Nena
Biography
Gabriele Susanne Kerner, known professionally as Nena, was born on March 24, 1960, in Hagen, West Germany. She gained her nickname "Nena" during a family vacation in Spain. In 1977, she left high school and trained as a goldsmith. Her music career began in 1979 as the lead singer for the band The Stripes, which had a minor hit with "Ecstasy" but disbanded in 1982.
The Band Nena and International Fame
In 1982, Nena and her boyfriend Rolf Brendel moved to West Berlin, where they formed the band Nena with guitarist Carlo Karges, keyboardist Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, and bassist Jürgen Dehmel. The band had their first hit with the single "Nur geträumt" in 1982 after a television appearance. Their self-titled debut album, "Nena", was released in 1983 and featured the single "99 Luftballons". This song became an international sensation, with the German version reaching number two in the US and the English re-recording, "99 Red Balloons," hitting number one in the UK. Despite their global success, the band was unable to replicate the massive success of "99 Luftballons" and officially disbanded in 1987.
Solo Career and Continued Success
Nena launched her solo career in 1989 with the album "Wunder gescheh'n". Throughout the 1990s, she released several solo albums, including albums for children. A significant resurgence in her career occurred in 2002 with the album "Nena feat. Nena", which featured new versions of her old hits. A duet with Kim Wilde on the song "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime" was a particular success across Europe. Her 2005 album, "Willst du mit mir gehn", achieved platinum status, and its lead single "Liebe ist" reached number one in Germany. Nena established her own record label, The Laugh & Peas Company, in 2009. She has continued to release albums, including "Oldschool" (2015) and "Licht" (2020).
Other Ventures
Beyond her music career, Nena has been involved in various other projects. She has acted in films and provided voice-over work for animated movies. She has also appeared as a coach and juror on television shows like "The Voice of Germany" and "The Voice Kids". In 2007, she co-founded the Neue Schule Hamburg, a school that follows the Sudbury model.