Menowin Fröhlich survived the first DSDS recall round despite vocal errors and forgotten lyrics, advancing as the sole member of his group to the next stage.
The performance took place on April 22, 2026, at Europa-Park Rust, where Fröhlich sang „Ordinary“ by Alex Warren with four other contestants. Jury member Dieter Bohlen criticized the rendition bluntly, stating it was the „completely wrong number“ for him, citing pitch issues and memory lapses during the song.
Despite Bohlen’s harsh assessment, Fröhlich advanced as his groupmates performed weaker, a fact that triggered resentment among other contestants. One competitor told T-Online that forgetting three-quarters of the lyrics and missing cues failed to meet the show’s expected standard.
Bohlen offered a mixed evaluation, acknowledging Fröhlich’s effort and praising his phrasing at the end of the performance, saying, „Du Sack hast wenigstens alles gegeben und hattest schöne Phrasierungen am Ende.“
This outcome contrasted sharply with Fröhlich’s earlier portrayal in NTV’s coverage from April 18, which framed his return as a dominant comeback. That article described him as the „verlorene Format-Sohn“ confronting the jury with Bohlen asking if he still wanted to compete, positioning him as a central figure amid a dramatic casting day.
The NTV piece highlighted broader contestant struggles, including Xenia Adamec being cut for lacking vocal sexiness despite her social media presence as a hobby cook and the Jovanovic twins facing Bohlen’s accusation that their twin act was merely a tactic to attract women.
Meanwhile, other acts drew strong reactions: Timur moved Bushido to express „Vatergefühle,“ Paco Lazar Simic received effusive praise after a John Legend–inspired kneeled performance, and Bohlen remarked the Austrian contestant was „fast schon zu gut.“
The recall process reduced the field from 30 to 15 contestants by day’s end, with remaining performers immediately regrouping into smaller ensembles or duets for further evaluation, the results of which were to be revealed in the next broadcast.
Why did Fröhlich advance despite his performance flaws?
He moved forward because his group members performed worse, and Bohlen judged his effort and final phrasing sufficient to outweigh the technical errors.
How did the jury’s feedback on Fröhlich differ between the two broadcasts?
T-Online emphasized Bohlen’s criticism of pitch and memory issues, while NTV highlighted his supportive framing of Fröhlich as a returning contender eager to rejoin the competition.
