Slovakia in the eyes of foreign singer Thomas Puskailer

THOMAS PUSKAILER

Is a Slovak singer born in Netherlands, songwriter and stage actor. He appeared on the first season of Czech & Slovak Superstar, he has played in several theater performances, he has had a lot of concerts and he has attended television shows.

He also dedicates ECO TOUR, which is an environmental education show for young children and teenagers with music, games, interactions and important ecological message.

ALBUMS

2011 – „Thomas Puskailer Maxi Single“

2012 – „Make Believe“

THOMAS PUSKAILER #UNPLUGGEDTOUR TOPOĽČANY 27/5/2016 RETRO PUB

I have enjoyed an acoustic concert tour of Thomas Puskailer on 27/5/2016, which I really liked. An idea of projection of photos of his childhood and his way to singing career has freshed it and added even bigger positive energy to it. I would like to thank Thomas, his manager and all people, who have made this concert unforgettable for nice experience. Thank you!

Thomas Puskailer has given me beautiful and pretty positive answers to my questions in this interview article, which I really appreciate. My dear readers, I wish you nice reading and I am thankful ahead for every single one of your response or like.

THOMAS PUSKAILER INTERVIEW

1. It is known that you grew up in the Netherlands. What took you to Slovakia then?

• My car took me, fueled by gas, I sat in it and it took me right here. I could have flown or gone by train, though. Why did I really come here? I took part in Czech&Slovak version of American Idol, till then I lived in England. After the show I’ve been offered some deals and one of them was a musical named Boyband. I took it and that was perhaps the main reason I stayed here, because we played very often – sometimes 8 times a month, plus concerts. And so, after a year, we decided to stay with Abbie, who is the most important person in the world for me and we wanted to try it here. We’ve been living here for 5 years and it’s been really great, I got some projects running, now I‘m doing concerts and musicals, I’m doing ECO TOUR – an educational concert for kids and I really love it. I work hard and that is life, you do something you want to and that is possible here in Slovakia.

2. What do you like the most about Slovakia?

• I like the touch with people. When I meet strangers, they are always very warm to me. When I lived in England, I would sometimes notice that people are stressed. There are lot of them, in Slovakia you’ve only got 5 million people and just in London there are like 9 million, so I don’t know who can I trust in London. When I came to Slovakia, I immediately noticed it would be warm and friendly here. In this kind of job I do I always have to pay attention, but I see options here. So, the most I like the access to job here, so if I want to do something, people are always open and sense it positively.

3. Was it difficult to you to get used to a new culture and new language?

• Pretty difficult. You’ve got very different culture and language, a lot of „tongue twisters“ so I always have to talk slow and carefully to communicate normally, but it‘s not my natural tongue, that’s English. In my opinion Slovak language is the third most difficult language especially because of declension. But when I concentrate myself, it goes better. It is of course really interesting language, but in the evening I feel my tongue hurts.

4. You are also an actor in a theater. Is it difficult to learn script in Slovak language?

• I need more time than Slovak actors. And I have to learn it every day, and before every performance I have to repeat and roleplay it, because it is not my daily way of speaking. However, once I learn it I never forget it. I will remember everything I play until I die. When I learn something in English, I’ve got it somewhere in cells and then I forget it, but when I open those cells it‘s there. That’s the same as you, when Slovak people learn something in English, you remember that forever.

5. If you had to compare, what do you like more? Acoustic concert or a concert with music track?

• Definitely acoustic concert. I can make several sounds there and it is my voice, so I really like it. The acoustic concert is always from my heart and that is what makes me a human.

6. How did you enjoy today’s concert?

• This concert was amazing. Me and a guitarist Andrej have completely enjoyed singing and playing. A Retro pub gave a perfect atmosphere to our #unpluggedtour. After the concert I had a time to talk to new people, to get to know them and I would like to say, that I really appreciate you all, who comes to see us and hear our tour, you are amazing and I thank you.

7. Do you remember any of funny situations from the stage?

• I have played „Saturday Night Fever“ once and I‘ve had a dance solo there. I jumped into the air, made a lace and my trousers ripped. We dancers had a dance belt under the trousers, which is a special instrument to hold those things down together and they were skin coloured. So as my trousers ripped it looked as though I wasn’t wearing anything under them. That was a huge shock for me and to people in front rows. I think they will never forget that.

8. If you could change only one thing in this world, what would it be?

• I would like to see more love here. Much more of tolerance and respect between us, because that’s the most powerful. Even this interview we are doing now is love. I respect, I am here and I normally communicate with you without arrogance. Because people who ignore that also exist. You’ve got love and then you’ve got the second side of it. You need to know the darker side to know what love is. You are happy once and the other time you are sad, but you would never know how to be sad if you didn’t know how to be happy.

9. I suppose you don’t get to relax a lot, but when you do, what are your favorite activities?

• I sleep or I watch TV series. I also like getting out into the woods. This is the biggest source of energy for me, it’s pure nature and sometimes I also hug trees. Can you imagine the energy that goes from it? It’s amazing, and the trees are far older than us, that’s really cool. I like going out to Bratislava mountain park, that’s really amazing place.

10. What do you think of the environmental side of Slovakia?

• I’m doing an EcoTour. I’m spending a huge time on it, because I see a lot of beauty in Slovakia. I love the fresh air here, when you come to London which is home to large number of people mentioned, you inhale little dust particles everyday, which isn’t very good for you. People tend to age faster there, whereas here in Slovakia I seem to age more slowly. The nature here can get even better by waste sorting. Here in Slovakia it’s not as developed as for example in Switzerland, you don’t get fined here, but I had to pay a 70€ fine when I threw a paper in plastics in Switzerland. That’s the reason they are among the cleanest countries in the world and I hope this system will soon be used here. But honestly, it’s not as bad here, I’ve seen worse, in some countries their environmental side is terrible.

11. What would you like to address to our readers and your fans?

• Enjoy every day, because when you wake up, it’s a gift. Do what you like to do – I know sometimes it can be difficult, when we are forced to do what we don’t want to. However, if you believe in yourself and in what you do, if you feel people support you, just go for it. Then you know you have done your best. For example, if you are a coffee barista and you love your job, you know your customers are getting the best coffee there is. When you do something 100%, people can see and feel it. That’s the spirit, the positive thinking which we all ought to have even if it’s hard sometimes.

THOMASOVA FACEBOOK STRÁNKA – https://www.facebook.com/PuskailerThomas/?fref=ts

I would like to thank Thomas and his manager for the opportunity of this interview and for beautiful concert. Of course I want to thank my readers, I really appreciate it.