Paula’s Pop Week: End of year feelings with VIVA, Spotify, Eilish and Swift

Dear people, this week I don’t really have tips for you, but rather feelings. That’s something! For example to…

…VIVA

VIVA went on air on December 1, 1993, 30 years ago. To mark this occasion, there is a three-part documentary in the ARD media library, “The VIVA Story – too cool for this world!” Unwieldy title, but that’s probably what they said back then. I, who only came along as a viewer at the beginning of the noughties, was able to really learn a lot, including how pleasantly amateurish everything was in the 90s – in front of and behind the camera. And what effort it took to keep it all going. For us millennials, it was all pretty much a given – music videos, CDs and cell phones – it was all floating around and wasn’t too difficult to get. But in the early and mid-90s it was still new, had to be occupied and fought for and the music industry profited immensely. The documentary, led by Nilz Bokelberg, Collien Ulmen-Fernandes and Markus Kavka, has three episodes and is unfortunately way too short.

The book “MTViva loves you!” by Markus Kavka and Elmar Giglinger, which also recently came out, is far too long. The story of the two major German music television channels, which cannot be told without each other, is recounted with all the details. Really everyone. And they are repeated again. I suspect or fear that I am the only person in the world who has read the entire book; there is no other explanation for the fact that a few chapters are repeated several times in terms of content. But be that as it may, the material collection is now out in the world and some of those who somehow had something to do with MTV and VIVA have their say. Moderators, editors, authors, artists and people whose job titles I don’t understand. Especially the. That’s why it’s very often very industry-internal talk that start-ups might be more interested in than pop lovers. What I find particularly exciting and annoying are all these stories of cronyism among those in power. Back then, everyone always knew everyone else, they had good contacts in politics, industry and journalists lent a hand here and there, there were gifts, dalliances, people looked after each other well, it was a “give and take” thing. , Cologne clique and so on, … but of course they never bribed, they acted independently.

In “MTViva loves you” you are often reminded of the cult that undoubtedly arose in this world, of beloved faces, established phrases, entire careers, side channels like VIVA Zwei, whose genius back then older indie types always raved to us about , formats like “Unplugged”, “MTV Home”, the shows by Kuttner, Ulmen, Raab, the Comet, the ringtones, all the ringtones…

There is almost complete silence about the existence of VIVA Plus… You learn that Campino is an asshole and the Kelly Family was hated by everyone, you learn that Tim Renner ran away from Doctors Unplugged with the words “It won’t work anymore” , you already knew how unbelievable everything was back then, how big, how crazy the parties, how wide the world, how available the money, you are reminded of hollow pears like Oli Pocher, Ben Teewag and Niels Ruf, you now know for sure that drugs were “ubiquitous” on the station and that MTV and VIVA were also constant companions for the presenters themselves, that they too threw their backpacks into the corner after school and left the program on all day. I definitely don’t want to miss it, it was really half of my life back in the days. Also VIVA Plus. Someone has to talk about it… But the biggest shoutout goes to Gülcan – my favorite presenter of all time.

… Thomas Gottschalk

The cringe was real in the last, supposedly very last “Wetten,dass..?” show with Gottschalk. There have been many of his last shows, but this one was particularly undignified. Completely consumed by cynicism, he moderated his way through the 18 hours, introducing gender tips that would have been too embarrassing for even the most embarrassing boomer uncle. Then Shirin David makes an appearance, so a real PERFORMANCE. First she performed with Helene Fischer in the duet “Atemlos durch die Nacht”, then Thomas, who is now closer to God than to Schalk, gave her a very weird insult. You wouldn’t be able to tell that she was an opera fan and a feminist. That seemed very desperate for someone who has nothing more to say but absolutely has to happen. Shirin David, on the other hand, still has a lot to say, so she tried to counter it as coolly as possible, which she did quite well. Afterwards, Gottschalk said to Cher how happy he was that people could still touch her. It’s crazy how over someone wants to be.

…Spotify

“Wrapped”, Spotify’s listening year review, was released last week and the internet once again delivered its good jokes and condemnations. Of course, we Last.fm oldies can only laugh about it, because we have music reviews every day. Above all, it is even more precise and not just limited to Spotify. Doesn’t matter! Spotify, of course, makes it poppier and more shareable and has come up with new nonsense again this year. You can now see which place in the world your own taste in music fits best, so I think where most people listen to similar things …or something like that…”Sound Town”. In any case, for example, I came up with Berkeley, the city in the USA. And then the internet found out that we Berkeley people are probably gay because of the music we listen to. And what should I say? Wasn’t it obvious?

By the way, there has been a petition from musicians for a few days against the new compensation changes at Spotify (only songs that collect at least 1000 streams per year should be compensated). The association of independent musicians is called “Pro Musik” and many well-known musicians are already there. You can sign here.

…bisexuality

Speaking of “wasn’t it obvious”: That’s exactly what Billie Eilish said on the red carpet at a “Variety” event when asked about her bisexuality. Afterward, she felt uncomfortable with it, as she expressed on Instagram.

All this pigeonholing shit, the need to label yourself, the pressure to come out – that too could soon be over. Billie Eilish likes all kinds of people, like many, probably most, others. Anyone who wants a label should have one, but we really have to stop putting pressure on us from outside. And we just have to let 21-year-olds be 21 and have their experiences.

… the pop women of the year

Taylor Swift is now also the “Person of the Year” (according to “Time” magazine), good good, so Swiftmania has probably reached its peak. Or? OR? I think next year we could calm down again and just enjoy the beautiful music instead of blowing everything up further and further…

And maybe Beyoncé could also use a break… After the eternal “Renaissance” tour, now the whole thing in the cinema again? I don’t dare go yet. On the one hand, I think it’s great to see fans freaking out in all these videos on the internet, but on the other hand, I just couldn’t stand the cell phone lights buzzing around and the unnatural TikTok dancing in front of my face… There is a little Gottschalk in everyone. So, now it’s time to wait for the big gift, for the highlight at the end of the year… Nicki Minaj’s album! Hohoho!

What happened until now? Here is an overview of all the pop column texts.