What connects Mark Forster, Lena and Cro? They are all celebrity friends of the rapping rhino Dikka. For FOCUS online Dikka has removed the rhino mask. Among them is the rapper and songwriter Sera Finale. Why is he playing rhino?
Sera Finale describes how the Dikka project came about and why his songs are educationally valuable. The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs also sees it that way and is therefore in discussion with the star.
FOCUS online: Under the pseudonym Dikka you make songs for children. How did that happen?
Sera Finale: One day my daughter asked me if we could look for cool children’s songs on Spotify. After five minutes my mood was so bad that I thought there were two options: either I complain my whole life that there is so little good children’s music, or I just do it myself. I then decided for decided the latter. My work ethic is also to propose solutions to show what can be done better. Together with my musical buddies Paul NZA, Cecil Remmler and Marek Popmusik I conceived the first Dikka album “Oh Yeah!”.
Without advice from experts?
Sera Finale: No, I met many speech therapists, educators and teachers. But also with child psychologists. I then showed all these people my children’s themes for Dikka. Which topics really move the children. I had researched this for a year and written out the topics. I then wrote the whole album in two weeks and recorded it in one day. It just had to come out.
How would you describe your motivation?
Sera Finale: The motivation is that it has incredible power when you write something for children. In my opinion, there are currently relatively few good things for children that make them brave and strong. It’s also about emancipating children from their parents and not just doing “Tri Tra Trullala”. That was my claim. In the meantime, besides Dikka, I have written two other concepts for children’s bands. It’s a lot of fun and fills me up inside! I see an amazing opportunity and huge potential in writing songs for children.
It’s about giving kids a good time. That’s what’s missing in this world, and I’m almost a midwife giving birth to songs. It originally started as a hobby project and recently I performed hand in hand with my daughter in a rhino costume at the Sound of Peace Festival at the Brandenburg Gate in front of a million people. I had performed the song “Bis zum Mond” there and everyone sang along. The Dikka videos now have millions of streams. That’s why I’m staying here now.
Does that mean only children’s songs?
Sera Finale: Of course I will also do projects with artists from time to time: I’m currently in the studio with Silbermond and Cro, for example. But I’m not chasing the fast hits as the emphasis will be on the children’s songs. Peter Maffay even invited me to his ranch in Munich so that I could meet him and just talk because he also does a lot for children. I’ve talked to Udo Lindenberg a few times about it, because he’s always involved children because they are the future. Unfortunately, many do not understand this and do not take their responsibility at all. I’m doing this now and I think a lot of parents are caught up in the maelstrom of everyday stress. With my music, as a Dikka for kids, I can be a kind of big rhino brother. That’s a big responsibility, which I can’t just live up to on the side.
What I also like is that all the artists I asked accepted straight away. The Who’s Who of pop and rap music came to me here: Mark Forster, Sido, Lea, Alvaro Soler, Wincent Weiss, Kool Savas, Lena, Elif and Cro. It’s all taking shape, which is why I’m also a voice for the kids. Incidentally, I am now also a rhino ambassador for Nabu Naturschutzbund Deutschland e. V. for rhinos in Africa and Asia. I’m now talking to the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. The TV channel Kika wants to do a TV show with Dikka. It’s all taking on crass forms, which make me very happy. This is no longer my job, but my calling!
How did this cooperation with the other music stars actually come about?
Sera Finale: I’ve written songs with most of them before. With Nico Santos, for example, “Best of Us”, which also became a big radio hit. We did this for all helpers during the Corona period. Now we have released the new song “Better days” as a peace song. So has always been involved in many charitable projects where all proceeds are donated.
I wrote “Au revoir” with Mark Forster. With Cro I wrote the last album trip and the whole second album of it. Of course, one or the other comes together. I also wrote a lot with Sido and Lea. I can choose to do that now. Just between us: A lot of artists come up to me and say that they would like to do a song with Dikka. So they offer themselves!
I think that’s totally fantastic and of course I’m happy about that. I also feel that this is very sincere and very heartfelt. My inner child has prime time all the way. My inner child is completely freaking out and has a huge playground to jump and swing on. That’s why I’m so inspired and so blessed with this project. Of course, everyone else feels that too.
What was it like for the artists to make music for kids?
Sera Finale: An example: Wincent Weiss stood there wide-eyed during the shooting of “Boom Schakkalakka” and said that this was much better than what he usually does. He is now considering only making children’s music. As an artist, you can do whatever you want there without anyone tapping you on the knuckles. You can be whoever you want without anyone complaining.
What advice would you give our readers for networking?
Sera Finale: Networking is the be-all and end-all! It doesn’t matter how many people know you, but how many people know you. With me in music in particular, contacts arise precisely when you make music. Your network decides if things work out in the end!
Looking back, are there any mistakes or decisions that you regret today? Would you do anything differently?
Sera Finale: I have no regrets! However, I have to say that I would have liked to have dared to be myself earlier. Without making any compromises. But overall, the way it’s been going so far is beautiful! I have a lot to tell. I could fill books with all the sessions I’ve experienced.
I just try to make as many mistakes as possible every day because that’s where I learn the most. I try not to leave anything out, because later you only get annoyed about the things you didn’t dare to do. So I have no regrets.
