Patty Gurdy is an artist from Düsseldorf who fell in love with music at a young age. She describes her music as celtic folk pop and is always joined on stage by her trustful instrument – the hurdy gurdy. Her love of Eurovision is deep, and the Eurovision community quickly became familiar with her when she posted the music video for her song “Melodies of Hope” back in November. And now – she’s in contention to represent her country in Liverpool!
It’s time for another interview ahead of Unser Lied für Liverpool, and today I’m joined by hurdy-gurdy musician Patty Gurdy! How are you doing today?
Thank you, I am very well and totally excited!
We have to talk about your promotional campaign to get into the national selection, as you posted your entry “Melodies of Hope” on Youtube and declared your desire to represent Germany back in November. How does it feel to officially be a finalist for Unser Leid?
I am very proud to represent my country. Especially in these times of crisis, to be able to sing a song about hope and rebirth. It’s such a great opportunity to reach many people and give them something they can use to get through tough times.
Has participating in the German national selection been a long-term dream for you, or was this a more recent goal?
Ever since the ESC took place in my hometown Düsseldorf back in 2011, I have followed it and always wished, like every artist, to be nominated and to be able to present my music on the world’s biggest music stage!
For some of our readers this might be their first encounter with the hurdy-gurdy instrument. What is it about this instrument that resonates so much with you as an artist, and how did you first encounter your love for it?
The hurdy-gurdy became my instrument when I had it on my lap for the first time and noticed how, when I cranked it, the sound developed in such a way that the whole instrument vibrated on my lap. I immediately had the association: Woah, it’s alive. I had never felt that with any other instrument. And the hurdy-gurdy has a super wide spectrum of sounds and is actually a small orchestra to which you can also sing and move. It was the all-round solution for me and that’s why I think the instrument is so cool and would like to make it better known.
Alright here’s a fun question for you – if you were going to produce a Eurovision cover album, what songs would you put on the track list and why?
Actually I just made a Eurovision Medley, check it out, this should answer your question, haha
What was the songwriting process like for you and Johannes Braun to write “Melodies of Hope”, and what message do you hope it will send to the viewing audience?
The idea for the song came to me in the shower: I was just on a holiday in Edinburgh in Scotland and was taking a shower. And as it always happens in these funny moments, the idea came and I had nothing to write it down. So I kept singing in the shower until I could sing it into my phone. I went to Hannes with it, he immediately worked on it and we recorded the song within a day. We want to spread the message that nobody is alone. We can make it through difficult times together and always support each other.
If I asked you to describe your staging plans for Unser Lied in just three words, what would you give me?
Wind machine, story and magical
Of course you know that the winner of Unser Lied will represent Germany at Eurovision 2023 this May. How closely do you follow the contest, and what might it mean for you to be able to be part of this experience yourself?
For me, it will definitely be an unforgettable experience. But right now, I’m concentrating on the most important decisions and wish every artist all the best.
From: https://www.escunited.com/%F0%9F%87%A9%F0%9F%87%AA-patty-gurdy-interview-the-hurdy-gurdy-has-a-super-wide-spectrum-of-sounds-and-is-actually-a-small-orchestra/
