For the ninth season, Love for Music can count on strong and diversecandidates. DAAN, Günther Neefs, Jaap Reesema, K3, Metejoor, Portland and StefBos must ensure a successful ‘clash of genres’. Both popular pop music andalternative bands are well represented this year.
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READ ALSO. Portland, from PXL Music to the musical top
“We’ll be gone on October 9,” says Sarah Pepels. The Hoeselt half ofPortland says it feels healthy tension. “We are especially excited that aftertwo corona years we can do our thing as musicians again. In this edition weare the alternative youngsters who are allowed to collaborate with someestablished values, and we are looking forward to that. It will also be alearning experience for us. We know all the artists by name, but we have nevermet them in person.”
Portland originated in the corridors of the Music Department of the HogeschoolPXL in Hasselt. In 2016 they took part in Humo’s Rock Rally. In 2018 they wereone of the three winners of De Nieuwe Lichting from Studio Brussels. Portlandwas a hit with the public from the start. Their passage at Werchter in 2019,before their debut album Your Coulors Will Stain popped up, caused goosebumpsmoments in a packed tent.
Last season the group was already asked for Love for music. “But then itdidn’t work out for us, this suited us better.” The duo provided in theprogram a year ago The Best Of Frank Vander Lindenfor a musical climax. Theiredit of Somewhere Along the way, a song by De Mens, was greeted with loudapplause. “We think this is the people of Love for music also inspired us toask again. We were able to show that we are able to edit an existing song.”
Portland Stamp
The recordings will start in about two weeks, most of the work should be doneby now. “During the summer we searched hard for the right songs, there werealso some rehearsals with the band behind us. Wednesday we have the lastrehearsal. This adventure has been doable so far, although we had to combineit with the festival summer and other projects.”
Sarah calls it Love for music-adventure also a playground. “We (Sarah and hermusical partner Jente Pironet, ed.) both studied at PXL Music in Hasselt,where we were regularly commissioned to make covers. That was the idealschool. We enthusiastically dived into the oeuvre of Stef Bos, Daan, K3 andthe others. We looked at which songs lent themselves best to put a Portlandstamp on them. We enjoyed that process.”
Happy and crazy
It promises to be an ultimate clash of genres under the Spanish sun, becausewhat does a rocking Daan do with a catchy pop song by Metejoor? And who daresto tackle K3’s ‘Waterfall’?
“Time for something cheerful and crazy, I thought. Especially after the pastcorona years,” says DAAN. “So why no Love for Music this year? I have justrecorded a great new album with Jeroen Swinnen, the orchestra leader, and Ihave also known the other musicians intensely for years. So that can only be amusical party. With every other artist participating this year, I can alsoimagine their own ‘Danish’ interpretation, so let that adventure begin.”
“Thanks to K3 I have been able to do a lot of great things, but I admit thatparticipating in Love for Music was definitely still on my bucket list.Another nice tick that I can put on that list,” says Marthe of K3. Thisadventure is also special for Hanne, who is seven months pregnant. “All thoselovely colleagues, so much love for music… that is so inspiring andcontagious.”
The new season of Love for Music can be seen on VTM in the spring of 2023.