Ciao amore,
To celebrate the 16th anniversary of the film Winx Club – The Secret of the Lost Kingdom, which was released in German cinemas on 4 September 2008, I had the pleasure of inviting the singer of the film soundtrack, Daniela Engelhardt, for an interview.
Daniela is a singer and vocal coach from Augsburg and can also be found under the stage name deeVoice. There’s a lot to see and hear on her website and Instagram.
Dear Daniela,
Thank you very much for agreeing to this interview and all the best for your 16th anniversary of the soundtrack to the film Winx Club – The Secret of the Lost Kingdom.
Thank you very much! I’m delighted too and very happy to be part of it.
Before we dive into the world of Winx, we would of course like to get to know you a little better as a person and as a singer.
What originally inspired you to become a singer?
This desire has existed since my early childhood. Music has always played a very big role in my family and still does today. My mother is also a singer and was already travelling a lot musically with her family. I was able to enjoy various musical training programmes as a child before I started vocal training at the age of 13 – initially in classical music, but then very soon in pop-rock. From then on, there was no way back 😉
Which moment in your career is particularly significant for you?
There are many wonderful moments, both big and small. The biggest was probably my performance at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003. It was very impressive for me to perform in front of so many millions of people. But the many ‘small’, touching moments also mean a lot to me, such as accompanying my bridal couples. Experiencing and creating these emotional moments is wonderful.
You accompany people in the most diverse and particularly emotional situations in life: from christenings to weddings and funerals. What motivated you to cover this broad emotional spectrum?
It has simply developed over the years. It fulfils me to accompany people in these moments musically, to create these special moments musically and thus create memories or provide comfort at funerals.
Are there events where you still struggle with stage fright and if so, how do you deal with it?
A bit of stage fright is part of every performance, no matter how small, and for me it’s simply part of it. However, it is rarely a ‘battle’. The best way to combat stage fright is to prepare well and thoroughly and realise that we are not perfect and don’t have to be.
In addition to the various events that you embellish with your singing, you also give singing lessons.
What came first for you: your live performances or the singing lessons you give? And how did it come about that you decided to do this?
It developed in parallel. I was teaching quite soon after completing my vocal training and at the same time I was on stage with various projects. Both were welcome jobs to finance my studies. (However, I studied sociology, psychology and media education in a very ‘profane’ way). I am now also a holistic voice therapist and help people with voice problems.
Back then I came across your songs ‘Nur du allein’ and ‘Rainman’. I’ve actually listened to them up and down, which is why they have a special place in my heart. Can you tell us something about these two songs? When did you write them, are they your only original compositions and was there perhaps even an album planned?
I’m glad you like these songs so much. I recorded ‘Rainman’ with the same producer with whom I recorded the songs for the Winx Club soundtrack. It was released on an Ibiza compilation. And yes, an album was once planned, but unfortunately it never materialised. ‘Nur Du allein’ was created together with my husband, who is also a music producer.
Is there a dream that you would still like to realise as an artist?
To actually release an album of my own songs. That’s been my dream for a long time, but unfortunately I don’t have the time at the moment.
What do you like to do when you’re not making music?
Swimming, hiking with my family, going for walks in the forest, trips with my children 🙂
You used to be known as Daniela Burghardt and now as Daniela Engelhardt – is that a stage name or did it come about in a different way?
Burghardt is my maiden name; when I married my husband in 2010, I took his name and have been called Engelhardt ever since – so it’s quite unspectacular 😉
Now I would like to dive into the world of Winx with you.
How did you hear about the soundtrack project for the film Winx Club – The Secret of the Lost Kingdom?
Someone from the German production company approached me and asked if I would like to translate and record the songs. Of course I didn’t say no. 😉
How does the application process work for projects like this? Do you apply or are you found in a file and booked? Were there any competitors?
As far as I remember, there was no application process.
Did you have the original versions of the songs in the studio, so that you could use them as a guide in terms of emphasis, word division, melody etc.?
Exactly. We were given the original Italian versions and an English version of the lyrics. We then wrote and recorded the German lyrics on this basis. The requirement was that we stick as closely as possible to the original Italian version in terms of melody and phrasing. Sometimes that wasn’t so easy, as it had to flow and make sense in German as well. But I think we succeeded quite well.
The soundtrack was released on CD on 25 August 2008 – when did the recordings begin?
Phew, I can’t remember exactly, but we had relatively little time. We did everything within a week. We sat up late at night working on the lyrics and recorded the songs during the day.
What significance does and did this experience have for you?
It was and is of course a great thing to be allowed to record songs for a cinema film and I’m pleased that I can add this to my portfolio.
In 2010/2011, the second Winx Club film was released with a soundtrack of eleven songs that were unfortunately never translated into German. Did you hear about it back then?
No, unfortunately not. I would have loved to have done it again, of course. I have no idea why the songs aren’t available in German and I think it’s a shame.
Is there anything else you would like to share with readers and Winx fans?
I had a lot of fun producing the soundtrack and put my heart into it, so I’m very pleased that these songs had and still have a special meaning for many fans. I didn’t expect this, as the project had ‘fizzled out’ for me and at some point I no longer had it on my radar. I was therefore very pleasantly surprised when you contacted me.