Close your eyes, just listen and let it move you. Start to dance, start to smile, and for a moment, you’re free in the middle of all the rush, like the world lets go of you.
After a long pause, German artist Michael Imhof returns to writing music with a beautiful track that instantly evokes pure joy, and a video that captures it just right. Created together with filmmaker Fritz Fechner, “Make Me Feel” does exactly what its name promises: it doesn’t ask for much, it simply happens to you. As Michael puts it: “I didn’t want a track that needed a lot of explaining, but one that triggers something straight away — energy, a sense of lightness, that brief escape from your thoughts.”
“Make me feel good, please.”
Dancer Anh feels like the perfect match here, moving through streets and subway tunnels with a kind of joyful abandon and ease that’s almost contagious. There’s something so natural in the way she lets go – there’s an irresistible pull to it.
Michael Imhof is many things at once – a longtime radio and TV host, DJ, producer, and photographer – but right now, it feels less about defining and more about simply creating. A new chapter, one that opens up new stories, yet stays close to what he loves – telling of things you don’t notice at first, like small, quiet secrets that somehow feel familiar to everyone.
We caught up with him to talk about what it means to start again, to let go of expectations, and to simply follow what feels right.
Header photo: Still from “Make Me Feel”, courtesy of the artist.
Michael, you mentioned earlier that you took a long break and are now, in a way, back — ready to run through the night again. (smiles) Tell us more about that time — how did you experience stepping away from it all?
The break wasn’t a complete withdrawal, but more of a deliberate pause. My daughter was born, so I couldn’t stay up all night tinkering with a bass drum anymore (laughs). Then there was the pressure to follow up the EP with Gram’ma Funk in a fitting way; somehow, that sense of ease had gone. So I devoted myself more to photography, where I could also let my creativity run wild, but see the results straight away at the end of the day. Two years ago, I had melodies in my head again, I followed them, and now it doesn’t feel like a comeback at all, but more like a fresh start.
“Make Me Feel” turned out beautifully — congratulations! The track really makes me feel energized and happy. Is that exactly what you were hoping to evoke with it?
That was exactly the idea. I didn’t want a track that needed a lot of explaining, but one that triggers something straight away — energy, a sense of lightness, that brief escape from your thoughts. If it resonates with you, then the song has done exactly what I set out to do.
The dancer in the video feels so fresh and full of life. How did that collaboration come about, and what did she bring to the story that words or sound alone couldn’t express?
I wanted someone who didn’t just act out the feeling of the song, but really lived it. The idea for the dance video came from my good friend Fritz, who’s a brilliant filmmaker. He and the dancer Anh had worked together before, so it was actually an intuitive decision to ask her to bring my song to life. Which wasn’t at all easy for Anh: “On the day, I definitely had to push myself to dance alone on a very busy street with just the music in my headphones. But with the song and, above all, dear Fritz there, I was able to feel free and really enjoyed it.” Through her movements, the music takes on a physical dimension; things like freedom — things that can’t be put into words — suddenly become visible.
Looking ahead, you mentioned that your upcoming videos might lean more into storytelling and emotion. What kind of stories or feelings are you most interested in exploring next?
I’m drawn — just as in photography — to the quiet, less immediately apparent stories. Moments that you can’t fully explain, but rather feel — closeness, the spaces in between, doubt, tension, the unsaid. One of the next songs is called “Focus”; another is about having trusted someone who constantly feeds you lies. I think everyone can relate to that. And if the videos manage to convey these feelings and become one with the tracks, I’d be very happy.
“Music is meant to be shared — what’s the point of it if it stays in my drawer?”
There’s a strong sense of freedom in both the track and the visuals. When do you feel most free these days?
For me, freedom today is, above all, about doing things based on my own feelings rather than on expectations. Even small moments are enough — moments when something feels effortless and just right. I’ve caught myself trying to copy my own sound from the past — as if I could simply turn back the clock. But I’m in a different place now and no longer want to think in terms of labels. In a time full of bubbles, I want to stay open — to people, perspectives, and influences. For me, tolerance is part of freedom. And musically, that also means: it’s allowed to change. Maybe someone is celebrating “Make Me Feel”, and someone else a completely different track — as long as it triggers something, it’s just right.
Your background in photography shows a strong visual sensitivity. When you make music, do you already see images in your head, or do the visuals come later?
Actually, I make music very much by instinct. I come from a drumming background, so I often start with groove and rhythm and then follow my ear. Basically, I bring together sounds that are already there — and that’s exactly where the circle closes for me with photography, because there too I work a lot from instinct and encounters. That doesn’t mean, however, that everything is left to chance — on the contrary: in both music and photography, I make very conscious decisions.
I went back to your earlier EP and really loved it — it has such a beautiful, deep sound that instantly takes me back to a certain time and feeling. You know, that good old times feeling (laughs). When you listen to those tracks now, what comes up for you, and how do you see that chapter connecting to where you are musically today?
To me, it’s like a frozen moment in time. I can instantly recall where I was back then and how it all felt — it’s so vivid. At the same time, I still remember how long I spent fine-tuning that track with Gram’ma Funk, always striving to get everything perfect and “right.” That perspective has changed. Today I approach it much more freely and no longer feel the need to reproduce a certain sound or sound like someone else. I simply put whatever’s there into the music — that’s all I can do. (laughs)
“In a time full of bubbles, I want to stay open — to people, perspectives, and influences.”
You’re truly an all-rounder — from radio and TV to music, photography, and beyond — which is quite admirable. With so many different creative outlets, how do you recharge your batteries?
For me, this isn’t actually a contradiction, but rather a balance. When I make music, I take a break from the radio — and when I take photographs, I find myself again in a completely different way. And then there are those very simple moments without any output, without any goal — those are often the ones that give me the most energy.
And is success something that matters to you? Or do you define it beyond numbers and attention?
Of course, numbers matter; anything else would be dishonest. But I don’t let myself become dependent on them. Naturally, you want to be successful, and at the same time I also respect what all that entails. But what really matters to me is this: if a few thousand people feel the song the way I do and experience joy and enthusiasm in the process, then that’s enough for me. Music is meant to be shared — what’s the point of it if it stays in my drawer? In the end, that’s really what it comes down to: joy and enthusiasm bring us together. And there’s nothing better than sharing that with one another.
Last question: what truly made you feel this week — in the spirit of “Make Me Feel”?
A mix of excitement and nervousness. It still feels a bit surreal that my new music is out there. And of course I’m really keen to see how it’s received — so: make me feel good, please. (smiles)
Follow Michael Imhof for more:
www.instagram.com/michaelimhof
www.michaelimhof.de
www.menschfotograf.com
www.instagram.com/menschfotograf
