This was my very first writing job. A Viennese start-up decided to bring six artists from six different countries to Vienna for 4 days to write, record and shoot the video of a song. Ah, the memories!

To The Moon was released on Sept. 16 2015.

About the song and the production

THE MAKING OF TO THE MOON – #HitInTheMaking

TO THE MOON LYRICS! – Music and Lyrics by six people without quarreling

A SONG UNITING CONTINENTS – Music has no Borders

MIX IT UP! – On Love, Respect and the Concept of Borders

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY – A Note on Global Rockstar United’s Lucky Star

Interviews with the production company

THE MUSIC PRODUCTION – An Interview with Christof Straub

THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN – An interview with Ronny Steibl

ORGANIZING CHAOS – An interview with Mirella

THE TEAM – A thank you note

Interviews with the the artists

KATIE THOMPSON – Representing Oceania

A YEON – Representing Asia

CHRISTIAN RABB – Representing Europe

MURRAY YATES – Representing North America

JHANNIEL – Representing South America

SYSSI MANANGA – Representing Africa

Facebook videos, daily wrap-up 1-5

These videos were originally published on the Facebook profile of Global Rockstar shortly after they were shot.

The audio is horrible, I know, still I love to see how everybody went from ok, I’m here, kinda cool to WOHA I LOVE THIS CRAZY STUFF!! in a matter of hours…

Day 1 – 14 Aug. 2015

Day 2 – 15 Aug. 2015

Day 3 – 16 Aug. 2015

Day 4 – 17 Aug. 2015

Day 5 – 18 Aug. 2015

Originally published on the Global Rockstar Magazine on 06.09.2015 

We invited world music singer and composer Syssi Mananga, from Congo, to represent Africa. Her mixed heritage makes her a perfect fit for Global Rockstar United. Last year she won the pre-selection of Global Rockstar 2014 in her home country and landed a respectable 41st place overall.

Syssi made her first steps on stage as a singer in clubs around the world – USA, Italy – and released her first album Retour aux Sources back in Congo in 2013. Her debut album, a melting pot of styles and languages, won her praise both from the public and critics. In 2015, she released her new single Juste Un Peu…, a sensual and fresh take on her eclectic style.

Syssi is convinced that music has both personal growth value, as well as a therapeutic effect. That’s why in 2012 she founded the social project Artistes en Herbe, with the aim to provide underprivileged children in Congo with a measure of personal development.

Syssi is a true cosmopolitan girl, born and raised between two continents. She’s fluent in English, Spanish and Italian, while French and Lingala are her mother tongues. Still, she lives in Africa and identifies herself as an African musician and also an ambassador for African music abroad. After meeting her I must add that Syssi also has a heart as big as Africa. She is constantly aware of the people around her and instinctively takes care and makes sure that everybody feels at ease. Global Rockstar United would have been very different without Syssi, and not in a good way.

When and why did you start making music?
When I was 5 or 6 years old I used to lock myself in the bathroom and made-up songs that I sang for hours. I really liked the echo I heard in the bathroom, even before I learned it is called the “sound” of a room. At Christmas time, I would perform a concert for my family and play my best “songs”. With my younger sister we invented a game called le jeu des chansons (the songs game) where one would give the other a genre and a word, then the other would say – go! – and would have to start singing immediately. The swing set in the garden was the jury area and the stage was right in front of it. It’s strange but if I close my eyes I still see the swing set and the “stage” in my parent’s old garden.
It was very clear from the beginning that singing is my second nature… people tell me I hum music all the time. I don’t really notice.

What was your first ever job?
At 17 my mom got me a summer job at the institute for disabled people she worked for. I did it five years in a row.

How did you earn your first money as a musician?
After watching the movie Sister Act I decided I wanted to be in a choir and joined the one in my city. I was a back vocal at first but eventually my voice got noticed and they gave me solo parts too. A couple heard me and offered me 200 USD to sing at their wedding. This was big money so I immediately accepted and told them I could sing all the covers they were requesting, although I had never sung any one of them! I ran home and started practicing.

