JIDDU KRISHNAMURTI

Jiddu Krishnamurti explained me what fear is. He is very clear in his teachings on what it is and how to best handle it in life. I try to implement these teachings in the lyrics of my album. I’m expressing that fear is just an illusion you create for yourself. In the album there is also the contradicting story of understanding fear, being at a point that you don’t understand it anymore and eventually that you do. This is a story you have to make yourself, but then again it’s my intent to move the listener to wander of in thought.

RUSSELL BRAND

This guy is just crazy! He doesn’t care what other people think and just says it like it is. He represents the rebel within me. He gives me the confidence to also not care and not be afraid to do what I want, like making this album. He absolutely inspires me to do what I must do and to follow my dreams.

I think that’s the problem nowadays. People often don’t do what they want, but do things because they think they have to. They don’t have the confidence, only want to play it safe and therefore don’t live up to their full potential. And yes… That’s the trap. Brand tells us that we can be whoever we want to be. Besides that, he is super direct and in your face, has a big mouth and has awesome rhetoric.

GEORGE LUCAS

This guy has everything. The music. The art. The narrative. The wisdom. He has it all. Everything he makes feels like one big adventure. I am a storyteller as such myself actually. Lucas inspires me to tell these big stories within my own compositions. And he is just one of the best at that.

Also, because he records his sounds from real life objects and whatever he can get his hands on, he creates this beautiful, organic atmosphere. This is the reason why his sounds appear super futuristic and at the same time still sound familiar. I really love that quality in music. You can mess around with it but it’s essence and soul will still be there.

When he has an idea in his head he works in such a way that the music picks it up and takes it to a whole other level. Besides, I always feel like going on an adventure after I’ve seen his work!

BONOBO

British musician Simon Green, also known as Bonobo, inspires me to give my music a natural and acoustic feel. He, of course, also is a great storyteller. Every new album he releases has these three elements but also is a different chapter in his music career and has a very distinct feel to it. ‘Days to Come’ for instance, is very jazzy, while his latest album is oriented towards house and becomes very electronic. And although he represents a wide variety of genres, he managed to keep his own identity and sound. I think that’s genius. He doesn’t stick to a particular genre but instead puts his gut feeling to work. Cool stuff always comes from that. It’s exactly what I do.