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Thomas Godoj

Anyone who imagines that all the winners of the casting show Germany seeks the Superstar (DSDS) disappear from the screen after a short time, or ruin their reputation by getting involved in scandals, is a victim of self-delusion. Some of them follow highly regarded professions, others are successful musical stars, and then again others are still working in the music business today. Thomas Godoj originally came from Poland and was the winner of the fifth series of DSDS in 2008. He is now a rock singer and tours extensively with his own band. He has also been recognised for his contribution to German/Polish understanding, has been awarded an Echo, takes part in benefit events and has more than 20,000 fans on his Facebook page.

Thomas Godoj and his band in September 2015 making the music video of “Vermisst du nicht irgendwas” in the “Vernetzungen” exhibition by Danuta Karsten (with Dirk Hupe), in the engine house of the former Scherlebeck colliery in Herten.

His last acoustic album “V’stärker aus” featured acoustic guitars, double bass, a jazz drum set and percussion instruments alongside a grand piano, cello and violin. The album contains elements of swing, reggae and ska, Latin music, rockabilly, country music, rhythm and blues and even chilled-out hip-hop. Critics have applauded the new arrangements. “I can hear a musician with a rare capacity for empathy” wrote Thomas Becker in the portal powermetal.de, “and the ability to reach his listeners with intelligent, reflective lyrics on everyday themes both large and small, and even move us deeply at the right point in time”. The album tour started on 9th October 2015 in the Cologne Kulturkirche, and was then performed at venues like the Christuskirche Bochum, the Stage Club in Hamburg, the Jim+Jimmi arena in Hildesheim, the municipal theatre in Glauchau, the Leipzig cultural centre Moritzbastei , and finally the Lindenpark cultural centre in Potsdam. Up till 19th February 2016 he gave a total of 23 concerts in venues specially selected for their atmosphere.

Thomas Godoj lives a down-to-earth life with Jennifer Opitz with whom he has two children. Reading his Facebook entries over the last few years it is clear that his fans are just as friendly and down-to-earth as he is. “Hy, you is de besst singer thatt cud be my frend, my naym is varnan“, wrote a fan from Sri Lanka who lives in Zürich. In 2015 Godoj produced a video exclusively for his Facebook fans with a song entitled “Vermisst du nicht irgendwas” (Don’t You Miss Something). It can only be seen here, and was shot during the “Vernetzungen” exhibition by the sculptor Danuta Karsten (along with Dirk Hupe). Danuta Karsten also comes from Poland and lives in Recklinghausen. You can read all about her online exhibition here at Porta Polonica. Godoj became aware of her installation in the engine house of the former Scherlebeck colliery in Herten over the Internet. Both artists got on well together and the music video gives a good impression of the friendly atmosphere that resulted equally from Danuta Karsten’s spindle shaped “Lichtfallen” and the performance by Thomas Godoj and his band. To date it has been called up no less than 148,922 times on Facebook.

Godoj also appears on other occasions alongside his concerts and tours. In 2008 he appeared in the Grugahalle in Essen at the Polish Festival Koncert Gwiazd (Concert of Stars), alongside legends in the Polish music scene like the rock bands Kombii, Oddział Zamknięty and de Mono. There he was awarded the “Journalia 2008” prize for his contribution to German/Polish international understanding by the Polish language magazine Samo Życie, published in Dortmund. In 2009 he received an Echo in the category “Best National Newcomer” and recorded the song “Helden gesucht” (In Search of Heroes), with the German U21 international football team for the European Championships. In 2010 he appeared with the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen in the Ruhrfestspielhaus in Recklinghausen on the occasion of a benefit concert for Kindernothilfe (Children in Need) since when he has been one of its ambassadors. In 2011 he shot a music video on the roofs of Berlin entitled “Dächer einer ganzen Stadt” (Roofs of a whole City), and in 2013 he shot the video to “Männer sind so” along with the YouTuber, Alexander Böhm. The publication of the studio album of the same name led to a cooperative project with the publishing company Carlsen-Verlag from Hamburg, for whom Godoj wrote a humorous book also with the title “Männer sind so”. Taking the roles of different types of men he answers 21 questions that women have always asked about men. In 2016 Godoj will be concentrating on a campaign to raise money via “Krautfunding” for his new album “Crowdrock” (and not the other way round, as Godoj announces on a commercial video).

Axel Feuß, April 2016

Sources: There are a considerable number of well-researched articles on Thomas Godoj and all his albums on Wikipedia. As well as his interviews on YouTube there are many fan pages and internet forums and of course the artist’s Facebook pages. Thomas Godoj’s PR department can provide texts and photos.

Pix: Thomas Godoj