Whenever David Alaba steps off the team bus and takes to the dressing room his headphones are in use. The Austrian regularly attunes for important matches with good music, "I listen to songs that spur me on then," Alaba told fcbayern.com: "Music plays an important role in my life."
The Vienna-born player grew up with his second passion besides football. Alaba's Nigerian dad George was successful as a DJ and later as a rapper. A part of the group Two In One, Alaba senior achieved second place in the Austrian charts, rewarded with a golden record for the Indian Song! After a lost legal dispute regarding the group's name George Alaba finished his career as a rapper but set his children on their way to successful careers - David's sister Rose May included.
Lots of hip-hop and a bit of country music
"She's on a very, very good way," a proud David commented on his sister, who is two years younger, winning a casting show in 2011 and being a part of the winning band. Rose May is currently working on her solo career (current single: Can you feel it). "When I'm with my sister I like to sing along once in a while but she teases me, telling me I can't sing, said Alaba, laughing. "But it's true, I don't share her talent." David has never pursued a career in music, feeling more at ease out on the pitch.
His first CD? "I can't tell you that," Alaba said before revealing: "I think it was NSync's Winter Album." David listened to more and more hip-hop: "At 13 we listened to The Diplomats, Mike Jones, Nelly and Juelz Santana. Later I also listened to R&B, Chris Brown in particular, and I liked Mario too." Even country music and gospel songs made it into Alaba's playlist. The 25-year-old is no fan of electronic music - with one exception: "I really like Paul Kalkbrenner's Sky&Sand!" Incidentally, the feeling is mutual as the famous DJ is a big Bayern fan.
"Moments solely for me"
The music the Bayern pro listens to is different in quiet hours. "When I'm thinking I listen to calmer music but sometimes also more furious music," revealed Alaba, who pays attention to the lyrics. "I get completely absorbed by it. If I don't understand a word I look up the lyrics online to better understand the song." Alaba "learns a few things" from certain songs, for example Drake's lyrics. The Canadian world star, one of the Austrian's absolute favourites, is known for his profound lyrics.
Some of Alaba's team-mates share his love for music, especially Jérôme Boateng, Renato Sanches and Kingsley Coman. Franck Ribéry, his partner on the left wing, discusses music with him on a regular basis. "He asks me for advice more often than the other way around, he listens to a lots of French music but I don't understand the lyrics. Sometimes he explains them to me." Alaba and Ribéry sometimes attend concerts together, but the Austrian also likes to attend them alone: "These are moments solely for me, I enjoy them a lot."
And what does Alaba listen to when he takes to the stadium? "It changes from time to time. But one song is always part of it: R Kelly's The World's Greatest. It spurs me on extremely. When he raises his voice in the second part - that's impressive."
David Alaba has compiled his own playlist on FC Bayern's official Apple Music channel. Check it out!
Topics of this article