Lotte: The power of fearlessness and creative freedom

German singer Lotte is relishing in a new life chapter as she prepares for the release of her 4th album in August and her solo tour across the DACH region in autumn.

It has been 1.5 years of preparation with her new producer Jules Apollinaire, preceded by years of travel which she mainly used for kindling her creative inner child into a new freedom in both expression and sound. Already, the three pre-released singles reveal how the 30-year-old musician transports the theme of artistic self-confidence with a mix of introspection and pathos – reminding at times of mature and equally independent songwriters such as Cat Powers.

We were wondering what initiated her career and still keeps her going. “My inspiration has always been to find a safe place for my emotions. As a highly sensitive person, I feel deeply and these sentiments need an inner outlet within a secure space – which for me happens to be music and songwriting. I started my first instrument age four and wrote my first songs at 13. Music to me has always been the island where I can dock my boat and be myself. So among all the emotions there’s always also a sense of peace in what I do.”

Maybe this craving for peace and freedom has also led her to contact French producer Jules Apollinaire, who is based in London – the last of her travel destinations during years of soul-searching after the last album? “I think it works this way: once you know who you are and where you want to go, you attract the right people to help you do so. I randomly contacted Jules on social media with some new ideas and he said: ‘I’m glad you found me!’ I mean, friends told me that he was out of my league as he’s already worked with such big names, but he actually works in a very inspiring, relaxed way – almost like a kind of hippie producer, if you will. I lived and worked at his studio in East London, which has bedrooms attached, and we would be creating and jamming into the night and sleeping during the day. And we made sure to find the right people all over the world for the album between London, Paris and even LA. Jules, in fact, doesn’t even speak German. This is a completely international production.”

What makes the new sound? And how does it differ from earlier albums, the last one released in 2022? “Oh, the new sound is completely different from anything I’ve done before. I love and believe in constant development and am always trying to push myself to keep searching and growing. However, for the first time since travelling through the universe of music, this sound really feels like having discovered a planet that I don’t want to leave any more. I love and adore the old school, analogue recording techniques and the general style of the music of the 60s and 70s. Right now, I’m experimenting with a lot of reverb and giving songwriting no boundaries.”

So creative freedom and space for yourself are, thus, not only mirrored in the lyrics but also in the sound – reflecting growth, freedom and nuances all at the same time? “Yes, it’s more three-dimensional and covers all the hues between light and dark. At the same time, we’ve tried to give the album a more timeless quality – something that I think is so important in a time of quick fixes and an overall focus on making money – which often doesn’t even exist these days. That’s also why Jules and I make a good team. With him, it’s all about the art – I can’t tell you how refreshing that is. In a way, I now go by Pippi Longstocking’s motto: ‘I build my world the way I like it.’ That time in London has really been groundbreaking for me in a way that I’ve been living and working exactly the way I want to.”

Speaking of boundless adventures and imagination. In the pre-released single Jenny, you are referring to a girl you can see at night through your window, always dancing and altogether daring in attitude and appearance – which in turn makes you feel less anxious. Is this a fictional character or kind of an alter ego for you? “Jenny is based on an actual friend who’s always living extremes. Very inspirational and adventurous, so fearless that if anything, sometimes you’re worrying for her safety! She reflects that kind of freedom I was searching for after my last album, so I was inspired to write a song about her.”

As for inspiration and friends – what was it like to tour with CLUESO again just now? “Amazing! Apart from being reunited with an old friend, it gave me the chance to play hitherto unreleased songs in front of huge crowds – quite a moment of revealing your soul after years of introspection. It was magical. And it was of course great to be close to my friend, who has often encouraged me to keep on finding as well as sticking to my own path. He’s quite the searcher himself and though he never keeps still, he’s also a very grounded person – a quality hard to find with people who are that popular!”

This brings us to your upcoming solo tour in September, right after your album release – are you excited? “Absolutely! Given that I’ve lived pretty much in a cave for the time of producing the album, it will be great to be out there with the band. Which by the way consists of the most talented musicians I can wish for. And my music is meant to be heard live, so it will be a most gratifying experience. We’ll be touring Germany, Austria and Switzerland for a total of 2.5 weeks.”

And after that? What would you say are your current aspirations for the future, and also – what would make a day perfect for you right now? “Well, there’s of course that stepping stone of being 30. Which involves thoughts about arriving and settling at some point – I always wanted to be a mum one day. But for now, honestly all I want is to stay most child-like and adventurous, keep that freedom and excitement of discovery going, write more music and travel more, see the world and how different people live different lives. Also, I’m excited to return from an indoors life of recording and producing to my favourite hands-on hobbies such as pottery, horseback riding and in general being outdoors and in nature. But also I yearn to see my friends and family more and go out for a drink and dinner here and there.”

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