Rainhard Fendrich about "I Am From Austria" - European Championship fan anthem is "a great honor" for him
The Austrian football national team advanced to the EM quarterfinals as group leaders on Tuesday (25th of June). This gives fans and players even more reason to sing along to Rainhard Fendrich's (69) hit "I Am From Austria" once again.
The song by the Austrian singer-songwriter, moderator, and actor from 1989 is still popular and relevant as a fan anthem, especially since it's closely associated with the European Football Championship. "It's a great honor for me that this song is sung so passionately by the fans and supports our national team," he says.
Rainhard Fendrich: "I get excited for every game"
The Austrian team's success at the European Championship also excites the artist, who also wrote hits like "Strada del Sole" (1981), "Es lebe der Sport" (1983), "Weus'd a Herz hast wia a Bergwerk" (1983), or "Macho, Macho" (1988). "I'm fascinated by the athletic and mental strength of our team," he gushes and adds euphorically: "Since we managed to beat the feared Dutch team in an incredibly exciting and nerve-wracking game, there's more than just the quarterfinals in store."
Rainhard Fendrich also revealed to the news agency that he's an avid event fan. "I'm not really a die-hard football fan, but this excitement is something you just can't escape. I get excited for every game," he says. Correspondingly optimistic is his tip for the European Championship winner. "Well, as I said, anything is possible. In my opinion, Spain is a clear favorite for the European Championship title," says Fendrich. "But as we've seen at this European Championship, many predictions didn't come true, and everything is still open - for Austria as well."
The next big performance for the Austrian football national team is on the 2nd of July - and you can be sure that "I Am From Austria" will be heard again in the stadium.
Birthday and stage anniversary
And there are big performances in store for Rainhard Fendrich himself. Next year, he will not only celebrate his 70th birthday (27th of February), but also his 45-year stage anniversary. Both milestones will be celebrated with the new studio album "Wimpernschlag" and a grand live comeback.
The jubilee tour "45 years Rainhard Fendrich Live - Just a Wimpernschlag" will take the artist and his band on tour through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland starting in April 2025. Tickets are already available in the exclusive presale under eventim.de, oeticket.com, or ticketcorner.ch, and starting on the 2nd of July at all known box offices.
Until then, fans can pass the time with the live album "Symphonisch in Schönbrunn". The album has been available since the 31st of May.
- Rainhard Fendrich, an Austrian artist known for his song "I Am From Austria", expressed his excitement about the Austrian football national team's advancement to the EM quarterfinals.
- The popular tune, originally released in 1989 and closely associated with the European Football Championship, has become a fan anthem, particularly during the present edition.
- Apart from being a musician, Fendrich is also a singer-songwriter, moderator, and actor who has penned hits like "Strada del Sole", "Es lebe der Sport", "Weus'd a Herz hast wia a Bergwerk", and "Macho, Macho".
- As the artist prepares to celebrate his 70th birthday and 45-year stage anniversary next year, he will embark on a tour titled "45 years Rainhard Fendrich Live - Just a Wimpernschlag" in April 2025.
