kotokid – From Bremen to Tallinn

Interview with kotokid

He is the walking crossover: kotokid, aka Freek Mulder, feels equally at home in jazz as in electronic music. Last year, the Amsterdam-based bassist and producer performed with his trio at the inJazz clubnight during jazzahead! in Bremen. This led to connections in, among other places, the Baltic States.

Concerts and Conference

“After the show, I was approached by Kaspar Kluge. He was impressed by our performance and excitedly told me about his organization in Tallinn, Estonia. We exchanged contact details, and a while later, he reached out to invite me to do a showcase during Tallinn Music Week (TMW). However, it turned out to be difficult to bring my trio to Tallinn, but I was in the process of developing my solo set with music from the new EP. We eventually decided to organize a performance, including a songwriting session at Tallinn’s Backstage Records Studio during TMW.”

“When I arrived at TMW, I was overwhelmed with impressions. There were talks, panels, receptions, and an abundance of concerts.

This is kotokid

After a successful album release in 2024 (available to watch on YouTube), kotokid is looking forward to a busy schedule this year. With his trio, he will perform at the Grachtenfestival, Jazz in Duketown, and JazzBoZ this summer. He is also planning an international collaboration: at the end of June, he will head to Accra, Ghana, to perform with Ghanaian musicians, made possible by Amarte.

In January, he produced a new EP with a more electronic touch. This release, scheduled for later this year or early next year, will be performed live solo, along with a visual artist.

In addition to his work as kotokid, Freek is also active as a sideman in various projects. He produced, mixed, and played bass on the new albums by Prashant Samlal and Sam Nieuwenhuis (jazz), and played bass on albums by BnnyHunna, Willem Abelen (jazz), Maarten Cima (blues), Áslaug, and Liza Lo (indiepop). For Liza Lo, he also co-wrote some of the music.

His work as a light programmer has not gone unnoticed: soon, a feature on kotokid will appear on the website of Showsync, the developer of the software he uses.

Unique approach

There were several showcases, each with its own unique approach. I saw a Taiwanese soul singer, a Balkan punk band, Estonian-Swedish jazz, and modern ballet… it was all over the place! There was also a lot to learn during the conference part, including topics like AI in the music industry, K-pop songwriters, and my favorite talk: ‘How to showcase: how to make the best of your time at TMW.’

“I’ve of course played many concerts, so I knew pretty well what to expect and how to prepare for them. But this was the first time I attended a conference during a showcase festival. It was a new experience, so I went in with an open mindset to learn how to get the most out of these kinds of events.”

Performance

“TMW is a relatively small showcase festival, which makes it easier to approach people. It was also nice that I stayed at the hotel where the conference was held. After the talk on ‘how to showcase,’ I went to my room to think about the goals I wanted to achieve in Tallinn. I decided to make five new contacts and carefully selected which panels and concerts I wanted to attend.

“My performance took place at Backstage Records’ studio. A brunch was organized, followed by my concert. After the performance, there was a songwriting session. My performance was well received, and I met several people, including an artist from the UK with whom I immediately set a date to write music in my studio in Amsterdam. I also co-wrote a song with two musicians from Tallinn. It was a successful day!”

Insights from Tallinn

The trip to Tallinn Music Week was valuable for kotokid for several reasons:

  1. New contacts: “I made connections with people in the music industry, but also with musicians I will definitely collaborate with.”
  2. The experience: “I now have a much better understanding of what to expect from a festival like TMW. I know how to prepare and what goals to set beforehand.”
  3. My solo set: “The trip gave me the motivation to further develop my solo set. I can now put on an amazing show, which gives me more opportunities as an artist, especially to promote my new EP.”
  4. Important lessons: “In three talks, I learned one important lesson: be authentic. It doesn’t matter whether you’re networking, writing music for K-pop, or active on social media—authenticity is key. If you want to meet people and collaborate, you have to stay true to yourself. You can’t force a connection with someone if the vibe isn’t there. In the K-pop industry, for example, it’s about creating a song that you truly think is awesome, not one that’s full of clichés. The same goes for social media: if you post things that don’t match who you are, you’ll quickly lose followers. Consistency comes from authentic content.”

In summary, Freek says:

“My focus in the coming period is on continuing to invest in my own music and developing my sound. I will keep presenting myself in my own way and am determined to remain authentic, both on stage and off.”