For the sixth time in as many years, Swedish festival Live at Heart is once again welcoming bands and artists from EXCITE. This year looks to be a big year for the festival and the program is just massive.
Through our network we got Terri from Finland, Kraków Loves Adana from Germany, Josephine Sillar + The Manic Pixie Dream from Scotland - along Bottlecap and Rome is not a Town from Gothenburg in the line-up. Rome is not a Town plays Thursday and the others will play both Friday and Saturday. It felt kinda right to ask the ones traveling a bit to get up here some questions.
Hey all, what's your thoughts on coming to Live at Heart? Any prior experiences of our country, its music, anything?
Kraków Loves Adana (KLA): We are very excited to play Live at Heart and to experience some kind of exchange with other artists from different countries and genres. We have been to Sweden before and played a show with our Malmö friends and label mates Wy.
Josephine Sillars (JS): I am really excited! I've played in Sweden twice before, both times at a festival called Sandvikfest in Björnlunda and I had a really great experience at that festival, and I'm delighted to be coming back to the county to play more music!
TERRI (T): I'm very excited (no pun intended)! I listen to quite a lot of Swedish music and living in Finland, I have visited a couple times already.
Do you find it different playing outside your comfort zone, by away playing compared to playing your own hometown?
KLA: I think playing live in general means to step outside your comfort zone, no matter if you play your hometown or on the other side of the world. We prepare the same way for every show and the most important thing is to to enjoy performing.
JS: It is different playing abroad, but something I really enjoy. And pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is one of the best ways to improve as a performer. The preparation is slightly different on a hometown show where we experiment more with new ideas and have special guests joining us, but for away gigs we focus more on making sure the songs are tight, and that the ideas we have been experimenting with are coherent.
T: It's interesting to see how people respond to my music without necessarily understanding all the lyrics, since they play such a big role in my songs. I will definitely try to prepare my performance so that the message of each song will come through, but we'll see how that works out!
Last, what's the best thing you discovered this last month?
KLA: That action fuels motivation and inspiration, not the other way around. I also found out that it can be useful not to over-identify with your work or your role as an artist, to approach it more like a day job so even if the road gets rocky you still have the ability to maintain your focus.
JS: The best thing I have discovered this last month is actually Ida Kudo, the EXCITE artist from Denmark. I met her after her set at XpoNorth, and her music is my favorite thing right now.
T: For me it was finding out that Spyro Reignited Trilogy will be released for PS4 next month. I'm no gamer in general but I'll be having some damn fine nostalgic moments with that one for sure!
All EXCITE artists will perform through Thursday to Saturday, and we'll also have a workshop/session on publishing during the Saturday. More info on who plays when and where on the links below.
EXCITE AT LIVE AT HEART - https://www.facebook.com/events/2105369599479303/
LIVE AT HEART OFFICIAL SITE - http://liveatheart.se/
LIVE AT HEART EVENT - https://www.facebook.com/events/1590895871023969/