New Schiller Interview Courtesy of The Male Model Music Project
Ivan Guerrero (Curator Of The Male Model Music Project) candidly asks Schiller about Breathless, his guest collaborators, and the future of his musical journey.
A Breathless Journey With Schiller
http://www.malemodelmusicproject.com/2011/03/album-recommendation-breathless-journey.html
The Male Model Music Project shared a word with Christopher von Deylen, electronic music producer from Germany, also known as Schiller, on his sixth and most recent album “Breathless”.
Schiller is an electronic project founded in 1998, achieving 6 chart topping albums and 1,000,000 copies sold in Europe.
As a major collaboration project, Schiller has worked with artists such as Sarah Brightman, Tarja Turenen(former frontwoman of Nightwish), Sinead O’ Connor, Moya Brennan (of Clannad), and many many others.
Now, Schiller introduces the new US version of his album “Breathless”, featuring once more a huge number of notable collaborations. The release also comes packed with his 5th studio album “Desire”. “Desire” (entitled Sehnsucht in Germany) went on to achieve platinum status and featured guest apperances from Colbie Caillat, Chinese pianist Lang Lang, Swedish dance singer September and more.
Introspective, spatial, visionary, luminous and yet dark, human but also ethereal, Schiller invites us to share his new musical journey… a breathless journey, no doubt.
INSPIRATION
“Breathless” is inspired by a voyage aboard the research vessell Polarstern. Tell us more about the journey that led to this new musical experience.
Schiller: Being on the Polarstern (Polar Star) was something completely new and different for me. I love to travel, but this trip was really something very special. It felt like being on another planet, no connection to ‘home’, no phone, no email, but a swimming island which was floating through a part of this planet which is not intended for humans to stay in, not to mention to live in. The vast landscape, the wide horizon – these images helped me to reset my mind, to reset my musical voyage. when you stand on the deck, in the middle of the night, but the sun is still shining bright because you are even north of the polar circle, you look at the skies and the icebergs…this feeling cannot be put into any word…it left me speechless, yet breathless, and the title for my latest album was born…
Breathless” represents a new chapter, a new facet in the history of Schiller. What subjects are present in this new album?
Schiller: Well, it is not easy for me to analyze my own music. but I think “Breathless” represents a very intense and deep emotional aspect of me. The new tunes really capture the listener, they are somehow haunting and mysterious. To pick a single particular subject is difficult for me. Contrasting emotions and moods are very important I guess, sometimes the lyrics tell a story, or they create images and a certain atmosphere. In conjunction with the new schiller-sound, I try to create something original, something new.
You talk about curiosity when making music. Tell us about the importance of curiosity, the curiosity in the process of making music, a curiosity that leads to create…
Schiller: Always create something new, but still follow your path, that is the credo I am trying to live up to. Not always easy though, but curiosity is the most important motivation for me. Without curiosity, we would simply repeat a certain pattern, preparing the same dish every day. Exploring new paths enables me to reinvent the sound of Schiller and keeps my musical mind awake. I wish that I will never lose it.
REINVENTION
Schiller keeps reinventing himself… Do you consider important a general “human reinvention”, a reinvention of values, a reinvention of minds ? I mean, at this point of human history how could we reinvent ourselves?
Schiller: I am convinced that reinvention is the key to our future. Yes – you could argue that everything has been said, written or done at this point of human history, but is there an alternative to reinvent ourselves ? Learning from history is one thing but transforming this into a new and exciting future is the real challenge, everything else would lead to stagnation and deadlock. So I am trying to reinvent myself, including my music and my spirit every single day, not always easy though…
Schiller:On Good question. Actually I try to avoid looking back. It’s the past, the past is over. I try to keep my mind ‘now and in the future’. Sometimes it is nice though to think of the past as an inspiration for the future, but I am not a big fan of praising the past… after all, I would like to make the most of the time I have left on this beautiful planet. Looking back is a distraction, a waste of precious time.
What is Schiller looking forward for the future?
Schiller: I will play a purely electronic tour in Europe in late 2011, instrumental music only. A new challenge for me, and a very exciting project. Of course I am looking forward to the next musical voyage…
What’s your message or advice for the listeners, readers and young musicians?
Schiller: Find out who you are and be it- No compromises.
Purchase Breathless here: http://okgoodrecords.com/blog/2011/01/05/schiller-breathless/
