INTERVIEW; RTL.de VIP Interview Translation - tokio hotel interview

First of all I’d like to congratulate you on your MTV EMA that you won with Tokio Hotel this year. How hard was it to get this far?
Erm well, I believe it was definitely harder than people might realise. I think, to many it was just erm… everything about our career went pretty fast. Erm, however, if you’re the one doing it all, you actually know that there’s definitely much more work behind it than some people might believe and, and that success is definitely not something that just happens to you at all. Well… I’m also not somebody that rests on it. Meaning, I could never sit down and really relax and say `Hey, the first three years went so well, you can be on holiday for a year now. That’s not what I’m like at all. I’m more someone that already thinks about what’s next and really keeps going and, and [who] is quite ambitious. Therefore, it was already… It is… There are always obstacles being put in one’s way. Every day. By lots of people everywhere.

Erm, I think you’ve got a pretty great dubbing voice. How much speech coaching was needed in advance or did you even get speech coaching?
I’ve had erm, basically kind of a coach at, at the recording studio. Meaning there’s erm, erm… there were a few people that have been doing it professionally for years already. However, I’ve relatively erm… Well, I didn’t practise anything in advance. While dubbing it somehow really was [more like] us… that I received some advise and so on then. And there wasn’t necessarily any coaching needed. Well, I’m also, erm… Yes, I’ve also been kind of rather doubtful, right? Meaning, I think, erm, also of course by no means am I as good as to how professional people are doing it, but I’ve got to say the second part was a bit easier for me than the first one.

And how was that? Do you have an explanation for that?
I think one just gathered a bit of experience, yes? Meaning that there have always been things when I remembered what it was like in the first part and what you’ve got to pay attention to and erm… Therefore the second part was a bit easier.

Last year you’ve had to have vocal chord surgery. Has your voice completely recovered again now or do you still have problems when you’re talking for such a long time, being in a studio all day long?
Nope, well actually I’ve never had any problems after that again. Meaning it’s really like that one has to bide the healing process of course and everything is like before when this is over and done with. Erm, however, one is just never, erm, safe from it. Meaning, it can always just happen again. That means even if my voice is great now, it’s still possible that this happens again of course. Like a singer or also as a presenter or everybody who works with their voice a lot, somehow [all] have to deal with it a lot of course and are also prone to it. So therefore erm… *reaching to side* Where is there any wood? *looking around to find something wooden to knock on but not finding anything* Unfortunately there isn’t any [wood] but hopefully it won’t happen again.

Erm, could you imagine to also be standing in front of a camera once? For a cinema production?
Erm, I could imagine it. Definitely. Well, I think it’s, erm, just a matter of the part. If it’s the right part and erm, like the right people, then I’d do it, yes. Definitely.

Well, I’m thinking that you, erm, have got all kinds of resemblance with the animated character “Arthur”.
Ok.

Have you also discovered any similarities?
Yes, definitely! Like, when I was watching it or when I saw the character for the first time, I was immediately, erm, erm… Yes, I somehow totally fell in love with the whole film and it really was like I was definitely thinking `Ok, if anybody is able to dub this character, then, erm, it’s me somehow.` It just goes really well. So therefore, there really are associations.

Yes. Female fans are constantly going crazy when you turn up somewhere. Erm, do they even still stand a chance with you or is there already someone by your side?
Unfortunately there is nobody by my side, no. Well, erm, [there] hasn’t been for the past five years unfortunately. I think that really is the only thing that really erm… Well yes, [that] also has never been a big deal somehow. I’d also really like to tell something different for once. Meaning, for once I’d also like to say that it would be different. Unfortunately [it] hasn’t happened to me. I haven’t fallen in love.

Do you have a certain type of woman or aren’t you specific [about it]?
Well, I actually really believe in love at first sight. Meaning I still believe that it’s really like that, if you see the right one and then, erm, you just immediately know it and erm… It just hasn’t happened to me yet. Well, I think the hair colour or something like that wouldn’t be crucial in that case.

Erm, you’re so super slim – how do you keep fit? Do you somehow have some sports routine that you’re doing or…?
Unfortunately I’m not doing any sports at all. Well, now I’ve absolutely got to erm… Actually I’m always intending to go on the treadmill prior to every tour. Just for stamina’s sake, yes? And now, we’re, erm, are somehow playing quite a big tour again next year. And erm, everything will be quite elaborate. We’ve got a big production with a huge stage and that’ll involve quite a bit [of execise]. Therefore I’m intending to go on the treadmill again. Just to get in better shape and to really make it through and not somehow be lying in the corner after the first song already. But otherwise I’m not doing any sports. I don’t play football, I don’t work out anywhere or I’m not running. I really sit in front of the sofa at home and… *shrugging* … watch TV. [nb He probably meant to say “sit on the sofa” and “in front of the TV” and got a bit muddled up ]

Probably good genes.
Yes.

Erm, how long do you take for your styling in the mornings when you’re standing in front of the mirror? After all it always looks quite time-consuming with you.
Well, actually it’s a total routine for me. Like… By now it really doesn’t take long at all. Well, actually with showering and getting up in the morning and waking up it all adds up to an hour maybe.

Do you have a styling role model?
I’ve never really had that. I think, certainly one always gets a bit influenced by all the things happening around us. However, it’s never actually been a case of me having just like one, erm, person, no. There have just always been like different bands, musicians and people that I liked but I’ve never really had one role model in particular.

It’s Christmas in a month’s time already. Erm, how are you going to spend the Christmas holiday this year?
I’m hoping just like the past years. Well, actually it has always been important to me that I’m really together with my family and it… I always hope, erm, that there’ll also be good food and erm, I’m actually rather loving this whole Christmas, Christmas time. The thing is that I’ve been a vegetarian for one and a half years now and therefore the duck has been called off again this year. Erm, otherwise I used to love this. Like, duck and red cabbage and potatoes and things like that and erm… That’s actually like the best about Christmas. Meaning, good food, be together with your family and to just spend a relaxing time.

Why did you decide to live vegetarian?
With me it totally was just out of love of animals. Well, Tom and I, we’ve got four dogs at home that also somehow all of them… We’ve rescued all of them from, erm… from an animal shelter and so on. And yes, for me it just was love of animals eventually. I thought `Ok, if there’s another way and everybody has got the possibility to [do this] nowadays, then, erm, one just does it.` Although one has got to say that really all those substitute products, erm, they’re just… they really just don’t taste that great. Meaning, I know where people that like to eat meat are coming from. I was an absolute fan of fast food and really loved to eat meat. So for me it really wasn’t a matter of taste but really only just… love of animals.