Vanessa Mai (30) continues to swim on the wave of success: her eighth studio album “Metamorphosis” was released in August. In October her own documentary series “MAI time is now” follows in the first. And in November, the singer’s fans can look forward to her autobiography “I Do It Mai Way”.
“You should get rid of just concentrating on one area in the entertainment business,” Mai explains her many projects in an interview. “Now I have the freedom to do anything. And that’s great.”
Vanessa Mai: No, I think a title like that is really great! After all, who wouldn’t want to be called the queen? I’m very relaxed there. And in my opinion, I don’t deliver such a blatant genre change, which many expected with my new album. In my opinion, there are also a few songs on “Metamorphose” that can still be classified as hits.
Mai: Everything I’ve done in music so far in my career has always come one hundred percent from my heart. I love hits! The fact that I make different music today doesn’t change that fact. And if that’s why I’m still the pop singer for some fans, then that’s totally fine with me.
Mai: I don’t like it when I put myself in categories and limit myself with it. But entertainer or artist still fits quite well. I do so many different things, I spend a lot of time on social media or have my own talk format on YouTube. You should get rid of just concentrating on one area in the entertainment business. I now have the freedom to do anything. And that’s great.
Mai: I didn’t plan my career the way it is, nor did I imagine it. I’ve said goodbye to a lot of people over the past few years – but my label has always been there. They went with me every way. They had my back – as did Andreas, my husband and manager. I really can’t tell today what’s next. But from now on I don’t have to explain anything to anyone anymore. I came from a world in which I encountered a lack of understanding and had to explain a lot. That’s over now. I don’t plan things. I just do it!
Mai: Oh yeah, and I’ve also written a book about that time, which will be out in November, in which I’ll give my fans pieces of the bigger picture that are still missing. The thing is that I started making music as a young girl and never questioned the genre. I didn’t say: I’ll make Schlager now or I’ll make Pop now. I was just thankful that I could make music and earn money with what I love.
May: Andreas and I have a wonderful symbiosis. We complement each other perfectly – he is my counterpart: what I don’t have, he has – and vice versa. Andreas is the person who now knows and understands me best. I don’t have to explain anything to him. He understands me blindly. I won the jackpot with my husband and that is really very lucky in life.
Mai: Yes, I know: Most couples enjoy it when they have a little distance from each other. And I can understand it when people find it suspicious that we don’t need a break from each other. Even our families make fun of it and tease us how gross it is that we are still so happy and in love. (laughs)
May: We’ve actually been together 24 hours a day – seven days a week for many years. And I love it because it’s the way I’m knitted and I’ve always wanted it this way! In the beginning, however, I had to force Andreas to be lucky. Then he probably thought to himself: What is Vanessa sticking to my butt all the time? At first I was really, really pushy. But hey: the success proves me right! (laughs)
May: honesty, honesty, honesty! We are always very honest and open with each other. In addition, there is a large portion of tolerance and a basic relaxation that all couples who simply belong together have – and then nothing can go wrong.
May: Somehow we can’t get away from the little town because it grounds us so incredibly and we are deeply rooted there. My whole family lives there – and I also met Andreas in Backnang, who was also born there. The people know us here and life is so wonderfully calm.
May: Definitely! We travel so much in Germany and the world, but then we love to come back. When we drive home, we always love it when it gets hilly and we see the cows in our pasture. In Backnang the world is really still in order. That’s where our home base is and that’s why we don’t want to leave.
