The German synaesthete: Tim Foresta combines music, visuals
Royal Blu aka El Fuego (left) and Tim Foresta.
MORE AND more often, in the contemporary design of the music industry, producers have become the foremost figures in the industry. Usually behind the scenes, it was not customary to highlight the producer before the vocalists. Lately, in following the careers of producers who have forged their own lanes as frontmen, much like electronic music producers Calvin Harris and Skrillex, among many others, up-and-coming German producer Tim Foresta has started laying the groundwork for his own journey to the top of the music industry.
MUSIC PROFESSIONAL
Foresta recently visited Jamaica for the sole purpose of releasing the song and visual for Believe, and to book some more recording time with his young collaborator, The Royal Blu. Based in Berlin, Germany, Foresta has taken on multiple roles as a music professional. Among the choices made to propel his career, the producer and videographer has taken the decision to execute his craft from multiple locations. According to the producer, while Berlin is the foundation for his creation, he tries not to lose sight of other parts of the world, and so seeks to work with international artistes from different genres across the globe.
“I started listening to this music 10 years ago,” said the 28-year-old, referring to reggae music. “OK, maybe 12 years ago?” he second-guessed in good nature. A third guess settled him (a bit shakily) on lucky number 13, while revealing to the The Gleaner that his first reggae concert was headlined by Gentleman. “I was fascinated,” he told The Gleaner. “I started playing piano at some point. I don’t know the age,” he said, indicating that his own introduction to music likely began as a very young child. Foresta’s family, more so on his father’s side, were musically inclined. The cello, the piano and the violin are some of the instruments played by members of his family.
HIS FIRST RELEASES
For five years, Foresta was part of the Berlin music and media label Urban Tree Music, where he realised his first releases and also worked on visual content with artistes Rob Megaloh and MAXIM. Referring to himself as one who involuntarily and simultaneously links one sensory experience to another, the fulfillment of Foresta’s project will take a few more months before it is ready for complete release. As a synaesthete producer, Foresta says music composition and visualisation go hand in hand.
“I have the urge to go out there and to feel what is happening in other parts of the world,” said the producer, who has travelled as far as Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, for inspiration. According to the producer, there is nothing as intense as learning the stories of people from different places and being inspired. “As I was producing music I, at some point, started making links to the island,” he told The Gleaner.