Live or studio, what suits you best?
Live! It’s an adrenaline rush and I love it.

Your favorite part of music production?
Composing. My favorite task is finding the melody, something new, fresh and unique. Sometimes it takes 10 minutes, sometimes two weeks, sometimes even after months the melody still doesn’t feel right so it’s better to discard the song and forget it completely.

The lowest moment of your career
Last year around this time. My band got invited to play at a festival in the USA – a huge opportunity for us. It took a lot of effort to convince the US embassy to emit visas for everybody, but they eventually relented. Three days before the scheduled departure the band members left for the USA alone and disappeared. I somehow understand why they did it, but still we were getting big and I really felt let down.
After that I had a big personal crisis, asking myself whether I should continue pursuing a music career at all. The invitation to represent Africa in Global Rockstar United was a sign for me that I must keep singing. God heard my questions and answered.

The highest moment of your career so far
In 2013, singing in front of five African Presidents (of Congo, South Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso and DRC) and Kofi Annan at the Forbes African Forum.

Where would you like to live, musically speaking?
Paris. I think I would have more opportunities there and also find a more professional environment.

Where would you like to play a gig?
At the Stade de France in Paris, the biggest stage in town. We Francophones have a thing with Paris!

Your idea of a perfect gig
When my voice is perfect – no cracks – from the beginning til the end and everybody sings along and has fun. I love to have the audience in my hands!

Your idea of a disastrous gig
Basically the opposite, when nobody cares. That’s why I hate playing in bars, I want people to come for me, not for drinks.

Your favorite outfit for a gig
I have my personal style that reflects my heritage and I follow it both on stage and in everyday life: western style mixed with African elements. I always make a point of wearing something made out of pagne, the traditional cloth and patterns of West and Central Africa. I also love jumpsuits.

Which works are you most proud of?
Retour aux Sources, of course! My first professional album.
I am also proud that I received awards both at home – Tam Tam d’Or – and abroad at Radio France International’s – Couleurs Talent Award.

What is the most important skill required, besides talent, to become a successful musician?
Work hard, keep learning and constantly improve yourself. And of course you must do it for yourself, for the passion, not for the fame or the money. Otherwise you’ll end up disappointed, hurt and bitter.

What keeps you up at night with regard to your music career?
The realization that if I want to bring my music career to the next level I must leave Africa. I would do it under the right conditions, but still sometimes I ask myself if it all does make sense – so much time, energy and self questioning…

The best concert you’ve seen in the audience
Stromae, two months ago in Abidjan.

The last track you listened to?
Chandelier, by Sia.

The last single/EP/album you bought?
The album Nkolo, by DRC singer-songwriter Lokua Kanza.

Describe your music
My music is strongly rooted in Africa. I always start with a rumba then add other influences, jazz, reggae, pop.
I define myself as an artivist, a portmanteau word combining artist and activist. My lyrics always share a strong message about environment protection, the absurdity of war, or citizen engagement. But I also talk about more personal situations like grief or family relationships.

Originally published on the Global Rockstar Magazine on 06.09.2015 

Jhanniel is the winner of Global Rockstar United 2014 and is now signed with Global Rockstar. It was a natural decision to invite him to come from Argentina and represent South America in the Global Rockstar United project.
His first album Veo el Sol was released in 2009 and he was named featured artist for Myspace Latin America in 2010. His next album Despierto, recorded in Buenos Aires, mixed and mastered in Canada, was released in 2013. The album features the participation of artists from the national and international scene and proposes a new sound that sets it apart from its predecessor.

Jhanniel seeks to communicate a message of awareness in his lyrics, a place where his interest in spirituality, self-improvement and personal transformation convey.

