siovo on What a Career in Pop Asks of Love

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How a Stranger’s Grief Became siovo’s BEL AMI

interview + written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

siovo was still in primary school when he began choosing clothes for “the fantasy I wanted to give that day.” Growing up in a small town, he used fashion to make life more interesting. He now lives in Berlin, writing German-language pop with song titles such as DIESEL SKINNY JEANS and D$QUARED.

His latest release, unendlich: babyboy, is the deluxe edition of his debut album, für immer: babyboy. The single BEL AMI began with an old online post by a man mourning a former lover. The writer was angry at the adult entertainment industry and what he felt it had taken from their relationship. Reading it reminded siovo of conversations with past partners about his own dedication to music and the time and attention they needed from him. Several people have been certain he was writing about them. He says none has ever been right, and takes it as a compliment that they recognise their own relationships in his songs.

Alban E. Smajli
You’ve gone from für immer: babyboy to unendlich: babyboy. How much longer do you want to be a babyboy?

siovo
I think being a babyboy is a state of mind that never really leaves you once you've fully embraced it. It's not an era you eventually grow out of, but rather something that evolves with you. To me, it's about holding on to a certain spirit. It's the foundation of greatness, really!

What's the story behind your latest single, BEL AMI?

A while ago, I came across an old post online written by a guy reflecting on the loss of his former lover, who had recently passed away at the time. What really stayed with me was the complexity of his grief. There was so much love, but also resentment, guilt and unresolved anger towards an industry that had not only taken his partner's life, but had already taken so much from their relationship.
The adult entertainment industry has always fascinated me from a human perspective, especially when it comes to my songwriting. There are so many layers to why people enter that world, the dynamics that develop within it, and the emotional consequences that aren't necessarily visible from the outside.
Especially within male-presenting queer spaces, where physical appearance and sexual desirability often carry so much social value, I think there's a certain proximity to that industry that makes the subject particularly interesting. I've had countless conversations about it with guys around me, and I've always been interested in the contradictions between empowerment, validation, intimacy and exploitation.
On a more personal level, I could also relate to the person who wrote that post. I've had similar conversations in past relationships about my own dedication to the music industry, which, in a very different context, can also become incredibly consuming and demand sacrifices in terms of freedom, time and emotional availability. Reading his story helped me articulate feelings and dynamics I'd been struggling to put into words myself.

With BEL AMI, I wanted to bring those different perspectives together. I hope I've managed to approach their story with the respect and sensitivity it deserves, while allowing my own experiences to become part of the narrative. Ultimately, I felt it was an important story to tell, especially within our community.

You've written quite openly about love and heartbreak. Has anyone ever recognised themselves in one of your songs?

Quite a few people, actually! Although, funny enough, they've never been right. But I think that's one of the most beautiful things about songwriting. You can take something incredibly personal and turn it into something universal. The fact that people can recognise their own experiences in stories that were never actually about them is probably the greatest compliment I could receive.

siovo wears a look by LOADJRO, boots by BALENCIAGA via NIGHTBOUTIQUE and gloves by COS

siovo wears a full look by LOADJRO

You're often compared to Troye Sivan. What do you think people miss when they make that comparison?

I've definitely gotten used to it by now. I think when there's still relatively little representation, people naturally look for familiar reference points. There simply aren't that many openly queer male pop artists operating in a similar space, so I understand where the comparison comes from.I actually got to meet Troye in Berlin a while ago, and he was genuinely one of the nicest people ever. He even had some really lovely things to say about my music and invited me to his show! So being associated with someone who's not only incredibly talented but also genuinely kind is something I can only take as a compliment.
What's funny, though, is that for straight people who aren't particularly familiar with Troye's work I’m another Justin Bieber instead, since he seems to be the only other dancing twink they know. I think that also says a lot about how subjective and sometimes superficial those comparisons can be. People tend to categorise artists through whatever cultural references they already have, rather than necessarily engaging with what makes their work individual.

Which artists have been inspiring you lately, musically or otherwise?

