Interview with Joris

“I won’t be reborn as an earthworm”

German pop singer Joris is going on tour again and will also be stopping off in Vienna.

(Bild: Luis Jantsch)

German pop singer Joris sang his way into the hearts of his fans in 2015 with his debut single "Herz über Kopf". Numerous other singles, three Echos and four albums later, he is now going on tour again. With the "Zu viel Retro-Tour 2025" - named after his current album - he is also making a stop in Vienna. The Krone spoke to him about his music, his inspirations and the tour.

"The heart says stay, the head screams go. Heart over head, heart over head" - these are the lyrics to the debut single by German pop singer Joris. The 35-year-old with the soft, raspy voice was awarded the Echo Pop in the Radio ECHO category at the 2016 Echo Awards for this song. The single achieved gold status in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and established Joris as a permanent fixture in the pop industry.

When the pandemic hit, he also took a creative break to regroup and work on fresh songs. Now he is finally back with his fourth studio album "zu viel Retro", which was released on February 14. To coincide with this, he is going on a club tour through several countries. He is also making a stop in Vienna - and in the course of this, he spoke to us about his music and the upcoming tour.

Joris has been on tour since March 10 and can also be seen at Flex in Vienna on March 23.

(Bild: Instagram/Joris)

No hip-hop and no autotune 
When we speak to the young family man, he tells us right at the beginning why his new album is entitled "too much retro" and what it's all about. "Retro is simply in me. I'm someone who often looks in the rear-view mirror and relives the past. After the pandemic, I needed a kind of break because I suddenly didn't enjoy making music anymore. I had to take a break. Then I met up with my guys again - my live band, who had been with me from the start - and together we thought about what to do next."

Joris wanted to focus on his strengths. At a time when it's often all about influencing and self-promotion, he realized that his true passion is music - especially making music together with his band. That's why he decided to record a live album: "It was a conscious return to what really defines me. And of course that's incredibly retro. Releasing a live record in 2025 is definitely not state of the art. We don't have any hip-hop influences or autotune - and that's what makes it special for me."

Being back live in the studio with his band was a decisive moment for Joris: "It was exactly what I was looking for - to find the joy and desire for music again. Music may be my profession, but above all it's my best friend. I missed making music together with others incredibly."

But not everything went smoothly. The album was originally planned as an energetic festival record, but life intervened. "I had just become a young father when my girlfriend fell seriously ill and had to go into hospital. Suddenly, everything that had just given me security again was called into question." Joris tried to keep up appearances in the studio so as not to pass on his worries to his family - but of course it was impossible to completely ignore them. This resulted in some quieter moments on the record and the production took longer. "There were simply more important things," he says looking back. Nevertheless, the album as a whole is characterized by a powerful energy.

Short, quick & snappy: ten facts about Joris

If my new album was a drink ...
Then it would be something with character, probably a whisky.

The craziest place I've ever written a song ...
A boathouse. That's where the song "Life is" was written.

The last time I heard "Herz über Kopf" myself was ...
On the radio, when I played it there.

The nicest compliment I've ever received about my music is ...
There are very, very nice moments when people connect their own story with the music and tell me about it.

For me, Vienna tastes like ...
Melange and long nights.

If my tour bus could talk, it would tell me ...
It would tell stories that we all don't want to hear.

My new superpower since becoming a father ...
I don't need much sleep.

On tour, I miss home the most ...
The answer is simply "yes".

My favorite meal after a concert is ...
A big pizza, with lots of slices.

A sentence I would give to every music beginner.
Do what you feel like doing.

Change children
Life as a young family man has not only changed him personally, but also artistically. "It's given me a new perspective," he says. "I used to focus a lot on myself, but now that's secondary. My art is still extremely important to me, but I know that there are more important things. That's good for me, because it takes away the exaggerated seriousness. Not taking yourself too seriously is always a good tip." 

This new perspective is also reflected in his music. But what does the album sound like to someone who hasn't heard Joris' music before? "It's handmade, honest live music that's fun to listen to," is how he describes his sound. But there are also more reflective moments on the album. In "So quickly over", he deals with the transience of life - a topic that concerns him more today than in the past. "I used to look in the mirror and see myself ageing, but you hardly notice it consciously. It's only when you accompany young people every day that you realize how quickly time passes," he says. "You want to capture the good moments, but they pass just as quickly as the bad ones. And that can be comforting - especially when you look at the world."

This reflection not only shapes his songs, but also his attitude to life: "I probably won't be reborn as an earthworm - so I try to live this life as best I can."

And that's exactly what the thoroughbred musician is doing - because he's finally going on tour again. After the coronavirus pandemic, during which live performances were not possible for a long time, he is now looking forward to performing on stage all the more. During the lockdown, Joris also discovered a new passion: carpentry. He is now using this new skill for his own stage design."We want to bring the studio feeling to the people. I'm excited to see how that goes down." 

But how does he plan tour life as a young family man? "It's not always easy, but that's just part of being a musician," he admits. Whenever possible, his family accompanies him on tour. But sometimes he can't avoid being on the road for several weeks. "But I have the great privilege of being able to organize my time outside of touring very freely," he explains.

During the tour, his days are often packed from morning until late at night, but afterwards he consciously takes time off. "From April, I have two months in which I can determine my own daily routine. This balance is good for me - and my family knows that by now." 

So while Joris is full of anticipation for the tour, preparations are in full swing. The tour started on March 10 in Dudelange (Luxembourg), with the grand finale taking place on March 30 in Leipzig. In Vienna, you can see the "Herz über Kopf" singer live at Flex on March 23 - tickets are available at www.oeticket.com."I love the city and have been to Vienna a lot - so I'm really looking forward to it," the singer told "Krone" with excitement.