Vanessa Mai says older schlager peers exclude her, causing emotional distress

German schlager star Vanessa Mai, 34, told the podcast “Schön laut” with host Lola Weippert that she often feels excluded by older colleagues in the music industry. She described situations where peers deliberately turned their backs, ignored her, and made dismissive comments, leading her to feel “like crying in the toilet.” Mai linked this behavior to a competitive mentality that “there can only be one.” She also recalled feeling intimidated by Dieter Bohlen during his jury role on “Deutschland sucht den Superstar” in 2016, describing his treatment as authoritarian. The singer emphasized that younger colleagues tend to be more supportive, contrasting with the older generation’s alleged rivalry.