Birte Schöler

"There's open-eyes-singers and closed-eyes-singers" - if these two exist, I'm definitely the latter. Especially when singing Blues or Jazz it just comes naturally and makes it easier to listen to the music taking shape inside and searching its way out.

Besides Jazz and Blues I love Soul, Gospel, Pop, Rock, Musicals, Chanson - some people may say that's an awkward mix of style, and I did think about focussing on one or another. But the truth is, they're all great and deserve to be played and sung. Musicals are wonderful for combining songs and the emotions they convey with dancing, costumes, make-up, lights, acting... Soul and Gospel come from deep inside and yet they're screaming out into the world what they have to say, while singing Blues is like sitting in your room on a rainy day. Chanson has something beautifully classical to it and often marvellous lyrics, while some pop and rock songs get stuck in your head so youn just have to hum them all the time. Well, and Jazz.

So, as much as I sometimes wanted to make a choice, it was just too difficult and would have been a shame. That's why in Birtland you'll find Pop, Soul, Jazz, Blues and Musicals in peaceful coexistence. Integration can be that simple.