Clueso about his new album project “Déjà-vu 1/2”, live shows and collaboration with young musicians – read the interview now.
Clueso has long been considered an integral part of the German pop landscape. This year the singer released his new album: “Deja-vu 1/2”. We talked to him about his new music project, live performances and working with young up-and-coming artists.
ME: Can you still remember your last déjà vu?
Clueso: So now that I think about it – no. You always forget it, sometimes it’s the little things: you walk up the stairs and think, wow, you said something and I know that from somewhere, like a mistake in the system. As an artist, I had a single déjà vu moment on tour because every day you’re in a hall that looks very similar. And then you have a déjà vu moment because you play a show every night and it all has very similar routines.
You also play open-air gigs in the summer, comparatively on smaller stages, even in very small places. What are you particularly looking forward to?
So first and foremost the band. We like each other so much, we have such a nice team, it’s really fun. I’m looking forward to the locations in the summer. What’s special is that we sometimes have a better view from the stage because people naturally look where the stage fits best. Sometimes we look directly at the Baltic Sea or, in Dresden, at the banks of the Elbe. We have a really cool view from the stage. This summer we mixed everything: There’s Hurricane, Southside, where there are 40,000 people in front of the hut, and there are also some where there are more like 3,000 or 5,000 – but we’re really up for it. It’s cool when the lights are on, some butterflies are flying around the lamps and people are excited in the evening.
What do you enjoy more – the large halls or smaller open-air stages?
I’m such a now person: I’m really excited about the summer tour now, but I played such a great indoor tour. For me as an artist, because I have a lot of say in the whole tour organization, halls are cool because I can do everything there. There is no brightness, I can turn the lights down and turn on the video wall. But I’m still looking forward to the summer shows. I like the change – luckily I have it.
Will “Deja-vu 2/2” continue musically from the first part or bring in other sounds?
I called it “Deja Vu 1 of 2” because there is a second part. This is a two-parter, I’m currently working on part 2. The first part is a bit organic, like the old Clueso sound. In Erfurt, for example, I also meet a lot of young people who grew up with it and they know this music. I feel like I don’t have to and don’t want to chase everyone because I have my own sound for myself. On the other hand, it’s really fun to do modern things – that’s why I’m currently sitting at the computer for Part 2, building the beats myself, picking up a guitar, programming a bit, and I’m also keen on features with young artists and will finish it by the end of the year. I’ve stepped on the gas a bit now, just writing for now, blindly, without looking. I was in Mallorca, we built a studio in a hotel – not my hotel, but I have a studio there – and wrote a lot of sunny songs. I have to sort them now.
How did the feature with Chapo102 come about – did you also want to appeal to a younger audience?
I always look for artists, even when we go on tour. Many years ago, Annenmaykantereit was our opening act. We had Zartmann play on the Domplatz before his big breakthrough, and last year we had Kasi and Antonius there – that’s how you get to know the people a little. Of course, I enjoy speaking to young people so that they can at least take a look. It’s not like they’re stuck with me and listen to my music forever, but rather they just listen to it. With Chapo it’s something more natural, there are a lot of similarities. He’s an incredible songwriter, he writes for other people too, he’s on all day – and I see a lot of parallels to myself in that. It’s a lot about lyrics, a lot about music, and he’s a bit of the guy next door, and I’m kind of the same. We don’t have the airs and graces, we’re more like bar guys. I liked that he kind of stepped out of his bubble a little bit and was now going in this songwriting direction and trying to make committed pop. I did that back then too. We then talked to each other, got to know each other, went to the Christmas market and thought: Digga, we’ll do a Christmas song – and it ended up on my album.
Can you already reveal who will be a guest on the second album?
No, actually I’m making a list like that. I’m up for everything, and sometimes I miss it because I write so quickly. I’m just sitting down and writing to people and asking them. That’s why I can’t say much yet because these are unlaid eggs. But it goes in all directions: I’m interested in young people, I’m interested in people who have been there for a long time – but it shouldn’t be a feature album. The album is already there, I’ve written 26 songs and I’m going to knock out a lot of them where the themes are duplicated.
So part 2 is coming at the end of the year – and is that stressful?
I try. I try hard. We play a very long summer show and I always like to be where I am. When I play a concert, I like to be in the moment. When I come back, I need my day to rest, and then I sit down and continue crafting. I have a feeling it shouldn’t wait that long, but whether it’ll come this year – who knows?
Are you currently taking a break from TV while you’re touring and releasing your music?
At the moment I don’t want to put my album under the shadow of a TV production. It’s always like this: When it’s very big, everyone asks where the song or album is. That also makes total sense if you’re on “The Voice” or “Sing mein Song”. I wouldn’t do that right now, but I would like to do it again at some point. I did “Voice Kids” – I really enjoyed working with kids. There are no big things for now. Something like Joko and Klaas can happen spontaneously – they were in Erfurt, then we wrote to each other and I said I’d come over. Then suddenly I moderated three questions. Was cool. I would do something spontaneous for the album – but not a big TV show as a season.
After Part 2, are you planning a tour again next year?
The bigger things are at least planned. We once played the Waldbühne Berlin – an incredible concert. We have just announced them again for next year and over half of the tickets are already gone. We’ll do that next year too. There is no specific tour for part 2 because I think a lot of people who want to go to a Clueso concert also want to hear “Cello” and “Chicago”. I always have the feeling – this is my personal feeling – that when albums come out, they first have to be charged with life. So the next tour would actually be the tour for “Deja-vu 1”. It all takes a bit of time. Of course, the hardcore fans have already heard all the songs and have already heard “Deja-vu” – but the big room takes a while. That’s why I would just keep playing and add new songs every now and then.
Elif sings your joint song “Cello” on the Udo Lindenberg tribute album. Have you heard it yet?
Yes, she told me. She was at my show in Berlin and said she was doing the song. And I’m like: totally cool. That’s why we played “Cello” live together in Berlin. Elif has one of the strongest voices in Germany. I’ve had so many live moments with her, and as someone who’s been around for a long time, I’ve always noticed that people are good live too. And she is an ultra singer. This will make her horny – I have to listen to that version.
Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers of MUSIKEXPRESS?
Yes, actually. I just had a very long conversation about new time, algorithm, what’s on offer. We are being flooded. The music apps know us better than we know each other. You should keep an eye open for artists who may not be so keen on presenting themselves. Because it’s so important today that you stick your face in the camera – but there are a lot of people who simply make music because they’re better at it than hanging out socially with people and presenting themselves. I would like people to go to local, small clubs and see bands that maybe aren’t that famous.
