Ares (19) from Wetzikon impresses on "The Voice" "No matter how this adventure turns out, I want to have fun"

Drag queen Ares (19) from Wetzikon ZH causes a real storm of enthusiasm on the TV show "The Voice of Germany". A conversation about life dreams and make-up - and decisive moments on stage.

Ares or Micha, what would you like to be called in the interview?

I think it would be cool if you called me Ares.

Ares, you are 19 years old. When did you realize that you have a special voice?

Oh wow, thank you so much for the compliment ... I've been singing for as long as I can remember, all the time and everywhere.

Even in the shower?

Yes, even there (laughs). At some point, however, my singing became too much for my family, so I joined a choir from the age of ten.

When I saw your first two appearances on the TV show "The Voice of Germany" on Sat.1/ProSieben, I thought: Wow, Dragqueen Ares is a born entertainer. Not only can you sing, but you're also a talent for acrobatics and showmanship.

While I was singing in the choir, I was almost simultaneously a member of a vaulting club for several years. Vaulting involves performing gymnastic and acrobatic exercises on the back of a horse, either alone or in a group.

Coaches are all over the drag queenAres (19) from Wetzikon blows everyone away on "The Voice of Germany"

When did you make your first appearance in drag?

When I was 16, I did my own make-up and got ready at home. My mother then took photos of me. I later published some of these photos on Instagram.

How did you feel when you stood on stage in the TV studio and sang for the first time on "The Voice of Germany" two weeks ago?

I was incredibly excited about that moment, even though I was extremely nervous and everything felt surreal. I was standing alone on a large stage in a TV studio with an audience of around 300 people and lots of cameras pointed at me.

I could also see the backs of the four chairs a few meters in front of me, with the four coaches Yvonne Catterfeld, Mark Forster, Kamrad and Samu Huber sitting behind them. Just before I started singing, I closed my eyes and said to myself: "No matter how this adventure turns out, I want to enjoy the moment and have fun.

During your first performance, you sang the song "When The Party's Over" by Billie Eilish.

It's a sad song. My aim was to convey the melancholy mood of this song during my performance.

While you were singing, all four coaches turned around in quick succession. How did you manage to stay calm in this situation, at least outwardly, and finish the song?

It's ... oh, Samu Haber turned around after just a few seconds. That's when I knew: I'm definitely through to the next round. At the same time, this spurred me on to convince all the other coaches of my singing skills. When Yvonne Catterfeld and, a little later, Mark Forster and Kamrad turned around, I was just so happy.

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Why did you choose singer-songwriter Kamrad and not the much more famous Samu Haber from the Finnish pop band Sunrise Avenue?

Now I can reveal it: In the run-up to my first appearance on "The Voice of Germany", Mark Forster and Kamrad were my two favorites. This was mainly because I was less familiar with the music of Yvonnne Catterfeld and Samu Huber.

But you're right, Kamrad is probably the least known of the four coaches. However, I really love his music and that's why I chose him in the end.

Is it really true that it takes you more than three hours to transform from Micha to Ares?

It's true, it almost always takes me three hours. The make-up alone takes over two hours. I do my own make-up, just like I style my own wigs. I also very often create and sew my own costumes ...

... including the costumes you're now wearing on "The Voice of Germany"?

No, not those.

Can you put into words what happens when you transform from a commercial employee who works part-time at a municipal administration in the Zurich Oberland into a drag queen?

I like the process of transformation - I particularly like it when several drags style themselves together in the dressing room and get ready. This situation brings people together and gives them strength.

What happens in your head during this time?

As soon as I've put on my wig and finished my make-up, I feel: Ares is here. I'm not saying that I become a different person at that moment, but it's a transformation that does me good and makes me happy. Also because I feel that all the work beforehand has paid off - and it often happens that I get a little louder than usual and look in the mirror and say: Oh my god, I look good.

You grew up in the Zurich Oberland. When did you first go out in drag?

I always go out as Micha - with one exception: last weekend I was a drag queen guest at Reto Hanselmann's Halloween party "Season of the Witch" at Club Kaufleuten in Zurich.

Since your first appearance on "The Voice of Germany" two weeks ago, you have been considered one of the favorites for the 14th season.

It's a lifelong dream come true for me. I've wanted to take part in "The Voice Kids" since I was a child. But my mother wouldn't let me back then. So I'm all the happier today that I'm now allowed to take part.

What does the role of frontrunner do to you - and how do you stay grounded in reality despite your success?

I feel honored that my first two performances were well received by the coaches and also the viewers. At the same time, I know that I can't change anything. Because the first shows of the current season of "The Voice of Germany" have already been filmed and produced, and only the final shows will be broadcast live in a few weeks' time. That means I can currently just watch and observe what happens and how the coaches and the audience will react to my performances.

What is the situation like behind the scenes at "The Voice of Germany": a lot of work or, above all, fun?

I've experienced both, but the most important thing for me is that it's an artistic challenge that I love and that I really want to take on.

How did you experience the joint battle performance with contestant Pino Severino this week, when you performed the song "Unholy"by trans woman Kim Petras and Sam Smith?

Pino and I get on really well. The song "Unholy" had a huge impact in the queer community. Not least because Kim Petras is the first trans person ever to win a Grammy with it. Pino and I were at eye level during our performance. I thought that was nice. We really tried to give our all and represent the queer community on stage. Our goal was for both of us to get through ...

... which you did in the end.

That's how it is. Oh, I'm so happy that my journey on "The Voice of Germany" continues.

Are all the contestants on "The Voice of Germany" as nice to each other as Pino Severino and you, or does the situation sometimes feel like a shark tank?

I've had nothing but good experiences on "The Voice of Germany" so far - and I'd even say I've made some new friends. It's just a shame that almost all the other contestants live in Germany - quite far away from me.

You are still in the running for "The Voice of Germany". What do you hope to achieve by taking part in this TV show?

I hope that my participation in "The Voice of Germany" will make me even better known - and that I will be booked as a drag queen for performances abroad in the future. And there is another big dream that I would like to fulfill.

Which one?

I would like to be a model.

And what do you think of a duet with Conchita Wurst?

I wouldn't say no to that (laughs).

And with Nemo?

Wow, that would be great. I got to meet Nemo in the summer of 2023. Nemo was performing at Pride in Bern at the time.

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