Solid Base: Cheese Factor Set To 10
Euro-pop duo Solid Base reveal that they are unashamed of their commercial music-who cares, as long as it sells, right?
Interview and photos by Lionel Zivan S. Valdellon

published in PHILMUSIC.com: April 2000

There's a pumping house beat and then the saw-wave synth chords plunk on top of the rollicking bassline. Isabelle Heitmann and Thomas Nordin enter the stage with two energetic dancers and proceed to enthrall the crowd that gathers at the mall performance. They sound a little like Aqua, a little like Steps, a little like the old 2 Unlimited, they entertain everyone and are unashamed in their faux fur-lined silver jackets to be mouthing lyrics like : "Everybody move it from the left, to the right/ That's the way you do it."
___ The newest aerobics sensation? No.
___ This is Solid Base, who recently stopped by Metro Manila on a six country Asian promo tour (Singapore, Malaysia, Manila, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan) and met with PhilMusic at TGIFriday's in El Pueblo, Ortigas Center to chat about what it means to by commercial.

THE BEGINNING

How did you guys meet?
Isabelle: I heard there was this group called Solid Base that needed vocalists. I was working with a producer that was signed to the same record company. He just told me about the group. So I went down there to do test singing and that's how we met.

So you were an instrumental group before you met Isabelle?
Thomas: No, no. We had another vocalist from the beginning She wasn't that nice though, so we had to fire her and get a new one. So we had like 25 girls there auditioning, Isabelle was the best one. When Isabelle started singing, we all got goose flesh! So here we are.
___Solid Base was the producers' (Mattias Eliasson & Jonas Eriksson) idea. And they called me up 'cause they're friends of mine, and said: "Hey Thomas, do you wanna come down? We've had a bunch of guys here doing rap -- can you come down and listen to it?" I went.. and it really didn't sound so good. They asked me, just for fun if I could do some rapping and I said, "Yeah, cool." And I did it and they asked if I wanted to be part of the group. Why not? No problem.

What were the both of you doing before embarking on life as Solid Base?
Thomas: I was a DJ but never a club DJ. That's wrong information. Both the producers used to be club DJs. Me, I've only worked as a DJ on radio. I was in Solid Base already when I got the job as a radio DJ. That was at the start of the group. Before that, I was working in a restaurant as a chef.
Isabelle: I was working in a video store. It was great! I was kinda like the manager of the store and I loved it, because my whole family is made of movie maniacs.

Suddenly from being a chef and a video store manager, you guys are pop stars touring the world. Is this what you always wanted to do?
Isabelle: Yeah. I have always been singing. Both my parents were singers as well, so for me it was very natural.
Thomas: And I think as long as you become an artist and start out with it... You set, like, goals for yourself all the time. When you reach that goal, you wanna aim even higher. That's how it is.
___ The greatest thing: that first gold disc was like... wow! But you have to be happy. I mean, we've had a lot of luck and good work from all the people around us and it feels great to be able to do this, like we're doing right now.

DOES COMMERCIAL = CHEESE?

So what are your goals right now? What's the next big step?
Isabelle: Number one worldwide. (both laugh) That's a pretty good goal.
Thomas: It would be really cool to succeed in the markets which have opened for us now, like here in the Philippines, and in Asia.

Was it a plan to hit Asia first then go to the US...?
Isabelle: There was not actually a plan, the record company licenses all over the world and whichever country buys it, there you go. So it's not a plan, even if it would be very nice to hear.

You're doing commercial pop and dance, and you have lots of competition. How do you feel about that?
Isabelle: Competition is a good thing.
Thomas: None of us actually thinks about that at all. We try our best and hopefully it goes right. We wish all the luck to the other people. As long as the music we're making is hitting the lists all over, that's really cool.
Isabelle: Like he says, it's not something we're constantly thinking about. You just do your thing and if you succeed, you succeed. Success is also a lot of luck. There are many people who are really really good but who never make it because of different circumstances.

What are the influences in your music?
Isabelle: basically whatever's around me. It's not a certain kind of music.
Thomas: I love hip hop but I also like a lot of other music. I love Dr.Dre, Eminem, Public Enemy, the old N.W.A. stuff, Bone Thugs N' Harmony...
Isabelle: I like LL Cool J, I wanna marry him. Okay, you tell him that. (laughs) Whitney Houston is probably THE best vocalist I've ever heard. Also Lauryn Hill is very good.
Thomas: And I even enjoy the Backstreet Boys, they have a lot of good songs. They have a lot of talent. I went to their concert in Norway and Iw as really impressed.

Just to explain the thinking here in the Philippines… a lot of people consider pop music cheesy and corny. People don't wanna associate themselves with it. They won't admit that they listen to the Backstreet Boys...
Isabelle: I think that actually happens worldwide. But it's a special kind of thing. You're talking about credibility and being commercial. To me, if you don't like something, don't buy it. But if you do, support it, buy it.
Thomas: And the Backstreet Boys, they sold 1.3 million albums in one week in the US. So you can say whatever you want, who cares? Call it whatever you like. (laughs)
Isabelle: Yeah, the fact is: cheesy stuff sells.

So it doesn't bother you that people may find your music cheesy?
Thomas: Not at all!
Isabelle: No! I love the kind of music that we're doing. And I also love cheesier music. And I also love what you should call the credible music... We like everything.

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