FaceCulture: Giving You The People Behind The Music

I knew very little about Faroese artist Eivør before this interview, but delving  into her life and music I discovered this wonderfully original and truly enchanting singer, musician and performer. Even more so, both uf us were a bit sick of talking about the pandemic and all the depressing news surrounding it, so we dicided to skip all of that and turn our conversation to her new album Segl. The interview flowed very naturally as we ventured into her somewhat isolated upbringing, being close to nature, electronic vs organic sounds, a crossroads in her life, wanting to make people feel something, and a lot more! By: Robin HignellSupport the showThank you for listening! For more interviews with your favorite artists visit the FaceCulture YouTube channel.

Toen het debuut van Spinvis uitkwam, was ik direct gefascineerd door de sferische muziek van Erik de Jong, de man achter Spinvis. Ik was net begonnen met FaceCulture en moest en zou Spinvis voor de camera krijgen voor een interview. Begin 2003 was het zover. We mochten langskomen in Nieuwegein en namen plaats in de studio waar jarenlang gesleuteld was aan het debuut. Erik liet horen hoe hij nummers had opgebouwd en diemiddag staat in mijn top 10 van meest onvergetelijke FaceCulture-momenten. Door de jaren heen hebben we Erik vaak gesproken en elk gesprek was uniek en inspirerend. In dit interview spreken we over z'n meest recente plaat 7.6.9.6., zich verzetten tegen verwachtingen, elektronica in z'n muziek, dat muziek meer is dan alleen emotie oproepen, niet kunnen optreden en nog veel meer!Martin KuiperSupport the showThank you for listening! For more interviews with your favorite artists visit the FaceCulture YouTube channel.

Nickelback, despite being one of the most successful Canadian bands ever, has gotten a lot of flak over the years, and so has its polarizing frontman Chad Kroeger, unfairly in my estimation. I was pleasantly surprised about how approachable and genuinely friendly Chad seemed to be when I went to interview him in 2017 for the Feed The Machine album. He was honest, didn't take himself too seriously, and seemed very proud of the work they had done on their latest album. We spoke about his recovery from vocal surgery, writing a heavier album, not worrying about the haters and more! By: Robin HignellSupport the showThank you for listening! For more interviews with your favorite artists visit the FaceCulture YouTube channel.

We recently had a fun chat with guitarist and songwriter Kragen Lum, know for his work with Psychosis, Prototype, and for the last 10+ years with thrash metal band Heathen. We spoke about growing up around so much rock and metal, the new album Empire of the blind, the crazy times we are living in, and a lot more! By: Robin HignellSupport the showThank you for listening! For more interviews with your favorite artists visit the FaceCulture YouTube channel.

Israeli singer-songwriter Asaf Avidan is an artist in the truest sense of the word. He started his musical journey first as part of Asaf Avidan & the Mojos, and since 2012 on his own, gaining an audience both at home and abroad. One of his earlier songs, "Reckoning Song" was covered by German DJ Wanklemut and became a smash hit all over the world. But when asked about the cover he says he prefers the original. Avidan is someone who puts a lot of care into his music, he digs deep, asks himself the difficult questions in life, and expresses his experiences and emotions through music. We recently spoke about his new album Anagnorisis, which led into a conversation about the chaotic nature of being, finding meaning in life, his attempts at a polyamorous relationship, and, of course, how all of this fits in with his music. By: Robin HignellSupport the showThank you for listening! For more interviews with your favorite artists visit the FaceCulture YouTube channel.

I don't remember how I first got to hear Big Thief, it was probably through NPR's Tiny Desk concerts, a haven for good music. Ever since hearing them I was sold, "Mary" in particular struck a chord, so when the opportunity arose I jumped at chance to sit down with Adrianne in a small pink room in Amsterdam to talk about tapping into inspiration, creativity and songwriting, wanting to be part of something bigger, alienation in society, the album U.F.O.F., and a lot more! She struck me as somewhat shy, and not the biggest fan of having a camera shoved in her face, but I have immense appreciation for how she genuinely tried to give honest answers to the questions I was asking, as vague as they might have been at times. It was an absolute pleasure. They were slated to play a festival in the Netherlands this summer, which was cancelled for obvious reasons, so I'll have to wait a bit longer before I get to see them live.By: Robin HignellSupport the showThank you for listening! For more interviews with your favorite artists visit the FaceCulture YouTube channel.

In 2015 I had the chance to talk with Welsh singer, songwriter, and producer Marina Diamadis who at the time was touring for her album Froot as Marina and the Diamonds. We spoke about having a day off in Amsterdam, not wanting to censor herself, not caring about popularity, long-term pressure, sorting out her thoughts and a lot more. It's been great to see Marina developing herself as an artist over the years, her creativity continues to set her apart, and the fact that she is all doing it on her own terms is truly inspiring to see. By: Robin HignellSupport the showThank you for listening! For more interviews with your favorite artists visit the FaceCulture YouTube channel.

Back in 2016 I had the chance to sit down with American rapper G-Eazy when he was on tour in Amsterdam. We spoke about enjoying the city, his album When It's Dark Out, his eclectic musical upbringing, dealing with haters, Everything Will Be Ok, the power of music, and a lot more.On a side note, I want to commend Gerald (his real name) for his professionalism. I had the chance to speak with him on a separate occasion at a festival. Hip Hop festival are unfortunately notorious for artists cancelling last minute or not showing up for interviews. Out of the 8 interviews I had scheduled Gerald was the only one who I ended up talking to that day, even though he was the biggest name on the list. For a little music interviewer like me it showed great character from both him and his team and credit needs to be given where credit is due. By: Robin HignellSupport the showThank you for listening! For more interviews with your favorite artists visit the FaceCulture YouTube channel.

Like many others I grew up with the music of Linkin Park. The combination of hip-hop and metal elements and a powerful voice that sang lyrics with substance were very appealing to a teenager trying to figure out life. Evidenced by the millions of records sold their music resonated with people, it was and still is a refuge for people who needed "Somewhere To Belong". I had the chance to interview them in March of 2017 about the One More Light album. I remember Chester and Mike being in good spirits, joking around, as we spoke about the album, emotionality in songs, advice from Rick Rubin, Chester having had a tough time after breaking his leg, and a lot more. It was rough hearing Chester had taken his own life only months later. Life is difficult. Be kind to each other. By: Robin HignellSupport the showThank you for listening! For more interviews with your favorite artists visit the FaceCulture YouTube channel.

Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi was in Amsterdam to play a show at the Paradiso in December of 2018 and I had the chance to go backstage before the show for a little chat. Anyone who knows just a little bit about Lewis knows that he has a great sense of humor, is very easy to talk to, and doesn't take himself too seriously, while at the same time crafting these incredibly authentic, emotional songs. We spoke about his successes before even releasing a debut album, writing at night, Someone You Loved, a tip for beginning musicians, and working on his first album. By: Robin HignellSupport the showThank you for listening! For more interviews with your favorite artists visit the FaceCulture YouTube channel.