After meeting Jhanniel in person I can say he is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met! Forget the arrogance many rising stars have, forget overconfidence and pride. With Jhanniel you have the feeling nothing bad can ever come from him. And he has so much energy, positive energy, that everybody in his immediate surrounding is infected with it.

When and why did you start making music?
As a child I wanted to become an astronaut, then a soccer player. I was 13 years old when I saw somebody playing the acoustic guitar and fell in love. I immediately asked for a guitar as my next birthday present!
A couple of years later I started experimenting with composing and recording on my old computer.

Who or what inspired you to take up composing?
My dad listens to a lot of rock music so I naturally listened to a lot of rock too, later I included funk music. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jamiroquai, Luis Alberto Spinetta, Gustavo Cerati… these were my early inspirations.

What was your first ever job?
Handing out flyers! Later I started giving guitar classes.
I have a part-time job at the university now, which allows me the free time for my music.

How did you earn your first money as a musician?
In Argentina it is very difficult to get a gig in a small venue, even without pay. Actually in most places the artists have to pay themselves in order to play in front of an audience. All I’ve ever earned with my music I had to reinvest in equipment and production. I actually invested more than I earned. The very first time I made money and some of it actually stayed in my pocket was winning Global Rockstar 2014!

Live or studio, what suits you best?
Both. In studio I feel more creative and can concentrate on making music. Playing live allows me to express my passion and my emotions best.

Your favorite part of music production?
Composing.

The highest moment of your career so far?
Last year I was feeling mentally tired and I was toying with the idea of giving up on music. I retreated to Ecuador, to my yoga guru, in search of self-balance. Before leaving I entered Global Rockstar 2014; I had a bad experience with an online contest before so I didn’t think much of it, basically I liked the logo. I came back and learned that Perfecto was featured in the Global Rockstar Webisode #7 and realized this was a big opportunity. The rest is history…

Where would you like to live, musically speaking?
Well, Argentina is not the best place to build a career as musician and to make a living out of it. Sooner or later I think I will move someplace else, but I can’t say where right now. I will see what happens in the next few months with my new album Despierto and then, as usual, follow my intuition.

Where would you like to play a gig?
Something huge, just once! I’d like to play in a big, big stadium, the bigger the better. I’d love to hear my music coming out of gigantic loudspeakers!
Another dream is to play a gig together with Alanis Morissette, Jamiroquai, Dave Matthews Band. Not necessarily all three together.

Your idea of a perfect gig
It’s all about energy. The perfect sound, nice visuals and the band members in a good connection with each other. The rest is somehow my responsibility… I feel that the audience reflects my mood, so if I enjoy the show, if I’m having fun, the audience will have a good time. Luckily that happens all the time!

Your favorite outfit for a gig
I love hoodies, big hoodies. I get my fashion inspiration mostly from movies – Star Wars, The Matrix, Avatar. Of course I mix it with more normal clothes in order to tone it down. Speaking of toning it down… we already planned for the bass player of my band to come on stage wearing a Darth Vader mask in our next concert!

The perfect foreign language to sing in
I always sing my lyrics in Spanish but I also like vocals in English and French. In my third album some tracks will be in Spanish but I will add some in English. That will make it easier to export my music beyond South America.

Which works are you most proud of?
My last album Despierto! It took a lot of work and effort to make – and a lot of money too! I had the opportunity to go to Canada to mix and master with Tim Thorney, who already produced Alanis Morisette. I spent 18 days mixing at the Villa Sound Studios and it was a great experience. I also had the chance to bring the Despierto Tour to Equador, to Uruguay and even to New York, USA. And now, thank to it, I’m here in Vienna for Global Rockstar United. Despierto is really a lucky album!

What is the most important skill required, besides talent, to become a successful musician?
Willpower and consistency – no matter what happens.
Self-confidence – no matter what the others say.
To put it to the words of singer-songwriter and Latin American rock legend Gustavo Cerati:
“Tarda en llegar pero al final hay recompense” (It takes a while to get there but eventually you’ll get the reward).

