K - Could you introduce all the members of your project? And tell me more about your basic place (location).
F - I am Fatima Dunn, and I am the one and only member of my project „One Woman Orchestra“. I have a cello, some effects such as delay, octaver or a slicer, I have my voice and I have a loopstation. At the moment I rehearse in a nice atelier space with big windows. The view is okay – it’s in the middle of the village I live in – which is in Glattfelden – this is in Switzerland. It’s near Zürich. It’s kind of in the country side, we have a river, we have the woods, lots of birds and sometimes there are cows behind our house.
K - What inspires you to make music?
F - What inspires me most is nature in all its forms. I like to be outdoors a lot. I need the silence to get inspired. But I also search for sounds of nature, such as heavy wind, or rain or birds – I am really fond of birds. I love birds. That’s why I called my album “Birds and Bones” – birds are the symbol life and bones are a symbol for death. This is actually what drives me, what interests me: Growth and decay, becoming and passing away again.
K - Tell us a little bit more about the music scene in Switzerland.
F - From my point of view, Switzerland has a huge variety of cool and good bands. I think in Switzerland many kids have contact with music because in almost every village there is a musicschool. So we raise many musicians. To name you some bands I like: Evelynn Trouble: She’s a great singer and performer, kind of punkish, rebel-like but also very subtle with good ideas and style. Or there is for example “Marylane”, a great indie band with an exellent female singer – they’ve had their release recently with the same label im with; that’s TOURBOmusic. “Linda Vogel”, she plays the harp and has an interesting pop-indie project with the harp. I’ve seen her live last summer, and liked the concert a lot.
K - What do you think your biggest success was?
F - I think my biggest success is not one event but it’s the fact that I can live from making music. I see this as a big privilege. I play shows and I write music for TV, cinema, radioplays, I play as a musician theatre or in dance projects. And I think just being able to do what you love and live your passion, and then being able to live from it , is really great. and I’m greatful that it is that way.
K - Fatima Dunn has released a new album called “Birds and Bones”. Who was the producer? In which studios has it been recorded?
F - I’ve produced all of the songs from “Birds and Bones” in my own studio, which I own with my partner. It’s called “Tonkonserve”. We write and produce the filmmusic in that studio – so I have all the equipment ready. And my songs evolve a lot, they change while I am in the recording process. So I wouldn’t wanna miss recording and producing my songs by myself. But as a result it took me quite a long time to finish, because I always heard something to add or wanted to change again many things. And finally it has been mastered at Hardstudios Winterthur, in Switzerland.
K - Please, tell us a little bit more about the following songs:
“This Night”
“This Night” tells a story of falling in love. Falling in love with the moment. It’s set on an openair concert, for me I had a warm summer evening in mind, and it says: this night carries your song, it carries your beat and sends shivers down my spine. I am falling – fall into this night – falling for you.”
“Dunnae im Tal”
“Dunnä im Tal” is a song in Swissgerman about a women who lives up on a mountain and she looks down into the valley and tells her story. It’s a lovestory that didn’t go so well. But it also describes the mountain, and details up there, where she lives. I like this song a lot. I think it’s one of my favorites on the album. Also because I’ve only just started writing in my mothertongue Swissgerman. And this was the first song I wrote for “Birds and Bones”
“See the World”
“See the World” tells about two people who have know each other before, when they were younger. They were a couple. And they meet again at a party – and it feels like they’ve seen each other just yesterday. And she says: somehow I‘d like to stay but I know in my heart, now‘s still time to part Because I still wanna see the world As if she stayed, she would stay forever.. and she doesn’t want to settle. She wants to see the world – first.
K - What are your next plans?
F - I have my cd release n march 23rd with my Swiss Label TOURBOmusic and a tour, with concerts taking place mainly in Switzerland. The cd release show on April 12th at Moods Jazzclub Zürich, which I will play with a great female videoartist Mirjam von Ow. And I have some filmprojects and radioplays in which I’m involved in.
K - Please tell us more about your plans in Europe / Czech Republic.
