New album for old favorites
Belgian act Vaya con Dios’s new album «The Promise» will certainly have kindled the interest of many planning to attend the band’s concert at the Lycabettus Theater tonight. Dani Klein, the act’s velvet voice, recently gave a phone interview to Kathimerini, after, as she revealed, indulging in some chocolate from her native land, which we agreed tops the list of chocoholic fare. Vaya con Dios has finally returned after about 10 years of silence, hoping to win over European audiences with new songs, as well as with well-known older hits «Puerto Rico» and «Nah, Neh, Nah.» How would you describe your new album’s songs to someone who hasn’t heard them? They are a mixture of old and new sounds. They are also a selection of different kinds of music from around the world that have moved me all these years, such as reggae and African music. I thought it a good idea to adapt traditional compositions that are not very well known because I believe that when you discover something valuable you must share it. Along the way, of course, we felt the need, with my colleague Jean-Pol Van Ham, to write our own songs as well. So the album combines nostalgia with the contemporary feeling of our times. What is your answer to those who claim that adaptations take place when there is no inspiration, or due to music companies’ tactics to renew old material to make more money? I don’t understand why we always over-analyze intentions. Some companies definitely invest in adaptations just to make more money, but there are certainly artists who truly love some songs and feel they can give a new or different interpretation. I don’t think that’s the problem of the music industry. Where do you think the problem lies? Before joining the small, independent company I’m with now, I was with a large recording company where I had to collaborate with someone who used to work for Coca-Cola. That is the problem. He treated you like a product. Of course. His attitude was entirely different. Now I have genuine contact with the people of my company, because they love music more than money. Didn’t you miss making music all this time? Unfortunately, my desire for music had left me, but I found it again and this album is the result. Now I feel like I used to and am enjoying every moment. At their concert at the open-air Lycabettus Theater, Vaya con Dios will present their now songs, selections from their previous albums, as well as Mexican and Gypsy songs and all types of music they love from all over the world. Tomorrow they will play Salonica’s Dassos Theater. Tickets cost 30 euros and are available at Ticket House (42 Panepistimiou, tel 210.360.8366) in Athens and 20 Ethnikis Amynis & Tsimiski, tel 2310.253.630 in Thessaloniki.