What keeps you up at night with regard to your music career?
I feel I have the power to do all I want, but sometimes I lose this drive and I turn into my own worst enemy. This last year so many wonderful things happened to me that occasionally I take a selfie in front of what I’m doing and post it online, to make it real, so that I can look at it later, to reassure myself that it is really happening. Then I worry that people think I’m a poser. I think too much, I guess.

The best concert you’ve seen in the audience
Incubus, a couple of years ago at the Luna Park Stadium in Buenos Aires.

The last track you listened to?
Oil and Water. Still Incubus, but don’t think it’s the only band I listen to!

Describe your music
My music shares a message of transformation that the audience can relate to. Through music I elevate my state of mind, I hope it can help others in the same way. I think I can best express what I mean through my lyrics. The first verse of Perfecto and the chorus of Inteligencia Emocional sum up pretty well my message:

“Despertá, que este mundo te engaña
No hace falta luchar, solamente observar y cambiar tu mirada
Comprende, que es el miedo en tu alma
El que impide el amor, te aleja de vos y en su drama te atrapa.”
– Perfecto, from the album Despierto.
(Wake up, that this world is cheating on you / There’s no need to fight, only to observe and to change the way you look / Understand, that it is the fear in your soul / That hinders from love, that disconnects you from yourself, and traps you in its drama.)

“Y todo este miedo a la invitación de ser feliz
Y todo este miedo a la invitación de ser.”
– Inteligencia Emocional, from the album Despierto.
(And all this fear of the invitation to be happy / And all this fear of the invitation to be.)

We invited Murray Yates, from Canada, to join Global Rockstar United and represent North America. Murray is the mastermind of the band Forty Foot Echo, who landed 3rd place in the Canadian pre-selection of Global Rockstar 2014.

Forty Foot Echo goes a long way back. It was formed by Murray in 2001 and signed by a major label in Los Angeles, California. Their debut self-titled album includes the hit single Brand New Day and went on to be used in feature films, such as Freaky Friday and The Prince and Me, as well as appearing on episodes of network television series One Tree Hill. In 2004 the band and the record company ended their relationship and the band went its separate way.

Undaunted, Murray hired a new band in 2007 and recorded a second album entitled Aftershock under his own record label, Echoman Records. Unfortunately, the second album never saw the success of the first, and Murray withdrew from the music scene. He continued to write songs, and explore his musical passion and curiosity. He began experimenting with different writing styles, expanding to write for other artists, all the while honing his skills as a recording engineer and producer.

Murray is an experienced musician and producer, compared to most of the other Global Rockstar United artists you may think he’s had it all! Still he accepted to come to Vienna to meet some strangers and make music from a new perspective. That’s what we call a real musician! We were very lucky to have him onboard.In 2012, he decided to re-record Brand New Day, with subtle modifications to the song and included it on a re-mastered release of Aftershock along with a second additional song, Comin’ On Strong. In 2013, Murray recorded a third album and also the most aggressive, Returning, funded by his fan base. A new line-up of Forty Foot Echo was built around original band members with new contributions. Forty Foot Echo’s newest music is the EP Takeback Revolution.

When and why did you start making music?
I was a kid, maybe 6 years old, and my parents sent me to piano lessons. It was evident from the beginning that I was very talented on the piano and the teacher soon told my parents I was too good for the class! At 14 I attended two years of conservatory. Around 16 I discovered singing. I had a cover band with some friends where I played the piano and sang harmonies. One day the other band members heard me sing lead vocals by chance and made me lead singer. Around that time I also started composing.
I define myself a singer now, not a pianist.

What was your first ever job?
A Canadian cliché: flipping burgers! That’s how I paid for my first demo, by the way.

How did you earn your first money as a musician?
In a scummy bar back in Calgary. I was actually too young to be there and had to be escorted in and out.

