Amsterdam-based Enrique Ebbink aka QUIQUE is a true star-in-the-making. He won the 2018 talent competition Fuego by FunX, opened for Ronnie Flex and stole the show at festivals such as Woo Hah!, Down the Rabbit Hole and Pal Mundo. With his hit singles Energia and Camino, QUIQUE is ready to conquer the world. On Friday, 4th of November, the self-proclaimed ‘El Colombolandés’ will bring tropical vibes to BIRD! We already asked him some questions in advance to gain more insight into QUIQUE and his music.

How are you doing?

Doing well! Spending a lot of time in the studio, and preparing for the upcoming shows!

Was it a conscious choice to combine Spanish and Dutch lyrics?

I prefer Spanish music. I just find it a more beautiful language, I can express myself better in it and I also love Latin music, so that's what I want to create. But at some point, you also just want to be understood, and let people know what you're talking about. That's why I sometimes throw in Dutch or make a song entirely in Dutch. That's how I actually started, in Dutch. Later on, I discovered writing in Spanish when my mother suddenly said, ‘hey, why don't you try making a Spanish song?’. When I did that, I really liked it and continued with it. Now I occasionally throw in Dutch to make myself understood, as it's just my first language.

Can you still listen to your own releases?

Usually – I've noticed that's the case with many artists – you really can't stand to listen anymore. With some tunes, I've put them on one more time, sometimes it's nice to pull up your Spotify and think ‘hey, what have I actually released?’. But usually, you've already heard it so many times, as it still has to go through the mix, and through the master, then you get it back, have to adjust it again. At some point, you've heard the song ten thousand times, then you're kind of done with it and just want to move on to the next. Actually, you're most into the songs that have just been made and will come out in a while.

What did you want to convey to your listeners with the song ‘Camino’?

It's about walking your own path. That was my first thought. We sampled the chorus from Chan Chan – Buena Vista Social Club. In the chorus, they clearly go from place to place, they know where they are going. But when I wrote it, I thought ‘hey, but I don't actually know entirely where I'm going or where I'll end up. I'm just going.’ I took that thought and wrote about it.

In the song ‘Zenuwachtig’, you wrote about the recognisable struggles that young adults go through. How do you look at that now?

Yes, there is pressure to achieve things and make money. Especially when you open social media, people say ‘you have to work hard, earn money, become rich!’. So I understand that it brings a lot of pressure.

Nervously, it's actually about when my girlfriend and I thought she was pregnant. Then suddenly it went through my mind of 'hey shit, okay, I'm not there yet, I don't have any money yet.' It was written out of that urgency. But how I deal with it now, yes, just work. Do your thing and continue to enjoy what you're doing, I think that's the most important thing.

Which artists did you listen to while growing up that influenced your music style?

I used to listen to a lot of Dutch hip-hop. Ronnie Flex, SFB, Hef: I don't think I took much musically from them, because I now make a lot of reggaeton and what I'm working on now is even more salsa/merengue-like, so you're really going back to that old-school Latin thing. But what I did pick up from them is that you have to remain yourself and shouldn't be pretentious or say something that you aren't.

With which self-written song do you identify the most?

I think that one is still to come. I'm currently working on making a record and I find myself more and more in it. I think I still have to get there, but from what has come out now, I would still say ‘Camino’. Because it goes a bit deeper. It still has that sample in it, so not entirely original, but certainly in terms of writing. And I'm happy with ‘Energía’ because it is completely original. And it really radiates cheerfulness and positivity, making people feel good. That's what I particularly want to bring with my music.Info and tickets for QUIQUE on 4th November

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