Song “Better Sad” with Julia Kautz: Fiona Erdmann’s partner is her “biggest fan”

Influencer Fiona Erdmann (36) can be heard again after a long time. Together with the singer Julia Kautz (43), she released the friendship song “Better Sad” on May 30, who made it on her debut album “Kautz”. Before Erdmann became known to a wider audience in 2007 as a “GNTM” candidate, she had already participated in the music casting show “Popstars” in 2006.

In an interview with the news agency Spot on News, Erdmann tells why she didn’t promote her music career afterwards and whether she wants to make more music now. In addition, the Dubai emigrant, who has been a mother of triple since February, reveals how she experienced the music video shoot for “better sad” with baby bump and, together with Julia Kautz, looks at her close friendship.

Fiona Erdmann: I love to sing – that has always been my absolute passion. Actually, it was even my first dream: to become a singer. But sometimes life makes its own plans. After “pop stars” I first focused on modeling, although the music was never completely gone. At that time I actually even recorded an entire album and released a song. But shortly afterwards my mother died – that was a deep cut, and the music project was somehow. It was all the better to be back in the studio after such a long time. It was totally familiar and felt right – how to get home.

Erdmann: At that time I was the huge fan of the very first season with the No Angels. I stood in front of the mirror and sang along, that totally inspired me. Then I advertised myself – only in Hanover, so I got under the last 15. Later I tried again in Dortmund, but unfortunately it didn’t work. For me it was clear: I keep going. Then came the chance at “Germany’s Next Top Model”. I don’t stay in moments long that didn’t work. I firmly believe that new opportunities always come – and I used them.

Erdmann: regret – no. But it is already a part in me who knows that more was possible. I never wanted to make music at all costs. For me, a song has to be real, with feeling, with importance. And now, with “better sad”, it was exactly the same. There was a real story, real emotion. I still don’t know if things go on, but I never never say. If it feels right again, I’m right away.

Erdmann: I am overjoyed – but of course often tired. (laughs) Three children, that is really not a sugar. It’s beautiful, but also a real bone job. I always wanted three children, and now I live exactly this dream. But you also have to learn to deal well with your own capacities. You can’t do everything anymore – and that’s okay. I am totally proud of how we as a family do it all. Now we even travel to Germany together – I with three kids and a song in our luggage. I hope that my children will look back at some point and say: “Wow, mom, you really rocked it.”

Erdmann: He is my biggest fan – even if he doesn’t understand the text, he immediately said: “It’s really good!” (laughs) He supports me in everything I do. Not only as a partner, but also as my manager. He believes in me, helps me with every idea and always stands behind me. I really appreciate that because I know that this is not a matter of course – especially when your partner is constantly in public. He gives me support and pushes me at the same time – that’s a really nice combination.

Erdmann: That was really something special. Turning a music video pregnant – you don’t do that every day. But for me it was exactly right. I wanted to capture this time, this emotion. Now I have this wonderful memory – a music video that also tells a piece of pregnancy history. We shot in Dubai, Julia was there extra, and so I couldn’t only show her my Dubai, we also created something lasting.

Julia Kautz: We were always there for each other when there were lovesickness or generally problems with the men. And there was a lot of that! In addition, in professional situations that were difficult, we always pushed each other and encouraged each other to continue to believe in our dreams. The most drastic situation was, however, when Fiona’s mother died and shortly afterwards her husband died in a traffic accident. That just torn my heart out. In this difficult time we talked several hours a day and I tried to support Fiona as best I could and to always be there for her. We were often sad in our friendship. But together we were always better sad! That’s why the song suits us so perfectly …

Erdmann: As Julia said, we have really experienced many ups and downs in our friendship – and that is exactly what makes it so special for me. I think true friendship is not only shown in the beautiful moments, but especially in the difficult. And we had many intensive times that welded us together incredibly. It was not always rosy, but never suddenly sad – it was just an honest mix of real life. What I appreciate so much about our friendship is that I know: No matter how long we have not heard – if I need Julia, she is there. And that is based on mutuality. For me that is true friendship.

Kautz: It is very sad that we see ourselves so rarely due to the distance of 6,000 km, but luckily there are zoom calls and WhatsApp. We are not always in contact every day, which would be with our crazy life, in which we as a singer and songwriter and business lady and mother are both very busy. But we are always there for each other when it matters. We have never forgotten birthdays or we always hear ourselves at Christmas.

Of course, we also always share the big moments of life together: the zoom call when Fiona told me about her third pregnancy by simply walking into the picture with a baby ball, I will never forget! Just like the news that she was pregnant with her first two children! I was so happy that her dream of the family, of whom she kept telling, came true after the particularly hard time. The nice thing about our song “Better Sad” is also that we have a lot of time together when we write and record in Berlin, as well as in the video shoot in Dubai and now for publication and promo, which we appreciate enormously.

Erdmann: Our friendship works without daily contact. We just know each other so well and we are really interested in each other. We remain connected by the story or little news in between. And when it really matters, we are there for each other – no matter where we are. I think that if there are real interest and affection, a friendship survives every distance.

Kautz: On June 1st we appear together on the “ZDF television garden” and at our release event on June 13th at the Nhow Hotel in Berlin we are on stage for the first time with my band to sing “better sad” together and celebrate my debut album “Kautz”. We are extremely looking forward to it! This will be friendship moments for eternity! Otherwise I would be totally in the mood for a weekend with Fiona – where we just travel together. Only we both. But of course it made it very difficult due to their family with the three kids.

Erdmann: I would like to take a real girls vacation with Julia – without any children. I love my kids over everything, but such a little break, only we two, that would be just nice. Maybe that will work in a few years if you are a little bigger. But I have to say: what we are currently experiencing together – publishing a song and standing together on the stage – that’s also something very special. Especially because I am no longer active in the show business. That I will now return to the stage again – and together with one of my closest friends – makes this time incredibly valuable for me.

Kautz: My debut album simply means “Kautz”. This is because it includes all facets that make me personally. There are 15 tracks on the album: rocking songs (“Fomo”), Edgy Popsongs (“Life like Las Vegas”), ironic tracks (“Hurray!”) And thoughtful poetry (“time window”). It is a lot about lovesickness or the struggle with dating in today’s world to miss the constant fear of missing something and the pressure under which we are all permanently – a bit about the end of the world, but in a very humorous way. Even if many serious topics can be heard on the album, the message that stands above everything is extremely positive! Because the message can be heard from every song that you never give up and get up again and again and believe in your dreams because life is just too beautiful.

Kautz: I have already released two EPS, i.e. mini albums: 2020 “Amnesie”, which I wrote in the Lockdown time, and 2022 “always the music”. As I am my own record company as an independent artist and do everything myself, an album with 15 tracks is an absolute mammoth task, which I have mastered with great dedication and a lot of passion in the past two years. I am very proud of that! The music industry has changed enormously in recent years. Often you have the feeling that Spotify and Co. are only about individual songs because the listening behavior has changed and hardly anyone hears whole albums.

However, it was very important to me to go this album path now and it is an incredibly beautiful feeling to be able to hold a vinyl with my songs in hands. The process also took a little longer because I also write songs for other artists with great passion, such as Wincent Weiss, Cassandra Steen, Max Mutzke or Vanessa Mai. For the past two years I have rocked 300 songwriting sessions a year, so unfortunately my own project sometimes stopped. But now it finally starts and I go on a big “Kautz” tour with the album in January 2026. I am extremely looking forward to it and I hope that people out there love the album as much as I do!