Dutch musician, multi-instrumentalist and music therapist Harry Kappen is known for making bold political statements and raising awareness on global issues through his music. While his previous music often calls for large-scale global change, his latest single “The Freedom Inside” is a gentle reminder for people to start a positive change from within themselves, which will ultimately impact the world. Released on March 1st, 2023, the new single reached the UK iTunes Pop Songs chart at #52. The single teases the full-length album that fans have been waiting for since Harry’s 2022 album release, “Escape.”  That album produced the 50K+ -streaming Spotify hit, “WarGames.”

Harry took some time out to speak with us about his career and his upcoming plans…

Hi Harry! How are you doing?  Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our readers. Tell us about your music.  What can fans expect?

Hello, I’m a musician from the Netherlands and I’ve been playing and writing music all my life. I started as a guitarist, but now play multiple instruments such as piano, drums, bass and am proficient in working with Logic Pro, the music program. In addition to being a musician, I work as a professional music therapist. My clients are young people and their families. The fact that I play many instruments also comes in handy for my work as a music therapist.

My music is eclectic; I like solid guitar rock, the grand gesture, but I also like to make quiet romantic string compositions. So you can expect anything from me between those two polarities.

What has been the biggest challenge of putting together a solo project like this?

No, it’s not a challenge at all, it’s fun! I love putting together a project like this. Writing songs is like putting together a big puzzle; the music, the lyrics, the orchestration, the variety of songs and everything eventually comes together in one atmosphere, one idea, and the album becomes one cohesive identity. And to be honest, I’m almost disappointed when the work is done. I enjoy the process and humbly accept the outcome. However, it takes a lot of time, also because I also have a professional life as a music therapist. But it’s the way it is.

How have you used your background as a music therapist to influence and incorporate into your music? Its the other way round

Yes it’s the other way around! Thanks to experience in making music (and the study I have done), I know what music does to people. I use the qualities of music (rhythm, structure, emotion, harmony, etc.) to help people with their treatment.

And instead of having to talk about your problems, for many clients, especially young clients, it’s much more acceptable to experience these things in the music. By taking on issues in and through music, they change themselves in real life.

What inspires you to write? Do you have a set time every day that you create, or is it whenever inspiration hits you?

I make music all the time; I sit on my couch and play some notes on my guitar and something useful pops up and I record it. So my phone is full of little ideas, chord progressions, melodies, styles that I can use later. Daily life inspires me to write lyrics. Something I see on television, something I see on the street, my own emotions and experiences, everything.

In the end I think it’s a big mystery to me; I just start a big puzzle and there comes a point where everything falls into place. Always a magical and wonderfully satisfying moment.

How do you think that being from The Netherlands has affected your music career, either positively or negatively?

The Netherlands has always been an open society with a huge port (Rotterdam) and many people of different nationalities live there. I heard there are over 180 in Amsterdam alone! So you hear many different types of music and there are many different music scenes.

I grew up in the north in a city called Groningen. Many bands used to play there. And there were many stages, bars, clubs to play. Once a year there is this big European music event called Eurosonic. Growing up in Groningen was therefore a privilege, because starting a band and playing a lot was quite easy.

Do you think you’ll ever do a tour? Why or why not?

Well, a tour… that’s quite ambitious at the moment, but I’d love to perform live again. I think my music is very suitable for playing live. And I think it would be easy to get a band back together. Who knows what the future will bring. The tours I’ve done in the past I’ve organized myself and I know it’s a lot of work and takes a lot of energy. So I’m not very excited to do that again. I’d like to focus on my music and performing, maybe if I meet a really good tour manager, who knows.

What is the main point that you want to get across with “The Freedom Inside” single?

The main point is that I get tired of people complaining all the time. There is a tendency that people no longer trust governments, that people would rather believe some unproven conspiracy theory than the truth, the facts, that people nag each other on social media etc etc. Feel the freedom and take the liberty to take a critical look at yourself first .

First ask yourself what you can do better instead of blaming and criticizing others.

What can you do to help yourself or someone else? I just think that’s a much better and more social idea.

Any plans for a follow-up album to your previous one?

Yes, I am now writing and recording! And the new album will also contain the last two singles ‘Wargames’ and ‘The Freedom Inside’. So I’m in the middle of that interesting process I mentioned earlier and I’m enjoying doing it :).

Any final thoughts for your fans?

Stick to the facts and check the facts more than once before believing them. And besides; dream and fantasize as much as you can. Be creative!