Live or studio, what suits you best?
It has always been live. Now, after many years on tour, I feel I need to go back to the studio and compose. It’s time to focus on repertoire and also, probably, to bring structure to my days.

Your favorite part of a music production
Production. Since the last 3 to 4 years I really enjoy mixing, maybe also because it’s the newest task I took upon me. At mixing everything comes together, it’s the moment when I finally have the validation of the work that happened before. It’s like cooking, first you think of a recipe and prepare all your ingredients. Mixing is when you throw everything in the pan and you can finally taste the dish.

The lowest moment of your career
I voluntarily left my label in Los Angeles in 2004 and didn’t immediately realize that I couldn’t live in the USA anymore. I ended up being deported back to Canada and was forced to leave all my friends behind. It broke my heart.

The highest moment of your career so far
Walking the red carpet at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles (where all the big premieres take place) with Linsday Lohan at the Freaky Friday premiere. I wrote the soundtrack and it was a beautiful feeling to see the people in the cinema – all big names and professionals – listening intently to my music.

Your idea of a perfect gig
A perfect gig is when we deliver a perfect show, when the band plays amazingly in tact and we take the audience to another level. No matter how big or full the room is.

Your idea of a disastrous gig
We opened for a band once that was way too heavy for us. We could see from the stage that the audience was unhappy but there wasn’t much we could do. A mismatched show is a recipe for disaster, although it is seldom the bands fault and more the managements.

Your favorite outfit for a gig
Black.

Your favorite music instrument besides yours
The cello. And this will probably get me in trouble with my girlfriend – she’s a violinist!

The most musical natural sound
The wind blowing through leaves. I’m so Canadian!

The perfect foreign language to sing
I’ve produced many Spanish-speaking artists and I love how passionate lyrics sound in Spanish.

Which works are you most proud of?
My first album Forty Foot Echo. The songs are all from a pre-signed time where I was able to completely and solely focus on it. Later came the “distractions”, like tours, networking and many others. I was able to pour my blood, my sweat and my tears in my first album. In those songs I put everything I couldn’t say in words. Or maybe the things I was too afraid to say out loud.

What is the most important skill required – besides talent – to become a successful musician?
Communication.

What keeps you up at night with regard to your music career?
I used to worry that I may have to give up true love to be a rock star. In this business it is very difficult to meet new people who are really interested in who you are and not only in what you do. I remember the moment I got a gold record in the USA and I had nobody to call to share the joy. It didn’t feel right. I found true love later, though, after I left the label.

The best concert you’ve seen in audience
Billy Idol. And he was my idol, no kidding, he inspired me to become a musician.

The most beautiful album cover ever?
Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop by Stone Temple Pilots.

The last track you listened to?
Pink Floyd, The Wall.

The last single/EP/album you bought?
Superunknown, by Soundgarden.

Describe your music
Emotionally driven hard rock.

To represent Europe in Global Rockstar United we invited Christian Rabb, mastermind of No Sleep for Lucy. The band was second in the Swedish national pre-selections of Global Rockstar 2014. We think they could have done better, as in Christian’s own words “a pity our focus was elsewhere at the moment”. After releasing three singles, all of which received very high ratings and a lot of airplay, No Sleep for Lucy was one of five nominees in the category “This Years Breakthrough” at Bandit Rock Awards 2015. The bands latest single, Closure, is written by Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper, Daughtry) and Mark Holman (Grammy nominee RED, Disney’s Airplanes). They have also collaborated on unreleased tracks. Christian has recently been in Los Angeles and co-written with Stevie Aiello (Thirty Seconds To Mars). The band is looking forward to showing the outcome of all these great collaborations with their new album Until The End that will hit the shelves in October 2015.

Christian Rabb, in spite of his young age, is a multi-instrumental musician with the finest musical education and years of experience as performer, composer and producer. Coming from Stockholm, a city famous for being a music hotspot with a well-developed music industry, Christian took with him a huge understanding of how the music industry works. Christian was of inestimable value to Global Rockstar United.

