Szigeti Juli - electro swing band

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One of my favourite stories to tell is that my first ever singing contest was at the age of 4, that I won!  How cool is that? And my price was a stuffed toy tiger, score.  So I have been into singing since forever.  I went to music schools, private teachers, I learnt to play the piano, cello etc.  Then before creating my band, I gathered a little bit of international experiences alone, did some gigs in the UK, China where I was lucky enough to get third place on a talent show and so on.  That has always been my dream -to do music. 

I like electro-swing because we can combine elements from different music styles. I like jazz, blues, pop, funk, rock, EDM… and I like mixing things up. I grew up in a family where my father listened to blues and rock all day long, so I couldn’t help but love that music. 

So about electro swing; it is a lively and really captivating genre that blends the upbeat rhythms of swing music (that was also beloved by the great Gatsby) from the 1920s and 1930s with modern electronic / EDM or even funk elements.  Electro swing became popular due to its infectious energy, danceable grooves, and nostalgic yet fresh sound - which make it just irresistible.  The representatives of electro swing include for example Parov Stelar, Caro Emerald, Caravan Palace and of course Szigeti Juli.  We just love it.

Electro-swing music got popular around the 1990s, when artists started to sample vintage music, and combined it with modern beats.  Then live bands took over, created their own sounds with live instruments and electronic effects.  Now it became a really lively and energising genre, that make everyone dance.  I have been into ES like for ever, and I always wanted to do it myself.  

The best teacher I remember, from whom I learned a lot, is a private teacher who has now become one of my best friends.  She taught me to use my voice more freely, not to fear mistakes, and how important it is to pronounce lyrics clearly so that everyone can understand them well.

Well, at the age of 4, I wasn't very conscious about my voice and style; I simply sang the way I thought was best, which later turned out to not be as good. So, I continued learning more and more, and eventually went abroad to further broaden my skills.

Electro swing is a style where usually old style singing is appreciated, but I believe that everything is open to all kinds of change, and the more unique the style is, the more people can relate, and listen to it. So all kinds of singing methods are welcome I believe.

I love my band, they are highly creative and very talented musicians with huge knowledge in jazz, pop, funk... It is a pleasure to work with them, and come up with new ideas together.

We are a group of five. To make sure that everybody is free on a date, or to get together frequently to come up with new ideas, songs - that can be challenging sometimes.

Absolutely, but I believe that when we share a common goal, we work together despite any disagreements. It's essential to overcome obstacles and ensure that we're all on the same page.

They work mainly as music teachers when we are not playing.  I have a day job as a recruiter. But there is always time for music, as this is our passion.

Well it is pretty simple at our first gigs nobody knew us or the genre we played, so it felt kind of awkward.  Now, it feels much better to have the audience on our side and even singing along to our songs. 

I love them all. This all belongs to being a musician. Writing music and lyrics helps you to overcome problems, difficulties in your life; It feels rewarding. And then to be able to perform the songs live, to see the audience while playing music is the best feeling ever.

Our most beloved songs are “Light” [see video below], “Feel so happy” [scroll up] and “Dance”.  But sometimes we are lucky enough to have an audience who sings along the lyrics to “Don’t stop” as well. 

Music is one of the best medicine for heart problems.  Like when I lost my grandparents, or my father got really sick, or the way people treat each other.  Writing songs helps me deal with challenging situations.  So I am grateful for being able to do music! 

We are a group of five. To make sure that everybody is free on a date, or to get together frequently to come up with new ideas, songs - that can be challenging sometimes.

... each musician usually came up with their own parts.  Sometimes the Songwriter (the Singer = Guitarist, who came up with the initial idea, words, tune, chords, structure) sometimes suggested a bass line.  

Every song is different, and how we write them is also different.  Sometimes there is a cool hook that I come up with, share with the band, they continue the thought, or the other way around, they come up with something share with the rest of the band, and then it happens. The only thing that always stays with me is the lyrics.

Mostly we perform the songs only after being released.

Our label is Electro Swing Thing, so we work together with its owner, Wolfgang Lohr (Germany), we have two collab songs [Swing Delusion & Black Widow] with Atom Smith (USA), and one with Soulmate Project (Germany)

I love working with a label that is in an other country. They have a different approach, it reaches a wider audience and it has been just working out really well. We love EST.