Country music — made in Germany
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Loading... - Liam Bakker
- 17 Apr 2023
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Germany is home to a lively country music scene. Young country singer Siiri takes us into the world of German country and to her farm in the Sauerland region.
The rain has just stopped as Siiri trudges through the mud in rubber boots. She carries a bucket with fodder for the sheep, who come running up to her in anticipation of a meal. The other animals have made themselves comfortable in the barn which lies on a serene pasture with a forest behind it.
The young musician lives with her family, horse, dog, a small flock of sheep, and a few chickens on a farm in the Sauerland region in the west German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
When she's not tending to the animals or the land, which is her livelihood, the 28-year-old makes music —country music to be precise.
The origins of country music
In the 1920s, English, Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their music to the USA, specifically to where they settled in the southern states of the US and the Appalachian mountians. A new style of music emerged and came to be known as country music for its origins in rural areas. The states ofTennessee and Kentucky became country music strongholds and the genre grew to become expansive, later mixing with blues music and then pop styles.
But Siiri's love for country music has nothing to do with the fact that she comes from a rural area. She has always been passionate about singing. Although she started playing guitar at age 12, the artist discovered country music later in life.
From punk rock to country music
"Actually, I used to listen to punk rock," Siiri says with a laugh. While in college, she started playing music she wrote on the streets. "I tried to define the musical style of my songs. At some point, I realized there was something country about the way I sing," she told DW. Read More…
