About you as a person: You grew up in the Waldviertel. What happened then? When did you come to Vienna? What detours were there?
RACHEL: “(laughs) I went to Vienna in the traditional way after graduating from high school. What detours were there? I studied acting. And then I also made street music. And I always knew I wanted to express myself artistically in some way. I’ve kind of always been writing and I’ve had acting… I’ve had singing. It was clear to me that it had to be something from these things. I then somehow tried to go with the flow and see where a door opens. And now that was the music.”
Cool! Yes, in the song Nur ein Phase there is also the passage: „Too young to start, too old to finish.” What is a classic example of this from your life?
RACHEL: “I like lines that leave room for interpretation. So I think it’s nice when someone feels something completely different than what I wrote. But I meant: too young to know where to start. Or how to start. Very childishly naive… One somehow wants to participate and get involved. But you don’t know exactly where to start. Or something like, you don’t know how society works. I kind of had in mind: you’re 18 and you’re trying to start smoking because you kind of know: that’s cool. And that’s something that works. And you have to overcome yourself somehow. And then, at some point, you’re so old, in quotation marks, that you don’t know how to stop.”
Is smoking still cool for you?
RACHEL: “(laughs) Unfortunately, it’s a thing that has become so established. Somehow doesn’t make any sense at all. In terms of the environment, it’s actually kind of stupid. But unfortunately it’s still a stylistic device, isn’t it? You’ve seen so many pictures of smoking style icons, somehow you can hardly avoid it.”
In an interview with Music Austria you once said that you like to be radically yourself. How radical can you be?
RACHEL: “I chose that name and then I heard a lot of people go, ‘Huh? Your name is Radikal Rahel, but you’re not radical at all.” And I always say, but that’s not what I was thinking either. I don’t want to be radical in any direction. I just want to be radical me. So Radical Rachel. That can also mean that I am radically non-radical.”
You’ve already done so much in life that one could think you’ve had three lives already. Had three epochs somehow. I’ll say three now: music, acting and the role as speaker. Where do you feel most comfortable?
RACHEL: “I feel very comfortable in music right now, I have to say. When Raphi and I make music, we sometimes say we’re going into a cave. We have to turn on certain lights and light candles, we see it almost as something spiritual. (laughs) And that’s kind of a very cozy, imaginative world. Where somehow everything is possible.”
A classic question, assuming you only pocketed five euros for a whole weekend. And nothing in the fridge.”
RACHEL: “Happens! (laughs)”
Then it’s practically more of a reality anyway, if you can put it that way! Yes, how does the weekend look like for you?
RACHEL: “I’m kind of a little nerd, I think. I’m insanely good at just writing lyrics and singing for a weekend. What am I still doing? Meditate and be with animals. (laughs) We have a cat in the flat share. You can do a lot with five euros. Can you go outside? I don’t need much I don’t drink much alcohol… (laughs)”
Yes, that could also cost money! (laughs) What is your most prized possession?
RACHEL: “That’s a nice question! (laughs) I think the opportunity to creatively express my inner life.”
Suppose you could slip into another person’s body for, say, 24 hours, then you’d be you again. Which person would that be? Doesn’t have to be a living person.”
Rahel: “I was kind of thinking like this: Andi Borg.
Yes, that would be interesting for 24 hours!
Rahel: “Gladly!”
Interview / Questions / Research:
POPMAGAZIN.at / Hans Juergen Gernot Miggl, hans-juergen.miggl@popmagazin.at
Production / Transcription / Text:
POPMAGAZIN.at / Jelena Petener, jelena.petener@popmagazin.at; 19.05.2022