I've always been incredibly inspired by Kim Petras. Having followed her journey through all the highs and lows of the music industry, it's been fascinating to watch her evolve into the independent artist she is today. Her resilience and ability to continuously reinvent herself have had a real impact on me. The music industry has changed so dramatically and continues to evolve, which makes it especially interesting to see established artists like her navigate this new landscape, reclaim their creative independence and redefine what success and artistic identity can look like in a new era of pop music.

Fashion seems to be a big part of your world, even making its way into song titles like DIESEL SKINNY JEANS and D$QUARED. Where does that fascination come from?

I remember standing in front of the mirror as early as first grade, thinking about what I wanted to wear based on the fantasy I wanted to give that day. Growing up in a small town, fashion became one of my earliest forms of creative expression, but also a form of escapism. It allowed me to create my own little universe within an environment that often felt quite grey and monotonous.

I think I understood pretty early on that clothes could communicate something about who you were, or who you wanted to become, before you even had the words to express it. That fascination never really left me. It just evolved into a bigger part of my artistic identity. Fashion and music have always served a similar purpose for me: creating worlds that feel more exciting than the reality you're given.

siovo wears pants by MCM and shoes by COS

siovo wears a hat and coat by CARIN MAKAREVIC, shorts by PRADA via NIGHTBOUTIQUE, shoes by DR. MARTENS and socks by FALKE

siovo wears a jacket by CARIN MAKAREVIC, pants and shoes by OTTOLINGER

siovo wears a skirt by THEATERKUNST

What's the best thing you've ever worn onstage? And is there an outfit you'd rather forget?

I once wore a full silver sequined Dolce & Gabbana look onstage, which was absolutely gaggy but also incredibly impractical. It restricted my movement so much that I regretted the decision almost immediately. I've always loved jumping around onstage, even before I started doing proper choreography, so wearing something that barely allowed me to move was definitely not my smartest decision.
But the pictures from that night turned out so cute that I can't even be mad about it. I guess it was simultaneously the best and worst outfit I've ever worn onstage. Sometimes the fantasy just has to come before functionality!

What do you love most about Berlin, and what gets on your nerves?

What I love most about Berlin is the freedom it gives you. You can pretty much do whatever you want, whenever you want, without feeling like you have to justify yourself to anyone. There's also this beautiful balance between anonymity and visibility. You can disappear into the city whenever you need to, but you also know exactly where to go when you want to be seen.
Personally, I love partying during the day and being back home by night so I can get enough sleep and stick to my schedule. Berlin allows you to create your own rhythm rather than forcing you into a conventional one.

But I think that endless freedom can also become a challenge. When everything is available to you at all times, knowing when to stop becomes a responsibility of its own. I've seen people get so caught up in all the possibilities that they eventually lose their sense of direction. What gets on my nerves is how often the city itself gets blamed for that. I don't think Berlin is inherently chaotic or destructive. It simply gives you the space to pursue whatever you're looking for, sometimes without many boundaries.

There's just as much love, peace and stillness here as there is excess. You just have to make a conscious decision about which parts of the city you want to engage with. In a way, Berlin reflects the relationship you have with yourself.

What are you most excited about right now (personally and professionally)?

I'm so excited to spend Christmas with my siblings! I don't get to see them nearly as much as I'd like throughout the year, so the simplest things, like decorating a Christmas tree or cooking together, have become incredibly precious to me. Professionally, I'm really looking forward to everything that's coming in spring 2027. We tend to work so far ahead that even the deluxe album release this October felt like revisiting a version of myself from a year ago.

The projects we're preparing for spring still feel incredibly fresh and exciting to me, so I can't wait for people to finally experience them. And there might also be another big tour coming up, which my team and I might already be working on…

watch
behind the scene

siovo wears a shirt by MALENE SPECHT, pants by MCM and shoes by COS

siovo wears a hat by MALENE SPECHT and a bag by MCM

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photographer CHRIS PUTTINS
styling SOPHIA FRIEDL
grooming THEO SCHNUERER
set design NICI THEUERKAUF
DOP JONAS REICHERT
photography assistant DANIEL KRISTOPHER
talent SIOVO

credits
all Images (c) LE MILE and Chris Puttins