focus.de - Interview - "It was time for something new"

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Translation

(I only translated the interview part, the introduction is always the same, they released a new album and talk about this and that and so on...)

The video for "Love who loves you back" caused a a lot of stir. Bill, many people wanted to know if you're bisexual. You spoke out in favor of love independent of gender. Why do people nowadays still need a label for this?

Bill Kaulitz: That's a good question which I also ask myself. I don't understand it. My message is: Let's not entitle and always make such a big topic out of it. Everyone can love who they want to love - without shouting it from the rooftops. We can't decide it ourselves anyway. Love is decided by our heart. Everyone will realize that somewhen.

You also can't predict that...

Kaulitz: Exactly. Who knows, maybe I go out of my hotel room and meet the love of my life. Such encounters can also change everything. Because of that I also find it difficult to link it to the gender or religion or to limit it in any way.

Do people think too narrow-minded, too black & white?

Schäfer: Definitely.

Kaulitz: Absolutely. In my opinion people should be way more open for every kind of love. I think this "stereotype thinking" is boring. Back then people always told me: "As a boy you can't wear that and you also can't wear make up." I think that takes effect in terms of fashion, as well as in love and sexuality. Everyone should live the way it feels good and right.

How can one break those patterns?

Kaulitz: You can only initiate it. We also didn't make our video too serious, there are also some funny details in it. We just try to encourage it and want to say: Just relax, everyone!

Your new album is called "Kings of Suburbia". What does it mean?

Kaulitz: We ourselves come from the deepest suburb, so we are familiar with suburbs. And then it's about the feeling when you just recorded an amazing song. You feel like the king of your world and the universe. But when you look at the world from above and see those billions of people with their little microcosms, it loses its significance. We also had this feeling when we recorded the album.

The new album sounds different than your former works. How would you describe the sound of your new record?

Schäfer: Wicked.

Kaulitz: A lot more electronic. We partied a lot in LA and let ourselves get inspired by DJs, festivals and electronic music. We experimented a lot, we actually had a lot time for it. For the first time we also produced ourselves. It also brought us forward as musicians. Also I as a singer tried out new things. We were just bored before, it was time for something new.

Is important to always recreate yourself as an artist?

Kaulitz: Totally! It shouldn't be forced in any way, but it just developed naturally with us. The songs on the album are like a "Best Of" of the last four years. We had so many songs after that time and thought: What would be the strongest and best album? This way we put the songs together then.

The album is on #1 in many countries. Do you think that you convinced your fans musically? Or do they buy the album because of the name "Tokio Hotel"?

Kaulitz: The pre-sell was already very good, when there wasn't even a song released. Also the Deluxe-Version was sold out quickly. Of course fans bought that without knowing the songs. Now we get positive feedback from our fans but also from people who are new. They just think the song is great and buy it. They want the album then because they liked the first three songs so much.

Do you have a favorite song on the album?
Kaulitz: That's hard to say. There's a story to every song and we spent a lot of time with each song as well. But in general "Love who loves you back" is the favorite song of us all. Because of that we released it as a single. "We found us" is my personal favorite song.

What is the song about?

Kaulitz: It's about a certain feeling: I really love to go out and party, even more than the other guys and Tom. When I don't work at the weekend, I can't just sit at home for example. I have to mix with people, otherwise I'd get depressive. I think most of us like that. I think people are not made for being alone. The song describes that everyone is looking for something at night. All people go out to find something. And in the song two people found each other in a club.

In "Kings of Suburbia" you sing: "Accept the things you can't change. And change the things you can." Which things does one have to accept in life?

Kaulitz: It's a prayer which I have found amazing for a long time already, and so I put it in the song. I didn't write it myself. For me this is the biggest task in my life: To learn that you have to accept things and that you also have to become more relaxed. I'm an absolute control freak from every Point of view. I can't hand over control, especially not when it comes to the job. Furthermore I have a big authority problem: I can't deal with it if people tell me what to do or what to wear, what's right and wrong. I'm very self-determinded. If I feel cramped I can change my face very quickly, I become a different person then. Freedom is the most important thing in life for me. But there are also things in life which you just can't affect, love for example, as I said. But also when it comes to your job. Sometimes things happen to me, whereby I think: "Relax! You just have to accept it and you can't change anything about it." You wish for serenity to accept the things as they come. And that's not easy.

Translation by Herzblut @ TokioHotel_Info || Please use with credit, thanks!