BiB/Oa: You played in Russia?
Els: Yes, three times!

Oa/Bib: How were the concerts?
Els: : Great! Really, really great! People were really, really enthusiastic, and I thought...it was a surprise for me. Cause I thought they were really cold and serious, but when they go to concerts they enjoy themselves and that's. ja...it was really nice, I love to travel for my work...my work (!?!).

Oa/Bib: Did you play in a band before?
Els: No, its my first band. I was always singing. On my bike, in the bathroom, when I did the dishes. But I was never in a group when I met Danny. We were so much in love, and he recorded my voice on a 4-track, and then we had the idea to start Vive la Fête, and that's how it happened. It was a very nice story, indeed

Oa/Bib: So, do you write the lyrics?
Els: Yes, and…well, we work together for the songs to. I mean I also do some keyboards sometimes.

Oa/Bib: So you learnt really fast actually.
Els: Ja.

Oa/Bib: Were you nervous at first, or did you just dive into it?
Els: : No...well, I was nervous for my first concert, I was...wow, really nervous, because in fact when I was younger I was really ashamed...I was a really shy girl. At school I didn't open my mouth, I was so...yeah really, it is very strange. And when I was on stage the first time I felt already I really liked it, but it was a completely different world. So the first time I had the feeling I was going to the electric chair.
Like...schouckschouck.. That was before, but when you're on the stage it's over, and now I don't have it again. I mean, you have your adrenaline of course, but I'm never shy or anything. That's your world on stage. That's a great feeling in fact. I love it. You get addicted to it.


Oa/Bib: I can imagine.
Els: But now we've had a very busy year, and very busy summer, and now it's the ninth concert and you feel like...one day of rest is okay, but after a few days you're looking forward again to do the next concert.

Oa/Bib: Can you make a living of your music, or do you have a job..
Els: Yes, no.

Oa/Bib: When could you start doing that? What album was it?
Els: I think the one before was already good, and now this one really made it happen that I don't have to go to work anymore. And that's of course great, because I was never like very good. I don't like to work for a boss. I hate it! So now that is super.

Oa/Bib: And is it important that it's you and Danny, like a guy and a girl singing together, male-female vocals, or did it just happen? Do you have any feminist stands...do you...
Els: No, no, no.

Oa/Bib: Do you get annoyed at people who insist on the fact that you are a woman?
Els: No..

Oa/Bib: Does it happen?
Els: Yes, it just happened. We didn't really think about it before.

Oa/Bib: But now you're on stage, playing as a woman in a band.
Els: Yes...but these are my friends. It's like really close family, I don't feel like a difference between me as a girl and the guys.

Oa/Bib: What about the media, though?
Els: : In the media?

Oa/Bib: Do you feel more targeted as a woman, like for example, the media usually concentrate on what a girl is wearing, or the way she reacts.
Els: Sometimes in the beginning they were more critical about the fact that I was big and blonde, especially in the periods I worked in fashion. They wrote in magazines like as if I was a model who wanted to sing, you know. And that is what I really hate, because I'm not a model. I did it a couple of times because they asked me, but...If you look rather beautiful, they say: it's a girl, of course they have success because she's sexy…but, fuck I hate that.I mean, I'm just me, myself, so if I look like this or like that, it doesn't...hum. I mean, it just happen to be that I love to play on stage, I don't mind.

Oa/Bib: But then it's okay to be a model and sing anyway. Just look at Nico, not the worst person to be compared to?
Els: : Yes, yes. Sure.

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