Hymn to queer love Folk music star Andreas Gabalier regrets his "only flop"
Andreas Gabalier has reshaped folk music with rock elements. He has been successful on stage for 16 years - despite criticism. In a TV documentary, he now talks about his "only flop" and how he deals with headwinds.
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- Andreas Gabalier describes his song "Liebesleben" about queer love as the only flop of his career, as the message was not taken away from him.
- In a TV documentary, he talks about his development from a well-behaved folk musician to a polarizing folk rock'n'roller and once again defends himself against political accusations.
- Despite criticism, he wants to focus on his fans and emphasizes: "You do what you do for the people who enjoy it."
- The Gabalier documentary "Hits, Herz und Heimat - Der Schlagerhype" was broadcast on Wednesday, December 17, on 3Sat at 9.05 pm.
He is known as a folk rock'n'roller. Andreas Gabalier has been successfully making folk music for years - in his own way. He combines rock sounds with typical folk music lyrics.
But although he has been firmly established in the industry for several years, there is also a lot of criticism of the Styrian-born musician. The musician has now spoken about this in the TV documentary "Hits, Herz und Heimat Der Schlagerhype".
Gabalier started writing songs and performing 16 years ago. His first appearances still show him with slicked-back hair as a "well-behaved folk musician", such as on Musikantenstadl in 2009.
But the "Alpine Elvis" has left this image in the past: "I look back on this milestone with a big grin. They are simply contemporary witnesses," Gabalier comments on the pictures. He also admits: "I didn't know what was happening at the time."
Gabalier on criticism: "Clarified in a thousand interviews"
He is now known as a folk rock'n'roller, making a mixture of rock, folk and party music. But Andreas Gabalier is also polarizing, as he spreads a strongly conservative image of home. Critics accuse him of using outdated role models and right-wing ideas in his lyrics. However, the 41-year-old doesn't want to know anything about that.
"I don't think it's the music that polarizes, but me as a person," Gabalier emphasizes. He explains about the negative headlines: "I believe that this happened exclusively because this success was simply so big overnight and that many of these interviews from the early days would never have been made so big if - to exaggerate - a smaller fish had made them."
He makes it clear that he is not close to the "right or anything like that": "I've made that clear in a thousand interviews. (...) I have repeatedly rejected these accusations and I continue to do so." He is now tired of having to talk about it again and again. Instead, he wants to focus on the people who are behind him and who he inspires with his music: "You do what you do for the people who enjoy it and not for any critics."
Folk rock'n'roller sings "not in a dress the day after tomorrow"
In the past, however, criticism has not always left him cold. With the song "Liebeleben", he made a plea for queer love and tolerance. In it, he sings the lines: "Whether woman and man, or man and man or two girls then (...) it's love, it's life."
But the critics obviously didn't buy the "image change". Looking back, Gabalier explains: "That was the only flop of my career. Maybe they just didn't want to hear it from me".
In the end, everyone is their own brand, Gabalier emphasizes: "That's the vice. 'Coca-Cola won't be yellow tomorrow, the folk rock'n'roller won't be singing in a dress the day after tomorrow'."
