We Interview Hip-Hop Star Eunique & National Soccer Team Kicker Sara Doorsoun At The Nike Women Berlin Days
Talking music, sports and female power.
At first glance, the Rap Star Eunique and ingrained German National Soccer player Sara Doorsoun don’t seem to have many similarities. Eunique just celebrated the anniversary of her debut album Gift and has no intention to slow down any time soon. Sara has been in the German National Team since she was 15 years old. Now she is facing the biggest tournament in her life to realize her dreams – and dream further. But both have one important attribute in common: they are powerhouses - full of humor, drive and female power. For sure both serve as role models for the generation to come.
The two first met under empowering circumstances as well: At the Nike Women show for the National Team Collection unveiling of this summer’s soccer tournament in Paris. Now they joined forces again at the NikeWomen Day in Berlin connecting with other powerful women of different professions to celebrate each other and acknowledge their achievements. Eunique is already a big women soccer fan and said that she will follow all games of Sara’s team as female athletes need to get more attention as this empowers all women – a matter of heart for both of them.
The Nike event itself took place in the Kreuzberg Baerwaldbad, a former swimming pool and at Türkiyemspor Berlin – a Berlin soccer club that stands for inclusion and diversity while representing one of Berlin’s largest women’s soccer department. We met them after an inspiring lunch for a small shooting and sat down to chit-chat about music, the German soccer world, mutual support, and exchange, as well as the importance of a sense of responsibility towards the next generation.
How did you know, that you wanted to pursue a career in a non-traditional field like soccer/music?
Eunique: Well, first I wanted to become a music manager, songwriter or producer — something like that. But then I ended up in front of the camera — which I never thought I’d have enough confidence for. When I started posting videos of myself on Facebook and got all the positive reactions back, I thought I might as well just do it myself. *laughs*
Sara: I started playing at the age of three. Everybody knew that I am going to become a professional soccer player – no one ever saw me without the ball ever since. I spent days on the pitch, from dawn to dusk – it’s just my biggest passion.
Have you had a specific role model when you were younger?
Eunique: Except for my mom there was no real role model for me. Basically, anyone who was on MTV from ’95 to 2010 was an inspiration for me. For example, when I saw Shakira on TV, I thought I’m gonna be like her one day. I had my inspiration from whatever the world wanted me to have as inspiration, and I took what I wanted out of it and created my own unique *wink, wink* self out of it.
Sara: I never really had a female role model: my elder brother was the first to show me how to play soccer. Later I basically fell in love with David Beckham, I just liked the way he played.
You two seem quite different from an outside perspective because your careers are really different. But what do you think unites the two of you?
Eunique: I feel what unites us — music and sports in general — is one thing that won’t work unless no component is missing. For me, if I stop doing sports, I get nervous, because there is no way I can channel my energy. Sports just really help me to get rid of all the head-fog that hinders creativity, and vice versa – how can you be in the mood without music? ‘Cause going jogging for two hours without any music makes NO SENSE! *laughs*
Sara: I need music. All the time!
Eunique: Exactly!
What kind of music are you listening to?
Sara: Hip-Hop and R’n’B.
So, another thing you have in common!
*both laugh*
And you both work in a male-dominated profession. German football is still dominated by men and the German hip hop scene is also very male. Have you ever had a situation where that was very apparent?
Eunique: I feel like the outside treats me more different from the actual inside. Business-wise I can’t really say. At the end of the day, I try to go as far as I can until someone comes in and says ‘NO! That’s enough. That’s too much power.’ *laughs* But until then I’m just gonna keep going. I feel like if no one would be asking me this question over and over again it wouldn’t even be there for me. What I have noticed is that a lot of male artists just have mutual respect for me, and we just appreciate each other's music because it’s all about art and not really about gender. It happens that I have to talk about how it feels to be in the industry in interviews and on magazine’s pages, while I still have to figure it out by yourself. That just makes it really hard to answer the question. I just try to ignore any obstacle until someone actually stops me.
Sara: There are several issues, such as lack of media awareness for female athletes and payment, as well as the fact that men like to watch only male soccer. All that is not counted for a problem for us, because we just love to play. Thankfully, we have so many supportive people around us, so all these issues do not really matter. I feel like no other country as Germany could give us that much support, and that is great.
Do you think the support changed? Because you have been in the German national team since you were 15 years old, right?
Sara: Today we can feel much more support coming from fans. When I was younger, there were only about 500 or 600 people, who would watch our game, but now the number is way higher.
Why do you think that is?
Sara: *whispers* More attractive women. *laughs* Kidding, we’re getting faster and stronger. Women are becoming notably more powerful.
Eunique: And probably also because you guys are good.
Sara: That also has its role, yeah *laughs*
I have yet another question about being female in the German hip hop scene.
Eunique: *laughs* Yeah, it’s fine. I get it.
There is still so little representation. Do you see that and do you feel more competitive to other female artists than to males?
Eunique: No, I feel like any women popping up in the scene is marked with a big plus, and I couldn’t feel any other way. It’s about the bigger image and not about me being like ‘O my god, why is she here?!’ – there wouldn’t be any change. Indeed, I need people to be there and I need positive motivation. Like in soccer, if there wouldn’t be any other team, there would be no one to compete with. Sara wouldn’t be able to play and say “Next time I might try this to be better”. Working in any industry requires competition – that will motivate you. In music – I listen to compositions, beats, and lyrics. If an artist good in that, I can’t say anything against it, that’s their craft. I would never show my disrespect. When a musician is good — he/she is simply good. So, it’s either “I’m coming for you”, “I wanna be better than you”, or I’m just like “You go, girl! You go, boy!”
You two have been really lucky doing what you love as a profession. What would have been your Plan B?
Eunique: I know the stats. If you already have a Plan B that means you don’t even believe in Plan A. Usually I think of a Plan B first, when I’m sure that my Plan A is not applicable anymore. Until that, I will do everything I can in order to make Plan A work.
You worked hard to be and get to where you are today. What keeps you motivated and driven?
Sara: I just think, that I’m at the very bloom of my career, and I want to go on and go as far as I can.
Next up, We Interview German Hip-Hop Star Eunique And Renowned Choreographer, Jouana Samia
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