Nina Hagen: A punk icon celebrates 70 years of scandalous music history!

Nina Hagen: A punk icon celebrates 70 years of scandalous music history!

Nina Hagen, the legendary German singer and cult figure, celebrates her 70th birthday on March 11, 2025. Born in 1955 in East Berlin, she grew up in an artistic environment that significantly shaped her creative development. Her mother, the actress Eva-Maria Hagen, inspired her early on to show her extrovert talent on stage. Despite her rejection at the theater school, she took the step towards musical training and discovered a variety of singing styles such as opera, jazz and pop, which influenced her later career.

Hagen quickly became known in the GDR, especially with her band "Elevator to the scaffold". However, she achieved the big breakthrough with the hit -suspect song "You forgot the color film" from 1974, which initiated her international success. In 1976, her solidarity with the regime -critical songwriter Wolf Biermann forced her escape to the west, where she was finally able to live and work as an artist. This escape should lay the foundation for your further career and make your unconventional appearance internationally known.

artist with versatile influence

The colorfulness of her hair, her expressive clothes and her provocative statements made you an icon of the alternative scene. She is the first German punk singer and significantly shaped the new German wave. Hagen was not only a celebrated talent in Germany, but also in the USA, where her distinctive voice went into music history. Her style, which combines experimental elements from punk, rock and classical music, makes them an influential figure in the music business.

After the founding of the Nina Hagen Band in 1977 in Kreuzberg, she joined her striking voice and an unpredictable appearance. Her unique art staticel is particularly evident in her provocative lyrics and expressive facial expressions, which she always brought in in her appearances. Her fifth studio album "Street" impressed not only through music, but also with her collaboration with prominent designers such as Jean-Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood, which designed their extravagant outfits.

NDR celebrates Nina Hagen's career

On the occasion of its 70th birthday, the NDR is dedicating a variety of formats, including the "NDR Talk Show", "Inas Nacht" and the program "Beckmann". These show signs follow the diversity and influence of your career, which ranges from experimental art to mass dramaturgy. Hagen, who always rebeled against aesthetic and political norms, uses her platform to hear the voices and stories of others. With its life story and its distinctive presence, it still shapes artistic life sustainably.

Nina Hagen remains an outstanding personality who has left its mark on both music and society. Her legacy as an artist who fought against conventions will continue to inspire generations of musicians. However you think about their music, their influence on German culture and the international music scene is undeniable.