Fragma (2012) Dance Radio - maXdance

Fragma – 2012 Interview

maXdance: Firstly, thanks for taking the time to catch up with us again (those that don’t remember or don’t know, we did a Fragma interview back in 2003/4 under the MaxDance FM name)!
Damae: Thank you MaxDance FM for supporting Fragma and me for so many years now….

maXdance: What managed to interest you in becoming a singer and musician?
Damae: Music was from my early days a very important part of my life. My Dad plays the guitar and my mom used to sing, music was always there and I used to listen to music and start singing and writing, mostly when I was upset, it helped me a lot and music became my best friend.
I was quite a rebel when I was young and there were different stages in my life, when I listened to different kind of music styles, I did skateboarding and on that time I loved Hip Hop and Rap, later Punk and Grunge music and sang in a Punk band, then I started going out and I fell in love with House.
At that time I used to do modelling and I made many contacts with producers who wanted to put me into commercial cheesy pop acts, which I always declined.

maXdance: How did you become the vocalist for Fragma?
Damae: I met Ramon Zenker the producer from Fragma and Gottfried Engels from Tiger Records (GangGo) in 2000, they were looking for a singer after they had a huge success in the UK with “Toca’s Miracle”, they invited me to Ramon’s Studio and straight away we all had a strong positive connection, I remember I was so exited and I told them that I have a little boy, but I have big back up from my mom and my family to look after him when I have to go to work, I had some bad experience before by telling that I have a child and wanting a career, I was so positively surprised that Ramon and Gottfried didn’t have a problem with this at all. They really wanted me, my voice and not only my look. I loved Ramon’s production and admired him for his work, I felt very secure. Fragma was signed in those days with Postiva and we started working for a strong follow up single,which was “Everytime You Need Me”, for what ever reasons Positiva decided to make a featuring single with another singer. Ramon, Jörn Friese and I kept working on songs for our first album Toca and then a funny thing happened…. Kevin Robinson who was A&R at Positiva came over to Germany to meet us in the studio, I never met him before but obviously he really liked me as a singer and as a person, we played “You Are Alive” to him and he was pleased and happy about the song, so he decided “You Are Alive” is the next Fragma single an he wanted me to be the permanent singer for Fragma. Suddenly I found myself shooting a video in beautiful Sri Lanka, performing on the biggest stages in the UK, promoting the single and the album, did Interviews, photoshoots and driving around London in a Limousine and staying in 5 stars hotels. It was all like a dream come true, my fear not being accepted in the UK as a German after two British singers were gone. BBC Radio 1 played it, there were many good reactions and then the song charted on No 4, I was just so overwhelmed and had the best time of my life.

maXdance: We know the Toca’s Miracle 2012 update is out, what other things can we expect this year…new album maybe new UK releases?
Damae: At the moment there is a featuring we did with Italian DJ’s from Mars called “Insane” There is also a song coming out with Akil Wingate. It’s still top secret…we just recored a song and we are so exited about it…I can’t talk about it now but Remixes are on the way and I just can’t wait to get it out!!!!

maXdance: We know you do some work solo (Featuring on other tracks), tell us a little about your collaborations you have done?
Damae: I did some collaborations with Alex Guesta, Kyau and Albert, Londonbeat, Darren Bailie (The Guru Project), Marc Lime and K Bastian, Schiller, Distant Soundz and worked with the Murlyn producers on my solo stuff. I still get many offers to work with different producers but I just can’t manage to
do everything, I select very carefully and only work with people who I like and I feel secure.
I am still working on new stuff for my solo project but it’s still in a very early stage. Fragma is still my main project and my baby..so don’t worry I won’t run off…;-)

maXdance: If you had to select one song out of all the Fragma songs, what one would be your favourite one?
Damae: Oh my god! Difficult question..All our songs have their stories and many emotions that come along.Maybe spontaneous I would say “You Are Alive”, because it was my first release with Fragma!

maXdance: What are some of your favourite cities to perform in?
Damae: Chicago was wicked, Manchester, Dubai, Madrid, Moskau, Sidney, Ibiza, Paris, Rom, Rio de Janeiro, Glasgow, Bangkok, Warsaw….so many places. I guess every city and country has their own spirit…..

maXdance: What are some of your favourite clubs?
Damae: Pacha, Space, Amnesia

maXdance: What other artists inspire you now or what artists have inspired you in the past?
Damae: Too many…starting with The Beatles, Stones, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson when I was a kid, later RunDMC, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, NWA, to Sex Pistols, Metallica, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Guns n’́ Roses, and House Music like Dj Pierre, Junior Vasquez, Nightcrawlers, Todd Terry, mostly everything from the Fresh Fruit label and Strictly Rythm (This was when I started Djing a bit…), Madonna, Kylie, Mariah Carey, Johnny Cash, Blondie, Duran Duran, Astrud Gilberto, Saint Etienne, Hardfloor,Toni Braxton, India Arie, Aliya, Prince, The Streets and just so so so many more and some German ones you won’t know………
Now I like as a singer Jessy J a lot, she is very cute and is a big talent. I love Adele, Bruno Mars, Kings of Leon, Gotye and sorry all the”Dance Music” like this new David Guetta stuff is not my thing and it sounds all the same to me….

maXdance: Although maXdance.co.uk is only a small (internet only) radio station in the UK with a fast growing fan-base, what do you think about us and what we do?
Damae: I know you now for many years and I think it’s amazing how you manage to support and spread via the Internet electronic music, because it’s basically impossible to get supported by official radio stations in the UK anymore. So you are doing a lot for us musicians but also more importantly, good music won’t be forgotten!

maXdance: Damae, do you have a message for our readers and listeners?
Damae: Thank you for your support and being interested in our music. Stay tuned on our our official Fragma Websites or on my personal one Damae of Fragma for any news, dates and releases.

maXdance: Damae, thanks for taking the time for this interview, we wish you all the best and hope we can catch up again in the near future!
Damae: Thank you and a Big Kiss from Germany xxx