Michelle
Death threats because of a relationship with a man 25 years younger than him
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Pop singer Michelle is overjoyed. Not only is things going well professionally, she is also on cloud nine in her personal life. The man at her side is significantly younger. Not a problem for the two of them, but apparently it is for the public. The two now report how strong the headwind was that they had to endure after their relationship was announced.
Michelle is 51 years old, her partner Eric Philippi is 26 years old. If it were the other way around, nobody would be interested in it, Philippi points out in an interview with “Bild”. He might be right about that. The two pop singers did not expect that their relationship would generate so much headwind.
Michelle and Eric Philippi received death threats
It was in April when Michelle and Eric went public with their relationship. And with that they kicked off a lot. Because while they don’t have any problems with it themselves, many are bothered by the 25-year age difference. And these many made their opinions known. Especially via social media. “I was amazed at how much hate you can experience from strangers because of your private life. It even went as far as death threats,” reports Eric Philippi in an interview with “Bild”. His girlfriend agrees with him. “With what right can people judge our feelings for each other without even knowing us? The comments on social media went far beyond bullying. At some point I stopped reading them. Otherwise I would have just been sad and hurt.” The situation was also almost unbearable for the 26-year-old at the time: “Strangers insult me, saying Michelle could be my mother. Whose business is that? Everyone has the right to love or be how they want. “
Feelings made into a song
Michelle and Eric have now processed what they have been experiencing and going through for eight months in a song. On Saturday, December 2nd, they presented the song with the appropriate title “False to Love You” in the live show “The Advent Festival of 100,000 Lights” by Florian Silbereisen. It says, among other things: “People are openly staring at the two of them. They are an attractive couple. The fact that he is younger than her – that is a scandal here. Some people cannot cope with it.” And that’s exactly what’s bothering them. But Michelle and Eric Philippi don’t want to bow down because one thing is certain: they love each other. And so they sing very confidently: “If it’s wrong to love you. There’s nothing right in the world. Everyone knows that only love counts.”
Song is well received
On their Instagram channel, Michelle and Eric thank you for all the feedback on their song. They would have achieved exactly what they wanted: acceptance. And they want to help: “We wish that it gives you as much strength as it gives us… because many people still don’t like our love and we have had to read incredible words about our relationship over and over again in the last few months. If with this song we can do just a small part to make at least a few people who say something like that (behind the cell phone keypad) reconsider, then we’ve done something right! [sic]”
Sources used: instagram.com, bild.de