Michael Schulte: He would like to pass that on to his sons

Michael Schulte, 33, will release his new album “Remember Me” on September 29th. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, the singer tells us which song he wrote for his sons, how his music has changed through his family life and why his friendship with duet partner Max Giesinger, 34, is so special. The former “The Voice” candidate and ESC fourth-place winner also reveals what he thinks of the new “The Voice” coaches and which act he would like to see as a German ESC representative for next year.

Four years after “Highs & Lows” you release your new album. What was different about the work compared to the previous album?

Michael Schulte: As far as songwriting goes, it wasn’t much different. But the circumstances surrounding it were of course different and also a reason why it took a little longer until publication. Corona threw a spanner in the works for us, so we couldn’t go on tour with the last album from 2019 until 2022. In addition, I had another offspring. With two children at home you don’t have that much time anymore. Accordingly, it wouldn’t have made sense to release the album beforehand. We pushed it once or twice and wrote a few more songs, so the number with Max (Giesinger, editor’s note) also made it into it.

The title track deals with the topic: How will you eventually remember a person? What will remain, what will you leave behind? What would be important to you, what should people remember?

Schulte: The song is for my two sons. Because I lost my dad relatively early, I noticed that it was almost 20 years ago and that the memories are fading more and more and you don’t think about the person as much as you did in the first few years. That’s completely fine and completely natural, especially if you have a lot of other things to do with your head. Nevertheless, I asked myself what it would be like when I was no longer there, how my children would remember me. Hopefully they remember me positively and say we did a lot of cool things together. For me that is also the goal: to try to do as many nice things as possible for and with your children, to always be there for them so that they remember you well. As far as being a musician is concerned, I would of course be happy if people might still hear about me in 100 years, even if the probability is very low (laughs).

How do you try to keep the memories of your father alive?

Schulte: I try to take the time every now and then to sit down in peace and, for example, listen to music from back then. This quickly brings back memories that can be sad and beautiful at the same time.

This summer you created a memory with your family with a campervan tour. How was the break?

Schulte: We like to travel and this time we drove our camper bus for three weeks through Austria, Switzerland, Germany, to Italy and France and over to Corsica. That was of course very nice as a family. On a tour like this you are completely out of everyday life and do lots of fun things in nature. For example, exploring a lake in a beautiful mountain setting on a pedal boat will also impress the children. In order to have the perfect mix, we added a few hotel nights, glamping so to speak (laughs).

You say that your music has changed because you are now a father. How exactly?

Schulte: In terms of content, of course, in the sense that some songs are about or for my children or my wife. And life as a dad in a family with children is of course completely different than as a single person without children. As a human being it does something to you. You reflect differently, you have a different view of the world. However, I don’t just want to write about the “Happy Family” topics and I also have content that is just very common, whether you have children or not. Or sometimes topics that I experienced myself many years ago and that I can now notice and empathize with in those around me. In “Stay” the question is asked whether you should leave or stay in a relationship and fight for it because you don’t actually want to end it. That doesn’t fit my current situation, but I’ve experienced it before.

“Bye Bye Bye” and “Waterfall” have a very clubby dance sound. How did this sound come about?

Schulte: I like to hear something a little more dandy myself and I actually like hearing my voice on beats like that. That’s why we teamed up with R3hab and tried the whole thing out. I wouldn’t have thought that it would be so well received outside, even in other countries.

With “More To This Life” there is finally a duet with Max Giesinger. You’ve been looking for a duet song for a long time. Why did someone come along now?

Schulte: Somehow the timing never worked out. After “The Voice,” we both focused on our own careers, he with German music and I with English music. Max went through the roof with “80 million”, I had the ESC two years later. It wouldn’t have fit at all to make a song together. Last year Max said: “Man, I would like to sing in English, shouldn’t we finally try that now?” We locked ourselves in the studio, wrote a little something together and would have been fine with it even if it didn’t come out. But we were very happy with “More To This Life.”

What defines your friendship?

