Ina Müller: "A thousand excuses" when it comes to sport

Ina Müller ("I am she") turned 55 in July. Their new album, which will be released on Friday (November 20th), has exactly this number as the title. On the long player she sings about doing sports and smoking, among other things. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, she revealed why the non-smoking law was a relief for Ina Müller, why she finds a thousand excuses in sports and what it is like to work with her partner Johannes Oerding (38, "Konturen"). The singer and presenter will also speak about the effects of the Corona crisis on the music industry and her own late night show "Inas Nacht".

The song "Laufen" is about exercising and aging. Is your age bothering you?

Ina Müller: I'm more bothered by the indifference to sport. I can't find a sport that has a meaning for me in life. I can't say: people, since I've been running I've been a different person. The problem is: as you get older, you just have to move more. If we are all getting as old as we think, then one should stay fit. I've tried everything, yoga, pilates, swimming, but that's not all.

I tend to get all the utensils in advance: shoes, jerseys, etc. so I can get started right away. The money I've already spent on unused sporting goods is really enormous. I have a lot more fun eating chocolate in bed and ordering sports gear online than actually doing the sport and doing it. When it comes to exercise, I really have a thousand excuses.

There is also a song on your album about smoking. How did that happen?

Müller: Before that I would like to say that this is absolutely not a love song to the cigarette. Smoking sucks and always will be. Today's generation can be really happy that smoking has become so uncool. Unfortunately, when I was young, smoking was cool. My life would have been different if I hadn't smoked. And that's what the song is about. My circle of friends surrendered to smoking. When you go out to smoke with a colleague, you always tell each other private things. Then you are more likely to be friends with this colleague than with the one who stays inside during the lunch break.

Are you still a heavy smoker?

Müller: No. For me, the non-smoking law was like a relief. It was clear to me: I won't go out to smoke. Now I only smoke in certain moments. In advance I was a bit afraid to release the song because I didn't want a shit storm. If you write a song about smoking, that's inevitable. According to the motto: "Thank you very much, Ms. Müller, I always thought you were great, but my husband died of lung cancer ten years ago. Have a good life, I'm out!" As I said, it's really not a love song about smoking.

Johannes Oerding made the music for many songs. What is it like to work together as a couple?

Müller: That's great. We have known each other for so long. You can just say: No, not like that. I wouldn't do that with other composers, you first praise and then slowly come criticism. Johannes and I can talk to each other faster and better. It's a lot of fun to know each other so well and then make music together. Incidentally, the same applies in reverse. I couldn't be in a relationship with someone who would just praise me.

What do you think of the partial lockdown in November and the reactions in the culture industry?

Müller: I totally support the call of culture to say: Please don't let us fall, we need help, we need money. We artists all understand why the corona measures are necessary. But we need a perspective. If money is promised, it must be paid. I asked around at many trades that are usually on tour with me and none of them can work at the moment.

It is very different, some say it works great, others say they haven't seen any money until today. If it works so differently from state to state, I am really sorry for many. You always hate to bring culture and money together, but nothing works without it. People need money to live in order to at least be able to pay their rent and food. I hope for everyone that we will at least have open-air festivals again this summer.

"Ina's night" is also suffering from the Corona measures. How does that work?

Müller: "Ina's night" was everything we weren't allowed to do in summer. You weren't allowed to sing, make music or sit close together inside. We then found a good compromise. The alternative would have been not to do the show at all and that would have been a shame. In the beginning we didn't have an audience at all, then we were allowed to increase to seven people. We let everything that had to do with singing take place outside. We always kept a distance of 1.5 meters.

I really liked the programs, but you can tell a difference in temperature compared to old programs. The distance also has its advantages, because it is easier to follow up again. It's more of a conversation and less of a chum, nose to nose on the bench. Nevertheless, next year I would like to move away from this distance and towards more sociability. Please please!