INTERVIEW - OTTO & ASTRID
- Stuart Green
- Aug 11
- 4 min read
2026 has been an interesting year already for new music and new music discoveries, but by far, one of our absolute favourite discoveries here at Back to Mono has been Otto & Astrid, the brother and sister duo from Berlin, that for twenty years have been have been injecting their unique brand of European pop/punk into compelling and hilarious stage performance, whether that's at the Edinburgh Fringe, Glastonbury festival or as part of their international tour schedule.
With an explosion into the forefront with the support of some very high calibre admirers, the future looks fabulous for Otto & Astrid and I've been lucky enough to chat with them and find out everything we need to know about one of the most unexpected treats 2026 has had to offer so far...
How do you prefer to be referred to? Is it Otto & Astrid, Die Roten Punkte or even The Red Dots if we're translating from German? Or is there a defined difference between them?
OTTO: We were Die Roten Punkte until 2016.
ASTRID: But people could not pronounce it. Or remember it. We were playing mostly in English speaking countries, North America, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and it just did not stick.
OTTO: People could not tell each other who we were.
ASTRID: So now we are Otto & Astrid. But you can still find us on Spotify as Otto & Astrid, Die Roten Punkte, which helps people who already know us find us.
OTTO: We are still the same band. Just easier to say.
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of Otto & Astrid performing together. What's been the secret to your longevity?
ASTRID: We don't know how to do anything else.
OTTO: We have tried playing with other people.
ASTRID: No one wants to play with us.
OTTO: So here we are.
Johnny Knoxville has come out as being a fan and even helped to develop exposure for the two of you. Did you get a chance to speak with Knoxville after the clip went viral?
OTTO: We have had some messages back and forth on Instagram with Johnny, which has been wonderful.
ASTRID: And Jeff Tremaine, the director of Jackass, and some of the crew came to see us at the Elysian in Los Angeles.
OTTO: It was such a thrill to meet them.
ASTRID: We love those guys.
Within that clip, he plays 'The Situation' from Kunst Rock… dare I ask, what was the inspiration for the track?
ASTRID: I cannot say.
OTTO: The song is about a situation.
ASTRID: That is all we are saying.
OTTO: What situation?
ASTRID: Exactly.
What other artists or bands have influenced your art rock, punk, euro pop style?
ASTRID: The Stooges. MC5. The Ramones. Pixies. Peaches.
OTTO: Depeche Mode. Kraftwerk. Devo. Blondie.
ASTRID: The B-52s.
OTTO: And Astrid.
Your writing style is incredibly intriguing as the subject matter ranges from Automatic doors, sex, friendships and relationships and a lot of varieties of food. How does your creativity initially spark before writing a song?
ASTRID: Some people write the words first. Some people write the tune first.
OTTO: Our songs always start with an argument.
ASTRID: And then I write the song.
OTTO: We write the song together.
ASTRID: Otto goes away on his own sometimes and writes songs by himself.
OTTO: I think those songs are good.
ASTRID: They are not good.
Your US tour was sold out earlier this year and the UK tour appears to have been a massive success. How has it been over here in the UK and how are the shows?
OTTO: Since things went a little viral on TikTok and Instagram, our audiences have been getting bigger. Some people now know the songs before they even walk in the door, which is a new experience for us.
ASTRID: In London and Edinburgh there are people who have been coming to see us for years. But sometimes most of the room is seeing us for the first time.
OTTO: And watching someone discover us for the first time is really thrilling.
After previously playing Glastonbury festival, Edinburgh Fringe, touring the world, playing theatres and huge stages what's been a highlight for you?
ASTRID: Glastonbury. It is a bucket list moment. Such an honour to be invited.
OTTO: And we got to see some incredible shows while we were there. LCD Soundsystem. Pulp. Nile Rodgers.
ASTRID: Glastonbury.
OTTO: Glastonbury.
What's next for Otto & Astrid and what ambitions do you have left?
OTTO: We have never played in Japan. We wrote a song called I Wanna Go to Tokyo in the hope that it might somehow help make that happen.
ASTRID: We have also just filmed a TV pilot in the United States and hopefully we will get to make the series.
Who are Otto & Astrid currently listening to that we really should be hearing?
OTTO: Boygenius. I have not been able to stop listening to that album since it came out.
ASTRID: That came out in 2023.
OTTO: I know. I still have not stopped.
ASTRID: Otto's favourite genre is sad girl indie. I have been listening to Dry Cleaning. Secret Love came out earlier this year and it is excellent.
You can find more from Otto & Astrid on Instagram, Youtube, Spotify and Facebook and if you're really lucky, you may come across one of their exclusive vinyls, released and available only at the Edinburgh Fringe
Article by Stuart Green
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