AVEC is, in fact, a seasoned pro in the music business, even in her twenties. She has already scooped up numerous national and international music awards, firmly establishing herself in the Austrian music scene. Yet, no one would guess her acclaim at first glance, as she strolls along the promenade of Lake Attersee: button-nosed, straightforward, and unpretentious.

On her stroll, she occasionally stops to enjoy the unusually warm wind on her face and chat with fans. In the background, the gentle silence of the lake prevails. The mountains glisten across the water like crinkled chocolate wrappers. Our meeting place today: The Yacht Club Attersee. Here, in Upper Austria, AVEC finds relaxation and a sense of belonging. This love for her home resonates in her album “Homesick”, written in Berlin, a city where her longing for home was especially profound.

I wrote a song called “Home”, which is about a specific person. Where I truly feel at home is definitely with my family. And when I step outside and find myself in the midst of a forest, or by a crystal-clear lake, that’s when I feel free. There, I don’t have to be someone I’m not — no need to contort myself. I can just be me. That’s what home means to me.

I also feel that people from Upper Austria are magnetically connected to each other for some reason. They always find their way back to each other, no matter where they are. I’m often in Vienna and there I’ve met more people from Upper Austria than from Vienna itself. That says a lot about the character of people here. They attract each other and need each other.

(laughs) Oh! I can’t really listen to myself. It’s very hard for me to describe it. I actually realised quite late that my voice might be something special. During a theatre course at school, I received a lot of positive feedback on stage and for my voice, and then I realised: “Hey! People like this.” Eventually, I got the feeling that people enjoyed it.

Maybe. I grew up very down to earth, and it’s important for me to stay that way. Because nothing in life should be taken for granted. It’s been a long journey to get here, and I’ve been in this business professionally for several years now. And it can be a very tough industry. That’s why I appreciate still being able to do what I’m passionate about as an artist. The COVID-19 pandemic was insane for the arts sector. I am grateful that I can still practice and enjoy my profession.

I still live at home in Vöcklabruck with my mum. We have a very special relationship, and it’s kind of like living in a shared flat at times.

That would definitely be interesting. I sing in English because I’ve always been fascinated by the language, grew up with English-language music and I feel more myself in English. I’ve never really considered singing in my dialect, but it would certainly be intriguing. I really like the Upper Austrian dialect. Singing in English also brings feedback from all over the world, which is nice. In the digital age, it’s much easier to connect and position oneself internationally, but most of my fans naturally come from the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).

I now feel very, very comfortable on stage. It’s an amazing feeling to see the emotions of the audience. You could never replicate the magic of a concert. I’m planning several concerts — details have already been posted online.