When and why did you start making music?
As a little kid I saw Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk and immediately decided I wanted to dance! My big sister is a huge music fan and when I was 7 or 8 years old her boyfriend taught me to play Smoke on the Water on his guitar… bam! That was my thing! I taught myself how to play and completely skipped the phase where you learn one cover after the other. I started creating my own music from the very beginning. Proper composing came later, I remember a friend lent me a tape recorder you could plug your guitar into and that was the start. Then I attended a music high school and I had access to the school’s recording studio. And things really took off!

What was your first ever job?
I was 18 years old and my dad, who works in the steel industry, got me a summer job at the steel factory. Although I really enjoyed sharing that experience with my dad, I must confess that I hated the job! The experience made it very clear to me that I had to work in the music industry in order to be happy in the future.

How did you earn your first money as a musician?
It was actually the advance from the label that signed me as songwriter and composer straight after school! I was 25 and I felt privileged. I must thank the excellent music school I attended, Music Production Academy Musikmakarna in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.

Live or studio, what suits you best?
Live. As a musician who defines his music as stage rock it is self-explanatory that I love big stages, huge speakers and a big crowd cheering. Boy, I love the feeling on stage!

Your favorite part of a music production
Composing.

The lowest moment of your career
It’s not a moment, but somehow a bitter aftertaste… I make my money producing other artists and I would love to be able to make it with my own music alone.

The highest moment of your career so far
Getting signed straight after school.

Where would you like to live, musically speaking?
Are you kidding me? I already live in music paradise Stockholm!

Where would you like to play a gig?
I’d love to play at Grönalund, an amusement park in Stockholm and the biggest stage in town. In summer they have one or two concerts a week, both big names and up-and-coming artists. I’d definitely love that.

Your idea of a perfect gig
A huge stage and everybody is dancing and singing along. The perfect gig is when I see the audience having a good time.

Your idea of a disastrous gig
The opposite. Nobody cares and while playing you have the strange feeling you’re disturbing them!

Your favorite outfit for a gig
My favorite Marlon Brando leather jacket, a long hoodie underneath and biker boots. Btw, it’s the outfit you see in the video of To the Moon!

Your favorite music instrument besides yours
Strings.

The most musical natural sound
Birds singing. I grew up in the countryside!

The perfect foreign language to sing
French and Italian. I love their mellow sound.

Which works are you most proud of?
The score of Labyrint, a children’s fantasy show on Swedish TV on its 5th season now. All children in Sweden know my music, how cute is that?!

What is the most important skill required, besides talent, to become a successful musician?
The ability to stay focused. I get my strength from my friends, who are also musicians. It would be more difficult to stay concentrated if I was surrounded by people with “normal jobs”.

What keeps you up at night with regard to your music career?
I can’t decide if I should take a step back from producing in order to have more time for my own music. The producing jobs are growing and growing in my hands and getting more time consuming. Sometimes I think if I had a clerk part-time job I could switch off as soon as I leave the office and I could focus on my real passion.

The best concert you’ve seen in the audience
Thirty Seconds to Mars.

The most beautiful album cover ever?
Michael Jackson’s Dangerous.

The last track you listened to?
Shut up and dance, by Walk the Moon.

Describe your music
Energetic modern rock with epic melodies.

We invited A Yeon to represent Asia in Global Rockstar United, the tiny but powerful drummer of the pop-band Bebop, who was second in the Korean pre-selection of Global Rockstar 2014. Bebop is a three-member girl band from South Korea. A Yeon (drums), Joo Woo (guitar and vocals) and Ji In (bass and vocals) made their first steps together as a band by playing street performances in Seoul.

