In the 90s he filled huge stadiums. Marius Müller-Westernhagen no longer has this ambition today. But he still wants to keep up with the boys.
The musician Marius Müller-Westernhagen (“Freiheit”) sees himself challenged by the young musicians. For his new album “Das Eine Leben” he worked in the USA with a drummer who most recently contributed the drums for two albums by US singer Beyoncé.
“You pinch your ass cheeks because you want to keep up,” said the 73-year-old in Berlin before the release of the new album this Friday (May 20). But it was received with open arms by young musicians, “which is always a confirmation and does you good”.
He financed his album himself
The singer wrote the first part of the new album during a corona lockdown in South Africa that lasted for weeks. “It was a state that you didn’t know yet,” said Westernhagen, “of course you start to reflect: What’s actually going on in the world?” A striking number of the eleven songs now deal with themes such as transience, old age and death.
He finished and recorded his album in Berlin and in the USA. “I know how things work in industry today. So I finish my albums, finance them myself and then offer them. I don’t want any compromises either.”
Especially in the 1990s, Müller-Westernhagen regularly filled gigantic stadiums at concerts, sometimes playing in front of more than 100,000 people. «The ambition to have great success is completely gone. He is also more than satisfied, »said the musician.
Three years ago, Müller-Westernhagen recorded a blues version of his successful 1978 album “With Peppermint I’m Your Prince”. In his music career he has sold more than 17 million records.
