(02.02.2019)
Munich, Germany
Potato soup with Angela Merkel – Bill Kaulitz in an interview
Teen idol, style icon and Tokio Hotel front singer – no one was more appropriate than Bill Kaulitz
to present the MADE FOR MORE AWARD in the Creator category.
In an interview with Nikeata Thomspon,
he talks about his roots, his new home
and why Angela Merkel cares about him.
Tokio Hotel? – “We are a family“
Nikeata Thompson: What’s more about you?
Bill Kaulitz: I do all kinds of things, but besides my music career, fashion has always been my huge passion. As a young boy, I started skating and designing things myself. Of course, I had no money to buy clothes. I’m always in such a cheap discounter, I have bought three or four T-shirts and have made new ones. I also love animals and have a little dog. Stitch, an English Bulldog who is now five months old. It was really hard to leave him now and give to the dog sitter. I would say that’s my mores.
I think you are much more. But you’re a humble person, that’s a virtue that’s not that bad.
Bill: I think the more you have achieved in life, the more relaxed you have to be, because then you actually have no more stress. It often happened to me that I really loved and loved artists. When I met them then, I often found the person totally shitty. That breaks everything and after that I could not hear the songs anymore or go to the concerts.
Tom and me and the other two guys are very important to know where we’re from. We grew up together – we are a family on the go. I think that’s very important, because you always think that at some point everything must break, because everyone is looking at the lead singer.
The fact that you are like a family, that is quite relaxed with you.
Bill: Yes, above all, each of us has found his role. For example, when I’m on a single cover, everyone writes, “Where are the others? The poor, they are always left out! “I have to tell you, they are happy, if they are not on top and do not have to take a photo shoot. I’ve always loved being on stage and being a performer. Georg and Gustav are happy, if nobody looks at them, they can hide somewhere behind the lights and just play their instruments. They love that! Tom, for example, loves to be in the studio and produce the stuff. Everyone has their own thing and that has developed quite normally.”.
You can tell that also with you, and that’s nice. I believe that your brother and you moved to L.A. because you can be freer there.
Bill: Total. At some point in our career, where I could not see myself anymore, I could not hear it anymore. It was all too much for me. There was far too little about what we do and too much about our private lives. That’s a bit out of control at the time. I wanted to run free again down the street and do normal things. We had such an isolated life, we were always in hotel rooms, we could not go out anywhere and were no longer part of life. You always run with your head down, that nobody talks to. You are like an isolated alien. I love people and I love to be with people. I really wanted that again. L.A. has really saved us in many ways. To be free, to be creative, to get pleasure for the whole thing again.
Did your parents always stand behind the whole?
Bill: Absolutely! Our parents always supported us. My stepfather also played in a band himself. But I remember when we drove to Star Search at the age of 13 for casting in Berlin. It was the first time that children were allowed to apply and my mom said, “Bill, there are really good people there. I do not think you have a chance there. “That meant the very nice. But what came of it, she found, of course, super great. And today at the concerts, people sometimes ask who the proud woman is in the corner. She always comes with us, visits us on tour and so on.
What does individuality mean for you?
Bill: I think I’m going his own way. It takes a lot of courage to be individual and different. I think it’s also an instinct. You can not just dress or dress cool, you have to feel that too. We all look very different, Tom and me too. He used to have dreadlocks and loved hip-hop, so I could not do anything with that. I think it’s totally important to be yourself and to turn that out. That is individuality.
Who would you give an award to?
Bill: That’s very difficult … I’d like to – and I’m sure I’ll be back in the bag – but I’d like to give Angela Merkel an award. Politicians have an incredibly difficult task and I think Angela Merkel has done a good job right now in this difficult time. I think she is really great and she is somehow dear to me. She deserves an award! And I would love to eat potato soup with her – I heard she makes really good potato soup – and then give her an award.