Kerstin Ott has to deal with nasty comments on the Internet. Her wish: Politicians should take Internet bullying “seriously”.
Kerstin Ott (40) wants to give something back to her fans – and on April 8th she will release the deluxe version of her successful album “All cats are gray at night”. One song from the long player that brought her a lot of positive feedback is “Tell me (when will time finally start)”. It deals with abuses such as homophobia or xenophobia.
The singer also has to deal with hate comments on the Internet again and again. “People write that they don’t like my hairstyle, that I’m ‘too fat’, ‘too lesbian’ and ‘can’t sing’,” says the “Always Laughing” interpreter in an interview with the news agency spot on news.
The deluxe version of your album “All cats are gray at night” is a gift to your fans. What are you particularly grateful to them for?
Kerstin Ott: I’m particularly grateful to the fans for going through the entire Corona phase and keeping their tickets, so that we’ll see each other again in the coming weeks and months. I’m really looking forward to it!
Your song “I Will Everything” is about standing by your feelings. This is often a problem, especially on social media, because everyone is showing their best side. How important is it to you to be authentic on Instagram and Co.?
Ott: Really important. I’m not one to constantly try filters that are as personality-altering as I find. I also think that it would be good for people in general to limit this a bit. Sometimes you don’t even recognize people anymore.
“Irgendwann” is a very quiet song, not a real hit, but almost an acoustic version. This mix of styles is typical for you. Why is this important to you?
Ott: I think people want the album to be a bit more colourful. I know it myself: In the past you bought an album and then 13 of 14 songs were audible, but only one was really good because the rest was a single sauce. You were always disappointed. Diversity on the album is always good for the whole thing.
“Simply No” is about fighting for someone you really care about. When was the last time you felt like this?
Ott: I have a friendship that has lasted for 30 years. In the last two years, my best friend has become more involved in family life because she has two young children. Of course I’m on a completely different level of life right now. Our children are already big. Then such a friendship sometimes gets lost a bit. But it’s also clear to both of us that we can’t just let this peter out. We’ve been friends for so long. That’s why I know this feeling very well and know when it’s important to fight for something.
The song “Sag mir (when does the time finally start)” received a lot of positive feedback. Rarely are grievances such as xenophobia and homophobia addressed so openly in our society. How important is this song to you?
Ott: The song was and is one of the most important ones on the album for me. I think that from a social point of view there is still a lot to be done in every sector. I think that often has to do with the fact that people have few points of contact with individual abuses such as racism or homophobia. This always leads to conflicts that would not have to exist if grievances were discussed a little more openly.
The lyrics say you wish everyone was the same, but there’s still “a long way to go”. Have you ever been attacked for something?
Ott: Yes, for example on the Internet, like many people who are in the public eye. People write that they don’t like my hairstyle, that I’m “too fat”, “too lesbian” and “can’t sing”. This probably often results from the fact that it is written anonymously and everyone is allowed to express themselves in a form that I find really, really mean. I hope and wish that politicians will step on the gas and take this topic seriously. Internet bullying in particular is something that many young people have to deal with and that makes many really sick.
Do nasty online comments attack you, or do you think, “Say what you want, I don’t care”?
Ott: It’s like this and like that. You always have to work out that you don’t care. It would be a lie to say that I always give a fuck.
For example, in 2020 you posted a little angry speech complaining about what was being written about your family in the media.
Ott: Back when I wrote this post, I was really shocked by what had been going on in the media for weeks. I’ve decided to fight back. That also worked well. Since then it has really decreased noticeably and I can only advise everyone not to put up with it.
With the hashtag #I wish it were forbidden, you draw attention to abuses, such as animal husbandry that is not appropriate to the species. Why is this important to you?
Ott: I’ve had this hashtag in my head for a long time because I’ve often seen everyday situations and thought: It can’t be true that in 2022, for example, we’ll still be buying super-small cages for guinea pigs. There was a little girl standing in front of me in a pet shop. The mother bought her a tiny cage for two guinea pigs. I found it really unbelievable that the mother thought that this was species-appropriate husbandry. And that’s how this hashtag came to be in my head.
But I have now decided to pause this campaign for the time being. I think there is so much negativity in the world right now because of the Ukraine war. You shouldn’t just shower people with all the bad stuff. Sometimes you have to give something positive back. But I don’t stop with the hashtag. I’m just putting it off for a time when everyone’s doing a little better.
Her profile picture on Instagram shows Ukraine colors. Do you think it is important to take a stand in this war?
Ott: Yes, I think that’s important – especially for people who can work with a wide range. For me it is right and important to take a stand on this. Of course, everyone has to decide that for themselves. In my opinion, the large range should be used to draw the attention of one or the other to the fact that things can be done better.
Of course, positioning oneself on certain topics always offers a target for attack. How is your community dealing with this?
Ott: Of course I get a shitstorm from time to time because one or the other doesn’t like what I post. Of course, when I express my open opinion, there are always people who have a different opinion about it. And I can accept that too.
On Instagram you also show insights into your private life with wife Karolina. Where do you draw the line as to what can be seen privately?
Ott: I wouldn’t walk around the house filming and showing everyone what my bedroom looks like. That would be too private for me. But I think I still have a good mix there. Just professional posts would be boring too. I always let my gut feeling decide.