Bebop already recorded a single with the South Korean electro pop band Humming Urban Stereo and they also wrote the title song for the South Korean television series Pretty Man. They officially debuted with I’m the Best. I’m the Best is a catchy pop rock song about the competitive nature of young trainees and it is the title track of their debut album Between Calm and Passion.

A Yeon was the last Global Rockstar United artist to arrive in Vienna and she brought some additional points of view into a group that was already highly diverse. For example, she is an Instagram celebrity in her home country and her attention to social media is extreme, even compared to the most “social” of us. A Yeon is multi-talented in different fields, she can play the drums and the piano, she can rap and dance. Also, A Yeon doesn’t speak English, this means we communicated through a translator. To everybody’s surprise it was much easier than expected, especially when the topic was strictly about making music — to put in A Yeon’s own words “If we speak about music I understand everything. Music is a common language!”.

When and why did you start making music?
As a child I used to watch TV shows and dreamed of both singing and dancing. At age 6 I started piano lessons and my interest moved towards music. For the past six years I’ve been under contract to become an Idol, this is the South Korean way of creating pop stars. The project created the first all-girl formed band in South Korea. I was interested in playing the drums but I was naturally chosen for the keyboard because of my year-long experience as a pianist. Then, before the debut, the drummer left the band and I was given my chance – drummer girls are not easy to find, after all! As soon as I started practicing we discovered I am indeed very talented!

Live or studio, what suits you best?
Live! I like the energy and the feedback I get from playing in front of an audience. I also prefer when we play street performances over more staged situations.

Your favorite part of music production
Composing. Finding rhythm and melody are the tasks that fulfill me most.

The highest moment of your career so far
In spring 2014, I was playing at a street performance with my band and a random passer-by filmed me – only me – playing the drums. He put the video on YouTube and the video went viral. As we speak, the video has almost 2 million views and it was also noticed by Global Rockstar. This video is basically the reason why I’m here in Vienna and taking part in Global Rockstar United! I love the idea that all this happened without being arranged by my production company.
(NB We must confess that it was another video that made us fall in love with A Yeon, the one where she plays Metallica as if there is no tomorrow!)

Where would you like to live, musically speaking?
As a pianist with a strong classic training I’ve always dreamed of visiting Vienna. Being here is already a dream come true… I have to think of a new dream now! (giggles)

Your favorite outfit for a gig
I mostly wear black, with a wink of sexy and rock and roll.

Your favorite music instrument besides yours
The piano is something that belongs to my education, the drums are also my job. To relax in my free time I sit down and play a little guitar… I’d love to get better at that.

What is the most important skill required, besides talent, to become a successful musician?
First of all, practice. You must be perfect in what you do if you want to get results. Also luck plays a big role, but it is your responsibility to grab the chance and make something special out of it.

What keeps you up at night with regard to your music career?
In South Korea everybody in music shows look perfect, with impeccable makeup and stylish clothes. On the other hand I see that the public responds better to a more natural presentation. I’m somehow caught in-between… my personality is not just the sexy/crazy drummer I play on stage, it doesn’t reflect entirely who I am. I live in Seoul now, a huge city with over 10 million inhabitants, but I come from a small city. I still have a dash of accent that immediately gives me away as a little country girl! So personally I don’t want to be seen just as the cute little girl on the drums, I love to play hard rock – Metallica is a favorite – and I’d love to show everybody I’m also a tough girl!
(NB: The Global Rockstar United artists and team share a different opinion. A Yeon is tiny, that’s true, but when she plays drums she is powerful, not cute!)

When we discussed who should represent Oceania in Global Rockstar United a lot of people immediately came up with Katie Thompson’s name. Katie won the national pre-selection in New Zealand last year and after a fierce battle in the finals landed in 6th place on Global Rockstar 2014. By then everybody had fallen in love with this amazing singer-songwriting talent and the happy aura she radiates — even online.

