Marli Le Grange is a promising new talent from South Africa and she has just released Jodel (an Afrikaans cover of Yodel It! by Ilinca & Alexa Florea 2017 ESC Romania).
Here Marli talks to ESC Covers –
1. Hello Marli. First of all congratulations on Jodel and your brand new video clip for the song. What was the experience like making the video? Can you tell us something about this?
Hi Ian, thank you so much. I had so much fun making the video, the story is about a girl who is always alone in the background, reading and of course observing, you know looking at people wishing it was her. And then this guy comes along reading the same book as her and decides to get her out of her shell and they end up reading together. It’s actually based a little on my life and also a friend who has never been on an actual date with a guy. She’s too scared and that’s what I was trying to show.
2. Have you ever yodelled before? You do it very well.
Thanks. Well believe it if you will, I had to learn to yodel for the song. I enjoyed learning the new vocal style, I have found great respect for the style as well as people doing it.
3. Have you watched the original Eurovision Song Contest performance of Yodel It!? What were your opinions of the song and performance by Ilinca & Alexa Florea?
Yes, I watched it a couple of times, first the music video and then the performances on the Eurovision stage to see Ilinca’s technique and energy. I really think that Ilinca and Alex did a great job and I admire them both for what they’ve accomplished. To think that Ilinca with that small build at the age of 19 can give such a big performance with such a big voice, that is truly mind blowing. I really hope to meet both of them one day.
4. Would you like to record any other Eurovision songs? If so, what songs would you like to record?
Yes, I am busy with two more Eurovision songs, both are translated into Afrikaans. The first one is ‘If Love Was A Crime’ (Poli Genova – 2016 ESC Bulgaria) and the second is ‘Dancing In The Rain’ (Ruth Lorenzo – 2014 ESC Spain). I’m very excited about them as they are both powerful songs by two strong women.
5. Will you release an album? If so, what type(s) of music can we expect?
I am currently working on my album. It’s a little bit of everything, pop, country, contemporary, etc. I like to create a unique sound for my album because I want it to be different. That’s why I chose the three Eurovision songs to give it a feel of strong but fun songs with a fresh sound.
6. Who are your musical influences?
Freddie Mercury, John Lennon, the Beatles, Elvis, Celine Dion and Pink. All of these artists have their own voice and influence especially in society. They will be remembered for decades because of what they believed in and how they stood for their beliefs. I admire all of them for their authenticity and their music, all of them created their own sound that is so different that when you hear the intro of a song you can recognize that this is their song. I hope to be like that one day.
7. Have you performed at any festivals? If so, can you tell us about this and what songs you have sung.
I recently performed at the Strawberry festival, where I had so much fun. I sang some of our Afrikaans hits and did a few covers as well like ‘Breathless’, ‘Dark Lady’ and ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’ to name a few, and then I ended it with ‘Jodel. The Strawberry festival was so calm and different, the people were so warm and welcoming with of course strawberries everywhere. I actually ended up buying 7 Kgs of strawberries. The vibe was just unbelievable for me as an artist to feel part of the community even though not everyone knew who I was.
8. Do you have any concerts or shows coming in South Africa? What would your set include?
I will be performing at a driving range in November as well as a fund raiser market for Feed a Child to name a few. My set list will include ‘Jodel’ as well as a few of my originals, and then the ABBA medley to give a little trip down memory lane.
9. Have you covered any other international hit songs in Afrikaans?
Not yet but I’m considering it. You will be the first to know if and when it happens.
Good luck with ‘Jodel’, Marli. We look forward to hearing more news about you soon.
You can see again the video clip for Jodel by Marli below.
Source: ESC Covers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZOqV0xKVPc