F - Unfortunately I can’t announce any shows in Europe or Czech Republic. But if you’d invite me I’d come! What is your favourite drink & food on a tour? Well.. I love all kind of food. I am a really foodie. I love eating – almost everything. I also like to try weird things, such as brain, dried fish, cheeses. And the cool thing in foreign countries is that you can sometimes try weird stuff, you’ve never tasted before. I think the worst I’ve ever tried is “Hakarl” Icelantic fermented fish. But this hasn’t to do with touring, right… so.. Before a concert I don’t eat very much – because I can’t sing as well with a full stomach. And I don’t like garlic and raw onions before a concert. Because of the burping and the smell. And a drink: I drink water mostly – very boring – but it’s good for me.. or then I like drinks with ginger in it.. a bit hot and spicy. And amber beer with dinner. I also drink wine with a good meal. But yeah.. I’d say water is my favorite drink
K - The most Pop & Rock groups like festivals (like Rock am Ring, Glastonbury Festival, etc.). The classical projects like more special venues (theatre, etc.) What does your group / project prefer? (small venues, or big festivals, and why?)
F - Of course I’d play any big festival if I had the chance. So far I played smaller venues. And I think the good thing on theatrestages or special venues is, that the people are often used to listen to your music quietly, maybe they even sit during the concert and listen carefully to what I play. For my music, my songs, my lyrics this really helps. So I’d say my music is probably off best in smaller venues rather than big festival stages – but I’ve never had the chance to try
K - Please, tell us about the following cities: Berlin, London, Paris, Vienna, and Zürich.
F - I’ve been to all of those cities – all but Vienna. I like Wienerschnitzel – a lot. But I can’t tell you about the city. I liked all of those cities.. but on the other hand – to be honest – I like nature more. In cities I go to museums or you sightsee – and I find it very tiring because I want to see everything. I get headaches easily. And to explore cities is very exhausting. After a city trip I need recovery. So that’s why I actually prefer “quiet” vacations. Where you can watch beautiful landscapes, or where you can hike alongside the coast, or ride the bike.
K - We have for you 3 songs from Czech & 3 songs from Slovakian Pop & Rock groups (artists). Can you tell about that? Did you know them before our interview?
F - CZ / TING – Gypsy scandal, Macejko, Holka modrooka / www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvMb8ei2_o8
Burn city burn is a cool song – I wouldn’t know that this group is from Czech Republic - it’s very international what they’re doing. But I like this song, the chorus and the videoclip is also cool.
VERA BILA & KALE – Ma Dza Nikhaj / www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rYrqm_05rQ
I like this song and the style and honesty of this singer a lot. I had to google her, because she doesn’t look Czech, the way I would have expected it. And it says that she is „Roma“. This is beautiful music.
SHUM DAVAR – Pierre /www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCVVaxdUoyo
Is this pronounced „shum davar“?
I like klezmer, gypsy, balkan style music a lot. It has drive and a lifeliness in it. They’re really good.
SK / KARPATSKE HORKE – Vinecko bile / www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2-J-DNOEzA
To be honest – this isn’t the best videoclip you sent me. For me it sounds a bit like a jamsession. I think they have much cooler stuff on youtube. With a female singer. They’re good and they rock.
SIMA MARTAUSOVA & RICHARD Müller – svatojanske musky / www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvGhExW7k3Y
I like her voice a lot – but the arrangement of the song is a bit too „normal“ for my taste. I’ve also found other stuff of her on youtube which I found much more interesting. She has a lot of talent
LONGITAL – Som modre more / www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEP81OUSb5E
That’s really cool. I really like this project. The singer seems really likeable and natural. It’s interesting to watch the people in the video. I’d definitely go see them live if they played near me.
K - What is the most beautiful place for you?
F - This is “Cap Taillat” , on the beach, a peninsula, a very beautiful place in a natural reserve in Ramatuelle, France.
K - And at last we would like to know your personal message for our listeners. (What would it be?)
F - Listen to yourself and do what you really desire. Try to live in the here and now. And try weird stuff if you have the chance. Try cheese that smells, try fish even if it looks a bit weird. And be open.
