German ESC participant Malik Harris: "I'm living my dream"

Created: 05/12/2022, 20:55

By: Katrin Basaran

"Music is a matter of taste," says Malik Harris and is convinced that even a poor placement would not arouse any self-doubt in him.

© Nderim Kaceli/dpa

"I think the song has the potential to chart well," says Malik Harris of "Rockstars."

The 24-year-old starts with this song at the ESC final in Turin on Saturday.

A conversation before the big performance.

Five times in the past seven years - the competition was canceled in 2020 - the German participants ended up at the bottom - a difficult legacy for Malik Harris.

Or the chance to buck the trend and end up at the top again.

The 24-year-old from Landsberg am Lech will compete in this year's final of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Turin on Saturday (ARD broadcasts live from 9 p.m.).

The son of former talk show host Ricky Harris beat the competition with "Rockstars" in the German preliminary round.

So shortly before the ESC final - how are you?

Malik Harris:

Very good.

I'm currently experiencing so much: moments, encounters, stories.

And look forward to the ESC performance.

I'm just glad to be a part of this crazy journey.

Do you still remember the moment of your victory in the German preliminary round?

That was close.

Malik Harris:

After the radio votes, I was in second place and mentally I was already done.

Then came the voices of the spectators - and suddenly I had won!

I think my confusion was noted.

It actually took me a few days to realize all of that.

And suddenly everyone wanted something – appearances, statements, press, promotion.

Is this situation like you dreamed of?

Malik Harris:

It's a lot more than I thought.

I think since the preliminary round I've had two days that weren't full of appointments.

Crazy!

But while I sometimes wish I had a little more sleep, I really enjoy the hustle and bustle.

Especially after the Corona period, when there was an absolute lull and very little was possible.

Suddenly everything started up again.

With the ESC you really enter another world: the fans are extremely passionate, you get to know artists from all over Europe, different cultures come together - and that's really fun.

"Rockstars" is all over the radio these days.

You've probably sung the song live hundreds of times by now.

Be honest – can you still hear it yourself?

Malik Harris:

I could probably hear, sing and play all my songs a billion times and still enjoy them every time.

I wrote "Rockstars" during the psychologically challenging Corona period.

The song is something special, it's about not dwelling on the past, but seeing the beautiful things in the here and now.

And so the song reminds me every time to soak up the moment.

Are people all nice to you?

Or are you now feeling the other side of the coin – envious people, haters, critics?

Malik Harris:

These people are always there and I don't really care about them.

I reverse the weighting for myself.

If someone tells me or writes that my music pleases, touches, supports, helps or gives them something, then that means something to me and makes me happy.

Even if it's the one in a million critics.

Don't you sometimes long for a few moments of rest?

Malik Harris:

I haven't had the need yet, but I don't want to rule out that it will happen at some point.

But at the moment I'm living my dream and that's part of the hustle and bustle.

Who Grounds You?

Doesn't just see the pop star and ESC participant, but the person Malik?

Who criticizes you?

Malik Harris:

At the end of the day, I'm probably my own biggest critic.

I value perfectionism and believe in being reflected as a character as well.

In addition, my family is very honest with me.

I love them all, they know and accompany me all my life - from the first performances in a bar where nobody but them was listening until today.

I often think of this long journey, I'm grateful - and that automatically grounds me.

I

Malik Harris:

No, nonsense!

For me, the competitive character is secondary anyway.

After all, the ESC is the only event that has managed to bring this entire continent full of different countries and cultures together under the sign of music for decades.

It's like a big peace festival that you're happy to be a part of.

It's fitting to send a signal with a victory for Ukraine.

But "Zero Points for Germany" would hurt...

Malik Harris:

That would be disappointing.

I think the song has the potential for a good placement.

But I also know that the ESC has its own laws.

And what takes away the competitive pressure: I'm basically of the opinion that you can't rate music as better or worse.

That's a matter of taste.

So a bad placement would not arouse any lasting self-doubt in me.

Now the ESC is a highlight of your career so far.

How do you protect yourself from an emotional hole afterwards?

Malik Harris:

The focus for me - at least for this year - is on the live game.

My “Anonymous Colonist” tour starts on Monday in Hamburg, and by the way, I'll also be in Munich on May 31st.

Then I'm on the road with Amy Macdonald, have a lot of festival commitments and a few other concerts.

Playing live just makes me happy and definitely keeps me from an emotional hole.

When is the next song coming?

Malik Harris:

I'm currently hesitating between two tracks that I really like.

But my plan is to deliver the song in such a way that you can listen to it all summer long.