MARIANNE VEENSTRA

Saturday 19 October, 9:00 pm
Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine

MARIANNE VEENSTRA (Low Saxon)
Marianne has been writing stories and poems for as long as she can remember. During her teenage years she performed in pubs with her first bands, took part in talent shows and started writing her first songs. Marianne stars in the documentary ‘Meiden die Rijden’ in which she talks about her life divided between her profession as a truck driver and as a singer. She recently won the Drèents Liedtiesfestival with the song ‘t Is zo wisse, the autobiographical story of a relationship that came to an end.
 
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INTERVIEW WITH MARIANNE VEENSTRA

What is an untranslatable phrase, an expression or a word in your language that you love? And why?
‘t Is zo wisse: It’s as certain (as a lump of sugar is sweet)
The title of my entry; I love beautiful sayings and typical Drenthe proverb

What are 3 adjectives you would use to describe your language? Why did you choose them?
Authentic, down-to-earth, changeable.
I chose them because I think they best describe the language; it is an authentic & down-to-earth language that is subject to change.

Some people think that making music/art in a minoritized language closes many doors – what are instead the doors that it has opened to you?
It has taught me to look more for words and expressions that have faded into the background over the years.
By using words that are no longer used regularly, you bring them back into the spotlight, and it has helped me to gain a broader vocabulary of the language and inspire others with my music.

If you could make an appeal to anyone to keep their language alive, what would you recommend? What do you see as the biggest challenges or difficulties to maintain your language?
Explore, dare to play with the language and immerse yourself in the stories of people who have spoken the language for longer to rediscover and breathe new life into forgotten gems

How would you respond to someone who considers your language old and obsolete?
With an open mind. I would try to find out what the reasons are for that person to draw that conclusion, respect his or her opinion, and see if I can do something with it in a song or for my personal development.

A short sentence to describe your music
Life experiences from Drenthe captured wearing a pop/rock jacket.