Ready for summer? Ellesse said no problem. Driven by their playful, team-oriented ethos, Ellesse just dropped some nostalgic SS23 visuals ahead of the soon-to-be-released collection, as part of an upbeat and active narrative-led campaign with all the components to get you in the mood for summer. In shooting the campaign Ellesse invited five of their newly appointed Visionaries out to sunny Portugal for a friendly game of padel, to show off their skills, get out in the open, and dare to #BeBold.

Among them is singer, songwriter, actor, and all round jack of all trades Levin Liam, who sat down with us this week to talk about the project and what it’s like to be Visionary in Ellesse’s SS23 campaign. Between shooting blockbusters and churning out tracks, here’s what Levin had to say about getting involved in the shoot.

Hey Levin! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hey guys, I‘m a 23 y/o producer, singer/rapper, songwriter and actor from Hamburg, Germany. I love high quality, sustainable art in all forms.

We know you’ve done some acting in the past, including scoring a role in The Book Thief (2013), but what would you say has been your favourite role?

My favourite role must‘ve been Hans in „Wolfskinder“ – the first role I have ever acquired. It was by far the biggest and most challenging one. I shot that movie when I was just 12 y/o, so I was able to learn a ton throughout the process. The whole thing was very intense in its theme and we shot it entirely in Lithuanian wilderness. It lasted throughout my summer break; being the main character I had to be there every single day. 

The movie turned out great and we got to attend festivals like the Biennale, where the crew and actors were rewarded for their accomplishments – this was very special because the actors and actresses, the director and many other crew members were almost all debutantes.

But you don’t just act; you’re also a musician. Which do you think comes more naturally – acting or music?

It‘s both something I love to do and have been doing for such a long time, I cannot really decide, especially with the two crafts being so different from one another. However, music is something that is created completely from scratch. With acting, there are usually more guidelines and frameworks, so the process itself feels a bit less natural.

You recently acted in a movie about the life of Louis van Beethoven. If you were able to cast someone to play you in a biopic about your life, who would you choose?

I guess my life (and the life that I hope will be mine in the future, and that I will love either way, even if it turns out to be any different) would have to be a bit more eventful for my taste in order to make someone watch 90 minutes of it. Besides, of course it only makes sense when I’m already old. But if I had to choose an actor to play my middle aged self it would probably be Jake Gyllenhaal, not because of any visual resemblance but simply because of his exceptional talent.

You might now have over 222,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, but what made you first want to start making music?

The same thing that makes me want to continue making music nowadays: inspiration, feelings and love for creating something that is bigger than yourself. That has always been my drive. The moment I find myself making music in order to push the number of my monthly listeners only, I’d rather stop.

Your music has a really distinct sound, largely due to your unique voice but also by pulling on styles from multiple genres. Who would you say is your biggest music inspiration?

I couldn’t pinpoint it without getting extremely vague. However, artists that inspire me that I like to mention when asked this question are: Bremer/McCoy, Ólafur Arnalds, Chilly Gonzales, Young Thug, Meek Mill, The Beatles.

Ellesse’s SS23 campaign transported us from February blues to the height of the summer holidays, but what do you prefer – summer or winter?

It used to be winter as a child – back when there was a lot of snow in Germany, but nowadays, summer for sure!

Being an actor, musician, and talent must be exhausting – you definitely need a holiday in 2023. Where’s on your bucket list to visit this summer?

I would love to travel to Southeast Asia. However, I have to force myself to take time off consistently.

I imagine your acting skills must come in handy at the most random times. How much did you need to use them in shooting Ellesse’s campaign?

With modelling, it’s similar to being on stage as a musician, which is completely different from acting. You’re there as yourself, you can’t hide behind a role at all. Nevertheless, I think I have it easier when it comes to putting myself in a mood – although experienced models may look even better while doing so.

Ellesse’s campaign focuses a lot on the theme of playful competition. Would you say you’re a team player or soloist on the padel court?

I‘d say I’m something in between. I function well in teams, but also have strong individual qualities.

Given that there were five talent’s cast in the campaign, being an Ellesse “visionary” can mean a lot of things. Can you give us three words to describe what you think it means to be a “visionary”?

Progressive, forward-looking, creative

With summer pending and an annual wardrobe upgrade definitely on the cards, which item from Ellesse’s SS23 collection would you say is a holiday essential?

I’m always on the hunt for some good fitting shorts, which the collection definitely includes. As well as the sporty sweaters which I really enjoyed wearing. I also have very little green in my wardrobe and I think it didn’t look too bad on me.

Lastly, what’s something you want to achieve in the future through what you do?

I hope I can keep doing what I‘m doing right now. My main focus is not the result but the process. Nevertheless I hope I can keep achieving amazing things, meet interesting people and keep facing new challenges through my art.

Check out the full collection at ellesse.com

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