Schulte: The thing about friendship is that it doesn’t matter if we don’t see each other for two months. When we meet again, everything is as usual and we understand each other blindly. There are few people who are really good to hang out with, there are probably only one or two where it just fits perfectly. Where, when in doubt, you can be in a room for an hour and just say nothing without feeling like you have to talk. I don’t think there has ever been a situation in the twelve years we’ve known each other where we’ve annoyed each other.

Are there any downsides to being in the music industry together and being friends?

Schulte: Of course, we don’t see each other that often because we both have jobs where we travel a lot. On the other hand, it’s nice when you have a similar job with your best buddy and can talk about it. We treated ourselves for a long time and always tried to pick ourselves up when things weren’t going well. We have been together through thick and thin and have motivated each other to keep going and not give up. Maybe otherwise we would have said early on: “Come on, it won’t work.”

Your duet is about the childlike qualities that you lose as an adult and that would actually be totally positive. Which ones are you thinking of?

Schulte: As a child, you are extremely carefree and just do things without really thinking about whether it’s good or not, whether it makes sense. Sometimes it might be nicer as an adult to say to you, I’ll just do it now. As an example, say I find my job so annoying right now that I’m leaving here and going on a trip around the world because I feel like it. Because I want to dream again and see something different.

Have you ever had a moment where you wanted to break out?

Schulte: Not quite that extreme, but in 2017, when I noticed that music wasn’t making any progress, I started studying again. I wanted to do something completely different and take the pressure off of trying to become successful in some way. The complete change of scenery was really good for me, even though in the lectures I was surrounded by 18- to 20-year-olds who knew me from “The Voice” and were wondering what I was doing here (laughs).

Both of their careers started on “The Voice of Germany”, the new season started recently. What do you say to the new jury?

Schulte: I was very surprised, probably no one expected the compilation. But I find it brave and exciting. My keyboard player accompanied the blind auditions in the band there and said it was very entertaining. I can imagine that it would be good for the show to let in a breath of fresh air. Mark Forster and Co. always did a great job. But maybe it’s nice to reinvent yourself a little bit after so many years.

What would you say to a double chair with Max Giesinger?

Schulte: I would love to do that. We hope that this might happen at some point. We can both imagine this very well. But we’re not the only ones who want it, so we’ll have to see. We are waiting for the request (laughs).

What would you give the talent?

Schulte: I would definitely explain to them that the work only starts after the show and that they have to be patient and not assume that they will be superstars afterward. I think that’s the problem for many people: they think, now I’ve made it, but then they realize that you have to prove yourself first. You have to play concerts, release albums, release songs that, ideally, will play on the radio at some point. This can often take years and many people may then give up too quickly. Ambition and perseverance are basic requirements.

The application phase for the German ESC preliminary round has recently begun. What do you want from an act?

Schulte: If you don’t know the act like I did back then, I actually always think it’s really nice. It has to be someone really authentic who brings their own music and stands there without any fuss and just sings a good song. Where the audience has the feeling that this is a real artist. I can only recommend it to everyone, you should take advantage of the opportunity to sing on stage in front of millions of people. I told myself back then that I actually had nothing to lose, it didn’t matter whether I came last or not. Either way, this is a great honor and an exciting, great journey to take with you.

What are you planning professionally for the coming year and how do you reconcile this with your family?

Schulte: It always works really well with the family. I usually don’t spend that incredibly long at a time. And especially when I have concerts in the Hamburg, Hanover or Bremen area, they can come along too. Otherwise, the focus is of course fully on the album and the small tour that is scheduled for the beginning of October. And next year we will definitely continue with new music and more tours. I’m nowhere near the point where I need a break. I’m just up for it and will definitely keep doing it as long as I can.

Is touring life more strenuous than before?

Schulte: Touring has even become more enjoyable. I now have a great team and many technicians with me who have a lot more knowledge and everything is planned perfectly. Before, I had to haul and assemble everything myself. Now all I have to do is go on stage and sing. What I like to do most.