Ross Antony (42) is known as the king of the jungle. But above all he sings. He will soon be celebrating the pop night of the year in the Hallenstadion.
Mr. Antony, you first sang in musicals and were then a member of the band Bro'Sis. Now you sing pop songs. Why is that?
Ross Antony: I've always wanted to do that. I also played at festivals with the musical ensembles, and pop stars like Jürgen Drews and Roberto Blanco performed there. I saw how the audience enjoyed themselves - and could sing along to all the songs. I found that very impressive.
But before that, you made a guest appearance in the casting band Bro'Sis.
Yes, those were five great years. I was able to gain a wealth of experience there.
There is a lot of prejudice against pop music.
Yes, of course. Many people forget that Schlager is part of German history. For me as a Brit, it's particularly special because Schlager music as we know it doesn't exist in England. It doesn't matter whether you sing a happy or sad hit: people cheer you on.
Now you're performing in the Hallenstadion - alongside Vanessa Mai, Beatrice Egli and others. How is the atmosphere among the artists?
Super. You see each other a lot in the pop scene, and we're like a little family. That didn't exist in the pop industry back then.
What music do you listen to in your private life?
In the pop genre, I tend to listen to older artists like Gitte Hænning and Trude Herr. But otherwise my playlist is a colorful mix: Adele, Craig David, Ed Sheeran and the Sugababes.
How do you see Switzerland?
Me and my husband love being in Switzerland, we like the mountains. And of course I often work there too, I've filmed with Linda Fäh and Beatrice Egli, among others.
Do you sometimes miss your time in musicals?
Not necessarily. I've always been offered roles, but then I'd have to play seven shows a week. And to be honest, I don't feel like doing the same thing every night. But I'm open to guest roles. I'm now concentrating on my career as a pop singer and presenter.
You always seem to be full of energy. Where do you get this power from?
I must have inherited it from my father. I'm like a Duracell rabbit. People enjoy it. Some people make jokes about it. They should. You can make a lot of jokes about me - I can only laugh about it.
You won the jungle camp in 2008. Are you still proud of the crown today?
I'm glad that I was there back then. But I think the tests have become tougher and I suffer with the celebrities in the current seasons.
You and your husband have adopted two children. Was there any negative feedback?
No, everyone has been very positive. We are over the moon. No bad experiences!