Katie Thompson’s star is most definitely on the rise. She has released two albums and a live EP, toured New Zealand extensively, was selected to open for Sir Elton John at his New Zealand show in November 2011 and was a finalist for Female Artist of the Year at the 2012 New Zealand CMAs. Her latest EP, Moving On, offers a glimpse at her outstanding live show, not unlike her previous album, Impossible, which was fan-funded and recorded in the UK with world-renowned producer Greg Haver.

We met Katie at the airport, after a brutal 32-hour flight from the other end of the world. She emerged from arrivals on the hottest day of the century, completely jet lagged, saw us holding a poster with her name on it and she immediately… started laughing! There is this thing with Katie’s laugh, it’s incredibly contagious and once she starts you really must join in. Can you imagine how awesome it is for a group of strangers to meet for the first time and deliver big results within a few days?She’s young but already a pillar of the singer-songwriter community in New Zealand. Katie is a master at navigating the new opportunities that the digital era offers to musicians. Her music services company, Quirky Music, specializes in artist development, social media management and crowdfunding campaign management for independent artists.

When and why did you start making music?
At age 5 in the school choir! A couple of years later my dad, a drummer, bought a drum set for my brother at a garage sale. I loved to play it and discovered that, although I’m left handed and the drums were set for right handed, I have the rhythm inside! Later I started toying with my brother’s guitar and taught myself how to play.
In my hometown the only opportunity to sing in front of other people besides family was the local country music club. That’s why country music has such a big influence on me.

What was your first ever job?
Selling bullets in a hunting and fishing shop. It’s strange, now that I think of it, I hate sport and hunting! But the owner of the shop was a musician, we formed a band and I learnt a lot from it. I guess I made the best out of it anyway.

How did you earn your first money as a musician?
At age 14 I won 500 USD in a music competition. I was on cloud nine! On top of cash, part of the prize was the opportunity to sing at The Hokitika Wildfoods Festival in front of 25,000 people. That was a problem because I had to play for quite a long time and I didn’t have the repertoire, just the one Anika Moa cover that won me the contest. So I had to build up my repertoire quickly and that gave me the kick to continue.

Live or studio, what suits you best?
Live. I feel that playing in front of the audience is more intimate than alone in front of a microphone. A recording is forever and captures that one moment in time when performing live – anything can happen and it’s different every time.

Your favorite part of music production?
Recording.

The lowest moment of your career
I had a legendary gig once, in front of just one paying person. Really, the whole audience consisted of one guy! However, this guy was there to enjoy his night so he danced and had a couple of drinks. You can’t expect to play to an arena if you haven’t played in a dingy old pub to one patron. It’s funny to think back on this night… now.

The highest moment of your career so far
Opening for Sir Elton John, 2011 in Dunedin, New Zealand. Hard to top that one… besides being flown to Vienna that is!

Your favorite outfit for a gig
I have this pair of black jeans that give me the perfect bum. A sparkling jacket on top and I’m all ready to go!

Your favorite music instrument besides yours
The drums of course!

The most musical natural sound
The noise of the forest. I love taking long walks in nature and hearing the native birds.

Which works are you most proud of?
Leave Your Hat On, the song that got me 6th place in Global Rockstar 2014. It is harder than my usual music and I love it!

What is the most important skill required, besides talent, to become a successful musician?
Ambition. You must really believe in yourself in order to stay focused. Never lose your drive.

What keeps you up at night?
Planning my music career.

The best concert you’ve seen in audience
Unfortunately not many international tours come to New Zealand. So far, Foo Fighters and The Rolling Stones have been my highlights and of course Elton John, although, technically speaking, I was not in the audience but in the corporate box!

The last single/EP/album you bought?
Jenny Mitchell, a singer/songwriter I mentor through artist development. I also exchange CDs with other artists when I play a gig with them. The latest would be The Eastern and The Warratahs.

Describe your music
Kiwi country! New Zealand is a special melting pot of genres and country music has a lot of flavors from folk, blues and rock. I’m very fond of our unique sound.