Figure skater Florent Amodio and soul singer Seven at Art on Ice

French figure skater Florent Amodio and Swiss soul singer, Seven are back at “Art on Ice” this year, ready for the 4-day shows, starting today at the Zurich Hallenstadion.

The two friendly men took a few minutes to talk about their profession during the rehearsal yesterday afternoon.

A few days ago Florent was still in Croatia in Zagreb at the European Championships, where he finished 2nd. He is only 22 years old but accomplished so much in so little time. The 2011 European Champion has lots of ambition and is hoping for a medal next year at the winter Olympic Games.

“For me it is pleasure to be on the ice and I love the close connection with the public”, he said.

In May 2011 he left France to train with the Russian coach Nikolai Morozov, who helped him win many medals. It was a major turn in his career, he explained. For that he had to move to Russia and leave his family and friends behind. Florent admitted that the sacrifices are well worth it, as Morozov’s training quality is high and the work is paying off. Training is very intense in Russia.

Florent Amodio lives in Moscow. He said that although he does not speak much Russian yet, he understands it a bit.

Before going back to the United States to train for the World Championships in Canada in March, he will spend some time with his family in France and come back for a ice gala near Zurich on February 17th.

 

With eight albums in ten years it seems that Seven (Jan Dettwyler) can’t get enough of writing songs, recording music being on tour. When I asked him at the rehearsal if he ever gets tired of it, he responded right away that he loves what he does. Life inspires him and “if I would get tired of it that would mean I have got the wrong job.”

Not even the birth of his son two years ago made him slow down a bit. On the contrary he explained that now he has everything he needs, his family, he can take even more risks. “Instead of moving backward, I go one step forward,”, continued.

While his mother was a pianist and his father an opera singer, he took another path and sings soul music. He can play many instruments like the drums, violin, base and of course the piano, but he does it to write his lyrics and confessed that when it gets serious he leaves the rest to his band.

Seven sung three songs at the “Art on Ice” 2010 and for him the ice show is a great experience, a little like coming back to his family. He is happy to go to Davos, Lausanne, Stockholm and Helsinki with them.

Performing in front of large crowds of 10,000 people like at the Hallenstadion is something Seven is used to. He accompanied Lionel Richie on a tour and has lots of respect for him and describes him as an amazing artist. “You really have to see it live to understand how big he is. He can sing for 3 to 4 hours and always have new songs.”

His new album “Art is King” came out in the Fall of 2012 and is doing really well said his manager, Ilan Kriesi, but we are going step by step. First they broke into the German and Austrian market, did some concerts in England and now will see how it works out with Scandinavia.

While Seven’s native language is German, he only sings in English. He shared that it is not a problem for him, as he feels he can express himself better in a foreign language. It would be too personal in my mother tongue, he said. “In English the mask is gone and I can be the person I really am”.

Seven picked this name for himself because it is his lucky number. So far it seems to have brought him lots of good luck! .