Jasper left for London!

PRESS RELEASE

This week the new school year starts for hundreds of thousands of
young people, including the 17 year old musician Jasper Erkens. Though
for the first time he will not be returning to his old school: yesterday Jasper
left for London for 2 years to study at the famous BRIT School of the
Performing Arts, better known as the BRIT school, the ‘nec plus ultra’ for
young talent, the number one talent factory over the past decade.

Their alumni list looks like the ‘who’s who’ of the British music scene: Amy
Winehouse, The Kooks, Katie Melua, Leona Lewis, The Noisettes, The Killers,
The Feeling, Kate Nash, Adele... they all studied at the BRIT School. And for the
first time in history there is now a Belgian as well, Jasper Erkens.

We didn’t want to make this press release too complicated so now we hand over
to Jasper.

The BRIT School, Jasper?

Erkens: “Shortly after my journey through Rock Rally, I got the chance to perform
as the supporting act to Adele in the Ancienne Belgique. We started talking
and she spoke really enthusiastically about the Brit School. When I got home I
started to dig up some information about it on the internet, and it looked great!
Unfortunately I also read that the school never actually accepts ‘foreigners’. That
is to say: according to the regulations they reserve 5 places for students outside
the Greater London area. As far as I know Kaggevinne near Diest doesn’t lie in
the Greater London area at the moment (he laughs). Moreover: ‘outside Greater
London’ also means Manchester, Brighton, Liverpool,... I was determined then
not to be too disillusioned.”

But you did send in your application?

Erkens: “Well, 5 places for non-Londoners are still 5 places. So I took my chance
and sent them my file. It demanded a great deal of time and energy, because
the procedures were not at all simple. Nonetheless I still got the substantial
application in the post on time. I didn’t want to feel that I hadn’t at least given it
my best shot.”

And?

Erkens: “A couple of weeks later I received an impersonal letter stating that
unfortunately my application had not been accepted and that I could forget it. It
didn’t literally say that of course but basically that was the message. Naturally
when I read the letter I was disappointed. But apparently there were more than
500 applicants for just 45 places, and in my case for just 5 places, so I did
understand. Turn the page and move on I thought. Until I saw in small letters

right at the bottom of the letter: if you are not happy with the Management
committee’s decision, you have the right to appeal’. Since then I am aware of the
full scope of the word ‘appeal’ (he laughs).”

And the appeal was heard?

Erkens: “Apparently because I was invited to London. That was on the
16th of March. I had a good feeling about it because it was 2 years to the
day after my Rock Rally final. I thought this was a good omen (he laughs)”.

What was it like, auditioning at such a high-profile school?

Erkens: “Quite tough. I had to go through a series of tests: analyse a number
by The Beatles both musically and textually, recognise chords, endure a tough
motivation interview and also give a short performance. I was more nervous that
day than when I played at Werchter (he laughs).”

After the audition, did you think you’d been successful?

Erkens: “Umm, actually, on the contrary,... I think my performance was good
and my motivation interview too, because apparently they knew all too well that
I was the one who had sent in an appeal and I think they found that to be a
sign of my motivation. But the statistics were completely against me. I already
knew that for a long time, but I only really fully appreciated it when I was actually
there: Belgian, a foreigner, 5 places for a few hundred applicants, ... And all that
amazing talent I saw around me. I caught the Eurostar back to Brussels that
evening with a good feeling: I was still the first Belgian ever to audition at the Brit
School. For me that was it, done and dusted. But to my great surprise, when I
was on a school trip in Greece, a letter arrived at home saying that I had been
accepted! That evening I treated myself to a stiff raki (he laughs).”

Cheers! So now what?

Erkens: “We’ll see. I am really looking forward to the lessons. Last year I still
had geography, physics and history. From now on I’ll only have music-related
subjects: guitar, singing, composition, production, etc. It sounds fantastic: being

able to focus on my favourite ‘subject’ 24 hours a day! As well as the fact that
for 2 years I will hear, speak and read English, that’s an added bonus. I write my
lyrics in English and the least I can do is to ensure that I am fluent in it. Even if
it’s just out of respect for my own tracks (he laughs).”

Can we expect new work from Jasper Erkens soon?

Erkens: “I have been working on writing new material for a while, and as I have
now officially left school, I am going through a really productive period. There are
already a few songs which I am quite happy with; which we are going to record;
just guitar and vocals, nothing else. Demos. I have promised myself I will write a
lot when I am in London too. This is something I will keep up. I’ll be patient and
work hard. In the meantime I’ll see what happens. The year for the release of a
new album hasn’t been decided yet, but I’ll make sure that it is released on the
16th of March (he laughs).”