In May Adam Kesselhaut played a free show in our MEININGER Hotel Berlin Central Station. Every once in a while emerging artists from all over the world play a free show on our urban stage in our MEININGER hotels in Europe. In this case, Adam is not an emerging artist per se, but someone who has been in the background for quite some time now, working with well known artists. We want to get to know Adams story and asked him some questions:
What kind of music do you play?
I am a singer and songwriter. With my 12 sting guitar, I sing the songs which are the most personal and filled with emotion.
Why did you move to Berlin and why did you decide to stay here?
I grew up in New Jersey very close to New York City and moved to Germany to finish my studies and start a career singing as a Tenor in the opera. My last job was at the Vienna National Opera but I had to quit it due to very personal reasons. I decided to move to Berlin and to further develop my career as a songwriter which was already growing rapidly parallel to singing in the opera.
Where did you live in Berlin?
At a real low point in my life, I came to Berlin with a plan to write music and work in studios . When i arrived, I lived at the MEININGER Hotel Berlin Central Station. I really liked the atmosphere and the staff so much. Almost every day i used the kitchen there and was able to meet people from all over the world. The staff gave me rooms and other private places where I could write songs and warm up my voice every day; on the roof, in the cleaning supplies closets, the boiler room, and in empty sleeping rooms. A lot of songs and got written in there in the hotel. Really and truly, my time at MEININGER was a great time and the atmosphere at the hotel provided a great deal of inspiration.
What are your musical plans for the future?
While living at the MEININGER Hotel I started working with different artists and record companies. After only four years, I managed to build up a small but strong independent record company called MESANIC, and a music publishing company partnered with BMG Rights Management. We are now building our own new studio complex in Kreuzberg. My plans are to keep building up this holy place I call Mesanic Music with people I really like, developing world class artists of the future. I will also continue writing music with other people and sing my own songs wherever and whenever I get the chance – as I did in May at the MEININGER Hotel Berlin Central Station.
