Bild.de interview

Tokio-Bill: I know what it feels like to be "thrown out"

Finally real superstars at "DSDS"!

Today, Bill and Tom Kaulitz (23) from Tokio Hotel will be sitting in the jury of "Deutschland sucht den Superstar" (8:15pm RTL) for the first time. It's not their first appearance in a casting show…

BILD: Bill, you once also participated in a casting show…
Bill: "Yes! I was 12 and it was "Star Search" with Kai Pflaume. But I only reached the last sixteen then it was over. I know what it feels like to be thrown out. That's the reason why some of the DSDS decisions affected me mentally a lot. "
Tom: "You're changing the whole life of young people. We're not underestimating that. "

BILD: How do you treat the candidates? Are you rather strict or friendly or..
Tom: "We are just how we are. You can't keep pretending and play a role for ten hours."

BILD: So you're not making them look like fools?
Tom: "Not on purpose. But we don't know what the candidates do and how they act backstage. Maybe some are slagging us off but we simply don't notice that and are really friendly to them. Or it's the other way around. It's possible that we maybe sometimes appear like bummers but it's also possible that we're right."

BILD: How was it to work with Dieter Bohlen?
Tom: "Well, of course you crack jokes. He does it. And we do it. But until now it were always just jokes…"
Bill: " Yes. There were really no fights. It was very harmonic. "

BILD: Why did you join "DSDS"? "The Voice" asked you to be judges as well…
Tom: "The Voice was hyped because it was something new!"
Bill: "Exactly! They don't have the same success as 'DSDS' does. And I think they never will. No other show will ever get that far. 'DSDS' is and will always be the biggest show!"
Tom: "Plus other casting show winners never had the same success as DSDS winners…that doesn't mean that we don't like 'The Voice'. We hope they'll have good luck with their show. "
Bill: "DSDS winners always had number 1 hits and earned minimum 500 000€. And 'The Voice'? Nothing! Neither fame nor long-time success."

BILD: How will you continue with Tokio Hotel?
Tom: "DSDS ends in may and we're still writing and producing songs. We haven't set a release date yet."

BILD: The USA will remain your home?
Tom: "If we don't emigrate to India… (laughs)"
Bill: "We take things as they come. I see us as citizen of the world. Somehow many places are home to us. As long as we have our music we are happy."