. Yeah, it was very
disappointing. It always is when you don't win a game. When I go into
a game I'm always concentraed and give 100% of myself.
How
long did it take to recover from that?
One
evening! Ha ha ha, yeah. C'mon. It's no good to feel sad or cry for a
long time. I saw how it was and for me it was a real realization. I
saw it as a new adventure, a learning experience. For me it was the
best way to work with a professional team, also in international way.
I was enjoying it very much, the big stage, the lights, the sound....
people that were watching. Yeah, I'll never forget it.
So
the day after it was over. Too bad but I go on?
Yeah....
But the main reason I don't like Eurovision anymore is you have sing
with a tape! No live orchestra, it's such a waste! We are talking
about music here. This is the biggest music festival in Europe so why
not go back to old days and perform with the same band? I'm missing
that.... and I was performing my song the next day with the Dutch
Metropole orchestra and I even enjoyed it then more than the day
before. Seriously, I'm a musician!
Do
you still perform the song sometimes?
It's
been a long time actually....
What
does the song mean to you today?
It
was the first love song I wrote so it means a lot to me. I have a lot
of memories of the song.
Your
style has also changed over the years, you've got new influences.
Could you see yourself doing a new version of it? It's a very
beautful song...
Yes!
Definately. I'd love to play it again, you remind me now. Make a
funky arrangement out of it. That would be interesting.
Do
you still follow Eurovision?
Of
course. Every year. If I am home I always follow it. Last year I only
saw the Dutch participant.
What
do you think now with Anouk and Ilse De Lange taking part...
I
think it's a good change! On the other hand I think it's a good way
of changing because of the fact the Netherlands didn't do well
lately, Anouk changed it a lot.
Maybe
she was also lucky that she went to the final. If she didn't maybe
she wouldn't have changed it...
I
know. I think it was good they asked her to do it as she got the
final, thanks to that we have a new chance again. I'm very curious
how Ilse and Waylon will do.
How
do you like their song?
Yeah,
I expected more out of it, to be honest. Because they are both great
artists and great entertainers but this is a little bit on the safe
side. Especially I expected Waylon to do more in the song with her
vocally, you know. They have two beautiful voices, you get more out
of them. It's a safe choice! Maybe it's a bit boring.....
If
you hadn't been in Eurovision yet and were asked now, would you have
chosen the same song now?
No,
a different one, a more commercial one. The chorus should be easier,
more sing-a-long... that's what I learned!
Would
you consider doing it again?
No.
Because
you are on a different path now?
No,
nothing to do with that. I did it already. It was a great experience
and now I'm gonna do something else.
But
now you would be experience, you would know better....
Yeah,
but... it wouldn't bring me anything more. I think. If you do
Eurovision you should do it once. But that's my opinion.
Ok
Hind, thanks very much for this interview.
You're
welcome! And see you in the concert on Friday!
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