The Sound of Colour – Dodo at Seaside Palm Beach

There are places with a truly distinctive character. Anyone checking into Seaside Palm Beach in Maspalomas knows they’re choosing something far from ordinary. Alberto Pinto gave it colours that refuse to fade into the background: coral red, lilac, sunlit yellow. Nothing here is accidental, nothing is understated. This is not a hotel that simply preserves the spirit of the seventies—it lives it, effortlessly.

Perhaps it is precisely this atmosphere that has, for years now, made the hotel the perfect setting for encounters that linger long after the moment has passed. Many scenes from “Sing meinen Song – Das Schweizer Tauschkonzert” (Sing my Song - The Swiss Exchange Concert) are filmed right here, between the palm garden, retro design and the sweeping views of the Maspalomas dunes.

When the artists come together at Seaside Palm Beach, the focus is not solely on the music. It is also about what is left unsaid, yet deeply felt. About memories. About stories never meant to be told, and yet shared all the same.

And about what Dodo, the show’s host,describes as its very essence:being human.

Dodo: Between Roots, Sound and Personality 

Dodo’s music does not fit neatly into any one category. It is shaped by movement, heritage and rhythm.

Born in Kenya and raised in Côte d’Ivoire, he was immersed in African musical traditions from an early age. Music was never merely a form of expression, but an integral part of everyday life.

“My musical influences mainly come from Africa … music has been with me since childhood, especially reggae and Black music.”

His sound feels warm and open, shaped by influences that resist easy categorisation. It is precisely this outlook that he also brings to „Sing meinen Song“.

Seaside Palm Beach as a Stage for Exceptional Moments 

The bellboys in uniform, the light, the towering palm trees. And then there is the staircase, lending the arrival a sense of occasion from the very first moment. For Dodo, that first impression was particularly striking.

“Everything was being filmed. We walked up the grand staircase … and then there was this garden. The moment you see it, you are instantly taken by it,” he recalls.

Here, amid the sea breeze and iconic design pieces, inspiration seems to come effortlessly. It was also the setting for a personal project: a photography book in which Dodo chose to showcase his bespoke suits within the hotel grounds. Why here? Because the retro chic of Seaside Palm Beach has a presence strong enough to hold its own alongside his creations.

Photo © Riechsteiner Fotografie
Outfit: Eniline

Between the Spotlight and Stillness

What appears effortless on screen follows its own demanding rhythm behind the scenes. Filming days begin early and often stretch late into the night, with hardly a moment to pause in between.

“We start at eight in the morning… sometimes it goes on until four the next morning, and then the next day it all starts again.”

When the cameras stop rolling, Dodo looks for ways to recharge. A sauna, an ice bath, and, on his days off, the occasional massage—quiet rituals far removed from the pace of filming. By morning, the routine begins again: training, cold therapy, and then a leisurely breakfast out in the open air.

Moments That Truly Connect

Beyond the work itself, it is often the quieter moments that leave the strongest impression. One memory, in particular, has stayed with Dodo, a moment he shared with Beatrice Egli:

“She came to me and said it had all become too much for her. We went to her room, lay down on the floor and did some breathing exercises … afterwards, everything was fine again.”

And whenever the schedule allowed, Bar Africano became the place where the entire team would come together. It was here that the day gently wound down—often over a gin with strawberries and hibiscus tonic, the conversation flowing as easily as the evening air.

Dodo Steps Down as Host of „Sing meinen Song“

After three years as host—and four years with the programme overall—an important chapter is drawing to a close for Dodo. With it, a period closely intertwined with Seaside Palm Beach also comes to an end.

“I’ve now spent four years in this wonderful hotel. I was lucky enough to be a guest here, and I truly felt at home.”

By now, he knows the hotel in every detail, from the lift to the gym. Over time, Seaside Palm Beach became more than just a backdrop. Between long and demanding filming days, it offered a place to pause, to unwind, and to catch his breath.

A place whose colours and rhythm linger long after departure—and one that is not easily forgotten.