For the ninth season, Love for Music can count on strong and diverse candidates. DAAN, Günther Neefs, Jaap Reesema, K3, Metejoor, Portland and Stef Bos must ensure a successful ‘clash of genres’. Both popular pop music and alternative bands are well represented this year.
© DBA
READ ALSO. Portland, from PXL Music to the musical top
“We’ll be gone on October 9,” says Sarah Pepels. The Hoeselt half of Portland says it feels healthy tension. “We are especially excited that after two corona years we can do our thing as musicians again. In this edition we are the alternative youngsters who are allowed to collaborate with some established values, and we are looking forward to that. It will also be a learning experience for us. We know all the artists by name, but we have never met them in person.”
Portland originated in the corridors of the Music Department of the Hogeschool PXL in Hasselt. In 2016 they took part in Humo’s Rock Rally. In 2018 they were one of the three winners of De Nieuwe Lichting from Studio Brussels. Portland was 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 goosebumps moments in a packed tent.
Last season the group was already asked for Love for music. “But then it didn’t work out for us, this suited us better.” The duo provided in the program a year ago The Best Of Frank Vander Lindenfor a musical climax. Their edit of Somewhere Along the way, a song by De Mens, was greeted with loud applause. “We think this is the people of Love for music also inspired us to ask 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 done by now. “During the summer we searched hard for the right songs, there were also some rehearsals with the band behind us. Wednesday we have the last rehearsal. This adventure has been doable so far, although we had to combine it with the festival summer and other projects.”
Sarah calls it Love for music-adventure also a playground. “We (Sarah and her musical partner Jente Pironet, ed.) both studied at PXL Music in Hasselt, where we were regularly commissioned to make covers. That was the ideal school. We enthusiastically dived into the oeuvre of Stef Bos, Daan, K3 and the others. We looked at which songs lent themselves best to put a Portland stamp on them. We enjoyed that process.”
Happy and crazy
It promises to be an ultimate clash of genres under the Spanish sun, because what does a rocking Daan do with a catchy pop song by Metejoor? And who dares to tackle K3’s ‘Waterfall’?
“Time for something cheerful and crazy, I thought. Especially after the past corona years,” says DAAN. “So why no Love for Music this year? I have just recorded a great new album with Jeroen Swinnen, the orchestra leader, and I have also known the other musicians intensely for years. So that can only be a musical party. With every other artist participating this year, I can also imagine 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 that participating 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. This adventure is also special for Hanne, who is seven months pregnant. “All those lovely colleagues, so much love for music… that is so inspiring and contagious.”
The new season of Love for Music can be seen on VTM in the spring of 2023.
.