Music enjoyment in XL format – that’s what a young, powerful-voiced band stands for, which has already impressed an audience of millions with soulful pop and incomparable presence: BigSoul. Alexandra Piskol, Nadine Stricker and Michelle Straubel have been on stage together for four years and landed a celebrated second place in the first season of “X Factor”. They were considered hot contenders for the winner’s podium right from the start, and not just by their mentor George Glueck. After the show it was initially quiet for the three ladies and their then colleague Martina Plieger (who has since retired into private life), but the Hamburg band was not idle. In the studio, Alex, Nadine and Michelle calmly and with the necessary leisure developed BigSoul’s first album, which will be available from June 1st, 2012: “You look so good”. Producer: Franz Plasa (Rio Reiser, Selig, Udo Lindenberg). A debut album that’s worth it!
The finalists of the first X-Factor season are now really getting started: With a new album, new sounds and German lyrics under their belt, the ladies are now heading for the top chart positions.
Musically, vocally and visually, BigSoul cannot be compared to anything that is currently on the music market! In their live shows and on TV they shone above all with expressive, powerful vocal interpretations of international pop hits, coupled with full physical presence, professional gestures and a hell of a lot of soul. They have now incorporated all of this into their own songs. Goosebumps are more than likely. BigSoul has managed to be judged by their performance qualities rather than their physical distinctiveness, both in the TV shows and in their live work. Michelle says: “We met in a karaoke bar and got along well and became friends. At some point we came up with the idea of getting together as a band. The fact that we are all overweight has never played a big role for us.” Bandmate Nadine goes even further: “I would never have thought that THIS is why we found each other…”. Nevertheless, the XL format of the strong-voiced ladies caused a stir: mountains of letters and emails with expressions of sympathy were received in Hamburg, where the three live. Almost no negative word among them. One thing is important to the singers. Alex: “We never wanted to make music specifically for overweight people. We wanted to make music, period.”
Alex says it clearly: “That felt good; “This experience that appearances fade into the background the moment you touch people with music.” That is still BigSoul’s credo today. touching people. They also see this as their strength. “It’s not necessarily the perfection that’s touching. It’s the passion,” says Nadine. They kept them. Personal demands have nevertheless increased. The baby BigSoul has grown up. Musical recipe: Soul-Pop in German, female, powerful voices and full of ambition! There may be a bit of Aretha Franklin in there, here and there a trace of Caro Emerald or Joy Fleming in their rocking moments. Vocally, BigSoul can keep up with the greatest of the greats. They spice up driving Motown reminiscences like “Lady”, “Lauter” or the title song “You look so good” with inimitable personality, but also shy away from lascivious swing (“Affaire”) and soulful pop (“Much too much”, “Alone “) or captivating funk (“Every day is like music”). After years as cover singers – only the two tracks “I’ll Be There” and “Think” still bear witness to this – finally their own songs with German lyrics, which, according to their own statements, represented the greatest challenge for the three thoroughbred musicians. “We underestimated what a difficult task a good German text is,” says Michelle, “but we wanted it that way. The texts express power. And what is closer to you than your native language?”
In addition to many well-known writers, Nadine, Alex and Michelle were also able to work as authors themselves, for text AND music. BigSoul also look back on “their” year of television with gratitude and maturity. “You have to learn to tolerate stress and pressure if you want to get ahead in this business.” There was no hacking behind the scenes. “Before, we thought: either we would completely fall out or it would really bring us together,” says Michelle. The latter is the state of affairs. Alex sums it up: “I learned my limits, but also learned that I’m more resilient than I thought. The fact is: This all only works because we are closest friends.”
BigSoul left 20,000 competitors behind on “X-Factor”. Over a million people cheered them on at Germany’s largest New Year’s Eve party 2010/11 at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. The wait for their first album will soon be over: “You look so good” will be released on June 1st, 2012 by Sony Music.
That is BigSoul:
Alex (Alexandra Piskol) comes from Aschaffenburg, now lives in Hamburg and works alongside BigSoul in a call center. Her colleagues appreciate her “her organizational talent, her clarity, her creativity and her huge heart” (Michelle) and “her humor, her punctuality, her ambition and her compassion – she is a person you can always rely on (Nadine )”. Quote: “I sometimes think in ways that are completely incomprehensible to others. But that doesn’t stop me from expressing what’s spinning in my head.”
Michelle (Michelle Straubel) was born in Zambia, grew up in Schleswig-Holstein and now lives on the outskirts of Hamburg. Bachelor in international management, team manager in a call center. Currently a mother and singer. What her colleagues value about her is “her balance and openness and the fact that she creates new perspectives” (Alex) and “her warm-heartedness, her inner peace and that she always has an open ear and good advice” (Nadine). Quote: “I don’t like feet. Especially my own feet. And I don’t like Brussels sprouts.”
Nadine (Nadine Stricker) comes from Hamburg – lives in Hamburg. Freelance singing teacher who also once led a gospel choir. What her colleagues appreciate about her is “that she is sensitive yet crazy” (Alex) and “the funny way in which she is chaotic; her musicality and savvy. And her honesty” (Michelle). Quote: “I have a pool like a trash can: full and dirty. And: ‘Music was my first love and it will be my last.'”
