Singer-songwriter koncert med afstikker til andre genrer, er hvad du kan møde på Dexter den 11. marts. Denne dag får Odense besøg af New Zealandske Thomas Oliver.
Af: Frans Christensen
Foto: Lena Thiemann
I hjemlandet har Thomas blandt andet vundet prisen The APRA Silver Scroll Award – Song Of The Year i 2016 for sangen If I Move To Mars. Han er af Ambient Light (New Zealandsk blog) blevet kaldt One of New Zealand’s most talented musicians. Ud over sin karriere som singer-songwriter gør han sig også som vokalist på Drum & Bass udgivelser. Det er altså en alsidig herre, der kommer forbi Odense.
Så for at gøre koncertgængeren klogere på hvem denne Thomas Oliver er, stillede vi ham en række spørgsmål med udgangspunkt i sangtitlerne på det kommende album (The Brightest Light, som udkommer den 6. marts).
In your own words: Who is Thomas Oliver?
According to my Instagram bio (which I wrote myself), I am an “award-winning medium-to-long-haired rootsy, souly, singer- songwriter, and drum & bass vocalist.”
Will the concert at Dexter, Odense be your first concert in Denmark?
Yes!
According to the tourplan you only play this one gig in Denmark. How come and how has it been arranged?
My European agent arranged it because I’ve always had quite a few fans in Denmark, based on a lot of messages I’ve received over the last five years or so. Really excited to finally play in Denmark!
Questions inspired by the titles at the forthcoming album:
Bulgarian Mountains/Amsterdam Bender
Two titles including European Geography. What is the connection between Europe and an award-winning songwriter of New Zealand? How come you are now based in Berlin?
I tend to write songs about the things that inspire me and the many amazing encounters I experience. Bulgarian Mountains was actually written about a Bulgarian girl I met in Amsterdam. I spend a fair bit of time in Amsterdam but I moved to Berlin in order to create this new album (The Brightest Light) and be inspired in a new way. Berlin is a cool city to live in, and I have my studio there which is where I created most of the album. I so happy with the album, so I’m so happy I went to Berlin.
The Time in Tokyo:
Born in New Zealand, living in Europe. What will be the next step: Asia or the United States of America? Which market will fit your music best?
I was actually born in Australia! But I grew up in New Zealand. I played a massive festival in Vietnam in 2016, but that’s about the extent of my endeavours in Asia. But the USA is definitely a market that’s in the scope for the next few years. I think about 15,000 of my YouTube subscribers are Americans!
Steel to the Strings:
What is the fuss about the Weissenborn lap-slide guitar? When did your interest in this musical instrument start? Who inspired you? Will you bring the lap-slide guitar at stage in Odense?
Yes, of course – I barely go anywhere without at least one slide guitar! I love this instrument. I was inspired while in high school when a kid played one in an assembly. I did some research and worked out what it was, and eventually found one of my own, and I taught myself and never looked back.
She’s mine:
New album coming up: The Brightest Light. It will release a few days before you visiting Denmark. Tell us about the album, please. The musical style? Sad or happy songs? Band or songwriter? Inspiration regarding the lyrics?
The songs are generally brighter and more vibrant than my last album, hence the name, The Brightest Light (whereas my last studio album was called Floating In The Darkness). Stylistically, there is Soul, there is Roots, there is Pop, there is RnB, and even a touch of rock in places. I wrote (and produced and mixed) all the songs, except for Coffee, which was
a co-write with my friend, Mitch James, a fellow Kiwi singer-songwriter.
Alive again:
You are well-known for storytelling on stage. How important is this part for you as a performing artist? How do you sense the reaction of the audience?
Connecting with people on a personal level is one of the joys and privileges of being a singer- songwriter. I love to share stories behind songs sometimes, because it can give an audience an insight that they can’t have from Spotify or even from a record sleeve. This creates more meaning on the night, and I love that. I do tend to talk less when I have my whole band with me, though!
You shine on me/Ready to love you:
How important is the audience for you during a concert. Maybe quite simple, but do your performance increase the more engaged the audience is?
Absolutely. Energy is a reciprocal thing. As an audience member, you actually have far more control over the energy of the room than you usually realise. When you respond passionately to what you’re experiencing, you give the band energy, and that can make the performance stronger. Everyone is in it together and that’s why it’s a beautiful thing.
Coffee:
To me coffee is a stimulant and I am addicted to it. Is it the same kind of addiction you feel, when you do the Drum & Bass recordings? How did this start? Songwriter and Drum & Bass are to me two opposites. Which style do you prefer?
I love Drum & Bass, and yes – you could call it a little bit of an addiction, haha. I love that genre particularly because it is so opposite to writing and playing songs. You have to think differently and that’s why it’s exciting. I have a lot of fans who know me only as a Drum & Bass vocalist; it’s kinda funny when people only know a part of your story. But I am a singer-songwriter in my deepest heart. It’s what I grew up listening to and it’s one thing I’ll always do.
Future Child:
Being an award-winning songwriter in your home country, what are your dreams about the future as an artist? An international break-through including huge concerts or do you prefer smaller places, where you can feel the intimacy with the audience?
I love to play to any number of people, and I’ve played to everything from 2 people to 30,000 people. The primary reason I play music is to allow people feel amazing things when they hear it or experience it, just like I feel amazing things as a result of good music. And all my “numbers” seem to continue to go up, so that means more and more people are listening, and that is great. The more people who hear my music and my message, the better.
Reprise:
When the audience think back at your concert, what haven’t they experienced on stage?
They definitely won’t experience any dark energy between my band members and me. We are all great friends and we love playing music together. We are all excited to come to Denmark to play for you!
