Trickster | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Juergen Walter Pichler |
| Born | Austria |
| Occupation(s) | musician, music producer |
| Instrument(s) | vocals, piano |
| Website | Trickster.com |
Trickster (real name: Juergen Pichler) is an Austrian musician living in the UK, known for his eclectic musical style.
The singer Trickster debuted in November 2022 with the single Thank Fuck It's Christmas, in which he performed alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra a not safe for work expletive-ridden song reflecting the tensions and stress of that year. The lyrics were written by Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams songwriter and producer), in collaboration with the comedian Steve Furst and Trickster.[1][2][3] Billed as "the only Christmas song that could have come out of 2022", its lyrics took aim at problematic factors of that year, like the UK government activity, cost of living crisis, pandemics, ultra-rich trying to move to Mars.[4]
A clean version titled Praise Be It’s Christmas was also released and its two videos went viral, with several million views on YouTube. One of these music videos was directed by Phil Griffin (known for his work with Amy Winehouse, Diana Ross, Paul McCartney)[5] and the other one, shot in the Swiss Alps, was directed by Norbert Blecha (Requiem for Dominic, Wolfsliebe).[6] Money raised from both songs were donated by Trickster to charities tackling child welfare and social hunger.[7][8]
In these music videos, Trickster's real identity was hidden by animation, which prompted speculations about who he might be, some wondering if he is the lyrics co-writer Steve Furst[5] or some popular personality Guy Chambers has worked with previously or some faded former famous name with a score to settle.[4]
In May 2023, Trickster released the single Still Kicking, inspired by a car accident he survived in 2017 in southern France, with a musicality described as drawing on late '90s alternative rock, Americana and cinematic soundscapes.[9] The track was produced by Guy Chambers, Richard Flack and Trickster. The music video features the singer without any hiding animation and, along with the story behind the song, some more information appeared in press mentioning that he is an Austrian residing in the UK.[10]
In November 2023, Trickster released "Silent Night" vs "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", a mash-up blend of the two Christmas classics featuring the vocal group The Swingles. On this occasion, the media coverage also mentioned this singer's real name, Juergen Pichler[11] (owner of this Trickster brand).[12]