The hit duo Fantasy has a new album in their luggage. In an interview, the two reveal what their family and wedding plans are like.
With their last two albums, Fantasy landed at number one in the German charts, now they are back with their new long player “LiederUnsere Lebens”. Freddy Malinowski (50) and Martin Hein (51) have been on stage together for 25 years. Their eleventh studio album is particularly personal for the two because they sing covers of songs that have shaped their lives.
There is also a lot going on privately with the duo: Malinowski recently became a grandfather for the first time. Hein proposed to his partner, pop singer Mela Rose. Wedding bells will soon be ringing for the couple. Martin Hein reveals the plans for this in an interview with spot on news. In addition, Fantasy talk about their first encounter, their roots and whether they could each imagine a return as a solo artist.
With “Songs of our Life” they release an album with cover versions. What makes the songs so personal for you?
Martin Hein and Freddy Malinowski: We chose the titles specifically, because each title contains a story from the past, whether it concerns us or our parents. Accordingly, each song has a special place in our lives.
English-language titles also made it onto the album. Did you briefly consider singing them in the original language? What spoke against it?
Hein and Malinowski: Our fans know us so well that we prefer the German language. Of course, that’s also how we make music in Fantasy, namely in the German language. English is not our thing.
They met in the 1990s. Do you remember what you thought about each other back then?
Hein: When I met Freddy and found out that he already had a CD on the market, that was a really big star for me. At that time we walked together from the studio to a chip shop to get a currywurst. I thought: “That’s crazy, all the people now see me with a star on the street.”
Malinowski: And you also thought that eating currywurst is a must when you’re a hit star.
Hein: Yes, I thought so at the time, but that wasn’t the case at all, you just didn’t have any more money with you.
Malinowski: And I thought: “My goodness, he still believes that I’m a hit star.”
You’ve been on stage side by side for 25 years now. What do you appreciate most about each other?
Hein: What I appreciate about Freddy is his sense of humour, his presence and his honesty. However, it annoys me that he always wakes up so early in the morning and rings the bell to wake me up.
Malinowski: Okay, I wish I could say what I said about you – I can, so I don’t need to repeat it.
In the years together, has there been a particularly crazy or unusual experience that you can tell us about?
Hein: In the history of Fantasy, 25 years at my colleague Freddy’s side, there were so many stories that I could partially fill volumes in book form.
Malinowski: Okay, but we don’t want to go into detail about that, maybe we should write a book about it?
Hein: That’s an option that we should keep open.
Malinowski: Well, then maybe that can be read in our book soon, if there should be one.
Before Fantasy you were both active as solo artists. Could you imagine going back there again?
Hein: Oh man, that was a different time, I was still young and I enjoyed everything. But I’ve gotten so used to my singing partner over the past 25 years that I would say of myself: If I wanted to go out on my own again, I would a) no longer have the strength, b) no longer have the stamina and c) too no more desire. I think I would always look to the right side of every song to see if Freddy is standing next to me.
Malinowski: I wouldn’t want to go back there again, because then I would have to let my hair grow long again. I had very long hair and I don’t want to have it again.
Her roots are in Croatia and Poland. What traditions from your homeland do you still keep today?
Malinowski: I don’t really have that many traditions from Croatia, because I didn’t live there that much, but as a child for a year and a half before I had to go to school at the age of six and my parents picked me up there accordingly. I felt a bit like Heidi, who has to leave her mountains and move back to Frankfurt. But what I have kept is to be human and to approach people. I am quite hospitable and like to be around people.
Hein: When I was about 18 or 19, I tried, as is customary in Poland, to drink schnapps without cola, which I personally don’t like. To be honest, I don’t have that many traditions from Poland either. But I still have the traditional dishes that my grandma cooked. Pierogi, for example, or Silesian dumplings, I still like to cook them.
Mr. Malinowski, you became a grandfather in December. How proud are you of your first grandchild?
Malinowski: This question is actually superfluous. I think everyone who becomes a grandpa or grandma feels totally happy. In my case, I am particularly happy that I am a grandpa. Nobody in my family managed to be a grandpa or grandma, neither my father nor his brothers and sisters. I’m the only one after many, many decades who has become a grandfather. I’m overjoyed to be able to experience this. It’s a really great experience and I’m very, very happy.
I also got my grandson’s name tattooed on my arm. It had to be: I had a dialogue with God. I wished on God that I could become a grandpa and I said: “If I become a grandpa, I will do something I would never do otherwise.” Everyone knows that I don’t really like tattoos that much or that I never wanted to have one myself. But I promised God: “When I become a grandpa, I’ll get a tattoo. You know how much I actually hate that.” But now I love it because it’s my grandson’s name.
You had once announced that you wanted to adopt a child yourself. Are there still plans?
Malinowski: No, they are no longer there. My partner and I quickly denied that. After all, we are of a certain age and will also have obligations in the future that would leave us little time for a child of our own. But thank God we’ve been blessed with a grandson and that’s just as nice, if not even nicer.
Mr. Hein, you proposed to your partner Mela Rose on New Year’s Eve. Do you already have plans for the wedding?
Hein: Of course, when you get engaged, you already have specific plans somewhere, but in our case they don’t specifically relate to the date. We are planning to get married at the end of September, beginning of October. We still have enough time to choose an exact date.
Malinowski: But that wasn’t the question now. The question was, do you have any special plans?
Hein: Oh, but of course. We will have witnesses, we will get married in the classic way – more so than a traditional wedding. We definitely want to get married in Austria, maybe on a beautiful alpine pasture with a small church, really nice and cozy. And you won’t believe it, Freddy’s invited too.