Max Herre and Joy Denalane: Their love “is certainly not a permanent state of happiness”

Max Herre and Joy Denalane
Your love “is certainly not a permanent state of happiness”

At the beginning of the week, Max Herre (51) and Joy Denalane (50) announced their first album together for November 1st. Those who are impatient can listen to the first single release from Friday. The song “Alles Liebe” is here and is about “the most diverse aspects of love and also the transformation that love goes through,” as the couple reveals in an interview with the news agency spot on news. Herre and Denalane have also experienced “ups and downs” in their relationship and also talk about how love is also “work”.

How did the idea of ​​releasing a joint album come about?

Joy Denalane: The idea for a joint album has come up again and again over the last few years, but never really concretely. It became concrete last year when we actually started trying it out: going into the studio, making the first song sketches in various sessions. That felt really good straight away, a lot of material was created straight away and it was clear: it’s incredibly fun musically and there are of course a lot of stories from the last 25 years that can be easily told in songs together.

Max Herre: Another point is that we have different time now than we did a few years ago. Because our sons are out of the house and we can now not only go to the studio together, but also tour together. In the past, this was only possible to a limited extent. When one of us was out and about, the other stayed at home and looked after everything.

What is your first single “Alles Liebe” about?

Denalane: “All Love” is about the different aspects of love and also the transformation that love goes through over time. From the first sparkle to a long-term relationship, which of course knows everything, ups and downs, and which is constantly being renegotiated. “All Love” is a song, who also wants to dispel the idea that love falls from heaven and is then simply there. Love is a confession, love is work, love is togetherness, a constant negotiation of what it should be and why it is worth holding on to each other. That’s what the song is about and we tell our story in it. But it is also an invitation to everyone to think and talk about their idea and their conception of love. Be it romantic love, friendly or familial love. Or be it connection and solidarity in a larger context. All of this is “All Love.”

What does musical collaboration look like for you as a couple? Has it changed over the years?

Herre: We’ve always worked together. From “Mit Dir” in 1999, to Joy’s “Mamani” album from 2002, to Joy’s “Willpower” record from last year. We are a well-rehearsed team. What was new for us was that “Alles Liebe” is a duet album, so we are both represented on all the songs and so we had to keep trying out how we come together on the individual songs and how our different styles, our narratives and our voices add to. In the end, everything is shaped by our love for music and being able to do it together. That is beautiful.

It all started with “With You” in 1999. What does the song mean to you today?

Denalane: “With You” means so much to us. It’s like always with music: it’s yours until it’s released. Then it develops its own dynamic and its own story, and above all, the listeners develop their story with it. That’s the beauty of “Mit Dir”: For so many people, the song is a soundtrack for a period of life, to this day. And we get that reflected again and again, these great stories from people who say: “we heard the song here and there”, “we met through the song”, “we play it on certain occasions” – anniversaries, weddings and so forth.

In the album announcement you explain that through 25 years of ups and downs, you’ve somehow managed to hold on to each other. What helped you and how do you keep your relationship happy?

Denalane: Love and relationships are work and the willingness to keep reaching out to each other. Finding a consensus, aligning yourself with what you want in life and creating commonality there. We don’t always succeed, but we always succeed. It is certainly not a permanent state of happiness. For us, happiness comes from being willing to fight for each other and also being willing to go through phases that are not only characterized by harmony. Maybe our happiness in the end lies in proving this to ourselves again and again.

They also go on tour together. What are you most looking forward to?

Herre: Being able to go on tour is the best thing for both of us, being on the road with our fellow musicians. Driving from city to city. Celebrating with the people who come to the concerts and getting direct feedback on the songs. If you can then share that with your love, then it’s perfect. We are both absolute stage people and are incredibly excited to share “Alles Liebe” and all the other songs from the last 25 years live with each other and with our fans.

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