09/12/2023
Interview: Anastacia spoke to Süddeutsche Zeitung about Peter Maffay, Night of the Proms, Our Songs and more.
SZ: You were recently the surprise at the press conference at which Peter Maffay announced his departure from the stage. You talked almost longer than he did.
Anastacia: Haha, woe betide me if I let go... The whole action in Cologne was pretty spontaneous for me. Like the duet with him for my album, that came out of nowhere for me. What a challenge to find lyrics and a voice for his biggest hit “So bist du”. I sent him my demo version for "Just You". Then in the studio I thought it would take hours, I wanted to make it perfect. First he sang his track. I said: And now me! He just said: No, we'll use your demo part. What?!
SZ: You seem to like each other.
If you are Peter Maffay or me, then you want to feel that the energy fits with your musical partners. It has to feel very effortless. We quickly realized: It's not just the music you like. He is inspired by music, he is clever and humble. I think that was very special for him too, we reinvented this wonderful love song together.
SZ: How did it come about that you will be on stage with him on his farewell tour?
Once we had the song, Peter simply asked: "I'd like to have you on stage with me, would that work for you?" I'm like: What?! But everything happened organically.
SZ: Did you know Peter Maffay before, one of Germany's most successful rock musicians?
At least I had heard of him. Just like you heard about Bruce Springsteen. He is an icon. I've probably heard Peter's music too, but didn't know it was his.
SZ: It certainly won't be played in the USA.
Exactly, most German music is not played outside of Germany. Unfortunately, that's how it works. That was just part of the project, and I was actually a bit worried: Why should I do this if there isn't even a demand for it? At first I thought: Should I really do this in my life? Do I need this?
SZ: What ultimately convinced you to cover German hits?
When the Campino song came on. I immediately thought: Okay, it's possible! I just thought before: The songs are great in German, but the English translation will surely ruin that. It always does, there are already s**tstorms about subtitles on YouTube. I already liked “Tage wie diese” as Die Toten Hosen sang it. But when Campino's own demo came out in English, I was immediately touched: That's damn brilliant! Holy s**t, this was made for me, an Anastacia song. Then I was 100 percent into the project.
SZ: How did you search for the German songs?
The record company first sent me the 50 biggest hits from Germany. But I didn't find much that suited me melodically. Then another 50 came. I searched purely musically. Once I got a good bunch together, I asked: Okay, so what do these songs mean now? Many didn't make it to the next round because I wouldn't normally say something like that.
SZ: Only the half-Englishman Campino translated himself. How did it work otherwise?
A professor of English and German first turned the texts into stories for me, as if I were reading a book. For understanding. Then it was time for the details. For example, the song by Johannes Oerding: I already knew what “An guten tagen” means. So in German it sounds strong. But the first English line "now or never" was too weak, clumsy, choppy for me. It doesn't sound like "I'm Outta Love" (sings). We added something like “now or never - here and now” and that worked. Texting was like moving furniture around: the same room with a facelift. By the way, Google didn't help at all, as I had initially hoped.
SZ: It's probably better that you don't have to mention Google in the credits.
That's right. It shouldn't be too easy either. That was one of the realisations in the process: Maybe no one has done something like this before because it's too difficult? And I immediately thought: S**t, now that I really want to do the "Our Songs" project, maybe I can't do it because it's impossible. Uh-uh-uh, I had a million doubts, in the songs, in myself, even in my singing, like when I tried to sing the chorus of "Born To Live" (Unheilig's "Geboren um zu Leben"): My voice sounded terrible too.
SZ: So that you of all people are doubting your vote.
She's not exactly unobtrusive. Another thing like that was “Symphony” (sing the piece by Silbermond loudly). I wanted to make it big and pathetic. But in the studio I said: That sounds ridiculous, I'm destroying its simplicity, its beauty. So I had to take a step back. And in the end everything fell into place.
SZ: Did you also have enlightening moments with the German songs?
Oh yes. For example, I never had any doubts about “Cello.” Then I knew: That's exactly how I want it and no other way. It's just that I had the biggest inhibitions with the translation. I looked at Udo Lindenberg like I looked at Bob Dylan. So if Bob Dylan and Scorsese had a baby. It's like poetry in film format. But Udo brought a friend with him for the English words. I just said: Okay, sure, I'd be happy to, I'd just ruin it anyway. And it became really cool, jazzy, interesting, this exciting phrasing, as special as always with him, completely different than I would ever do. But I really got into it, listened to his song over and over again, I challenged myself. I love the result, and he loves it too. His text message to me had 12,000 emojis.
SZ: Have you discovered anything typical about German songwriting? Or is this just international pop music?
While researching, I discovered a lot of beauty in German music. But something special, hmm... German pop doesn't have a formula like Latin music, maybe that's why it doesn't come to the US market. But: I think your hip-hop is awesome, "Slam-Dunk": edgy, you feel the words. I couldn't cover hip-hop because I'm not that kind of girl ("I'm not that kinda girl," she sings), but I just can't put down some tracks. There's a rhythm thing in German that works for me. Maybe that's also the reason why the hit works, because it also has this rhythm in it, like a da dop da dop da dop.
SZ: Will you also be playing the German songs at the Night of The Proms, or just your biggest hits?
No, of course. The organizers were allowed to choose. And they didn't know about the album when they hired me. Now they have chosen a surprise from my hits and also something from “Our Songs”. I'm glad that the German pieces are in my repertoire, they fit in wonderfully alongside "Left Outside Alone".
SZ: During your German research, did you also come across Camouflage and their Eighties hits "Love Is a shield" and "The great commandment", which also play at the Proms?
Actually no. But I'm so excited for all my colleagues. I've already been to the Proms once, in 2012, and that's why I remember: When you're on the slopes together for so long, you become a real family. The Night of The Proms is such a high quality production. A great opportunity for me, especially after the difficult past few years.
SZ: You won the TV show “The Masked Singer” in Australia as a vampire. They're all in on the fun too, aren't they?
I like to try out a lot: small, unexpected, creative things that are just fun. When people ask: What do you still need to check off in your life? Then I say: I don't know, things just happen on their own anyway. I've never had a lack of work, I just always think about what suits me at the moment.