Following the recent launch of the Klezmorimalta Foundation, Jo Caruana interviews award-winning Dutch singer-songwriter Démira Jansen ahead of her performance in Malta.

Démira Jansen

Sometimes it’s easy to forget the earthy origins of music. Online creations and technological constructions have, so often, replaced traditional music-making.

Of course, artists everywhere fight against that. And now, with the launch of NGO the Klezmorimalta Foundation, a firm local focus has been placed on the protection and appreciation of acoustic instruments, and of the traditional ways of creating music.

To celebrate that, a vibrant concert of talented European artists will be held at the Pjazza Teatru Rjal at the end of the month.

Among these visiting enter-tainers is young, award-winning poetic folk singer-songwriter Démira Jansen. She will be performing on both nights of the event, along with the highly-acclaimed Amsterdam and Yxalag Klezmer Bands, which will also be flying in for the occasion.

Although still only in her teens, Jansen has become a music tour de force. She first became enthralled by music as a child. Her mother played the saxophone and, along with the rest of her family, performed in a brass band.

“When I was about three years old I started to get involved,” recalls Jansen with a smile.

“There was a huge music box filled with instruments at our house and I would play on a little xylophone, the shakers or a big, broken guitar. I wasn’t very good back then, but my mum would let me sit there making sounds while she rehearsed for her concerts. We spent many happy hours creating music together.”

Jansen took up the guitar properly when she was seven and started writing songs a couple of years later.

It was also around that time that she took part in the Dutch Junior Eurovision Song Contest and made it to the finals, which marked an important stage in her budding career. In 2012 she won the coveted High School Music Competition in her home country and started touring internationally to German and Norwegian festivals. She has certainly had some incredible moments, including playing a set on the main stage of the famous Zwarte Cross festival in front of 25,000 people when she was just 11.

She played at the Zwarte Cross festival in front of 25,000 people when she was just 11

Since then, there has been no stopping her. The now-acclaimed singer-songwriter-poet released her first solo EP, Pay Attention, shortly after that, while a video of her song The Men In Black secured an incredible 20,000 views within just one month. Today she describes her style as “rock ’n’roll/folk” and cites all sorts of influences for her work, namely, pop, folk, alternative, rockabilly and ballads.

“Another key highlight so far was definitely being named one of the best young poets in the Netherlands in 2013 and, of course, taking part in the Best Singer-Songwriter of the Netherlands competition and reaching the final,” Jansen continues.

That led to her sell-out tour across numerous big cities, and the release of her second EP, Indigo, which spent a good couple of months on the playlist of the Netherland’s top radio station, Radio 2.

Next up, and along with the release of her new single Tuxedo, will be her local performance.

“I have played at just about every big venue in the Netherlands, so it’s now time to bring my music to other parts of the world – and Malta is a really great place to continue my journey,” Jansen smiles.

“I have heard so much about the island and I am eager to get to know it. I love history so it will be great fun to explore Valletta, Mdina and Rabat, as well as to see seaside villages like Marsaxlokk. I don’t doubt that they will all prove inspirational to my work. I am also very excited to bring my music to a real Mediterranean audience. I am sure they will love the energy, sense of fun and good vibes.”

And once her Malta tour is complete, Jansen, who has reached the grand old age of 17, will be looking forward to her next project: finishing school.

“I’ve still got one year of high school left, so I’ll get through that first of all,” she says. “I know I don’t want to go to university after that though... instead I’ll focus on my music career.

“I hope the whole world awaits. It would be incredible to tour different countries with my band and perform in stunning venues. I love telling my lyrical stories to audiences and watching their reactions – it’s magical. Continuing this journey is my dream and I will do everything I can to make it come true,” she adds.

Klezmorimalta Nights will take place at Pjazza Teatru Rjal on August 29 and 30.

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