As the world’s largest trade fair for printing technologies, drupa, returns this year, it brings with it a time-honored tradition: the drupa song. Capturing the unique atmosphere of the event, the 2024 edition features the theme song “Let us Create the Future,” a vibrant tune that embodies the spirit and innovation of the printing industry.
Emotions run high at trade fairs, where business relationships are forged and strengthened. Few things encapsulate this blend of emotion and commerce better than a shared song. “Let us Create the Future,” written by Julius Trautvetter and performed by Gerald Oppong and Maria Nicolaides, underscores drupa’s importance to the global printing community. The song’s themes of community, creativity, and anticipation resonate with attendees, especially after the event’s eight-year hiatus.
Trautvetter, a prolific Hamburg-based producer and the mastermind behind NAKED CAT, crafted the song alongside Hallgrimson Entertainment Group (The HEG). Known for his work with Fresh Music Live, Daniel Hall, and Jessica Haller, as well as collaborations with Fettes Brot, Clueso, and Leslie Clio, Trautvetter brings his eclectic style and expertise to the drupa theme song. NAKED CAT and The HEG aimed to create a modern, fresh sound that, coupled with evocative lyrics, would instill a sense of excitement and positivity among attendees.
Singers Gerald Oppong and Maria Nicolaides lend their distinctive voices to the track, ensuring it becomes an anthem for the event. The song, with its catchy beat, invites exhibitors and visitors alike to shape the future of the printing industry together.
The tradition of the drupa song dates back to 1986 when the first song was composed and performed by Dave Gibson. Since then, each drupa event has featured a new theme song, evolving with the times while maintaining its role in energizing the event’s atmosphere. Previous songs include the millennium drupa’s theme by Lucy Wende, Elke Diepenbeck’s 2004 song, Ladag Medien’s 2008 tune, Dirk Zeisler’s “Get Ready to Succeed” in 2012, and Dieter Falk’s “drupa is in Town Again” in 2016. In 2021, the virtual.drupa featured “We Embrace the Future” by Dieter and Paul Falk, and BB Thomaz.
Visitors to drupa 2024 can listen to “Let us Create the Future” on YouTube and at the event itself, where it will play at the start and end of each day’s visiting hours.
Drupa 2024 opens from May 28 to June 7, with daily visiting hours from 10:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and 10:00 to 17:00 on weekends. Tickets range from 60 euros for a 1-day pass to 255 euros for a 5-day pass.
