Nena

In 1982 Nena Kerner (born Gabriele Susanne Kerner on 24 March 1960), Rolf Brendel, Jorg Dehmel, Carlo Karges and Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen form the band Nena in Germany. Their first single, ‘Nur Getraumt’ is presented on August 17th, 1982 in the popular German music programme Musikladen. The next day, more than 40.000 singles are sold.

The second single, ’99 Luftballons’ is released in 1983 and is even more popular. It stays in the German charts for 23 weeks, but also successfully reaches the charts in other countries. An English version, ’99 Red Balloons’, which is released in 1984, reaches number one in the UK chart.

Nena’s first self-titled album reaches gold and platinum in various countries. A third single entitled ‘Leuchtturm’ is a hit in various European countries.
Nena’s second album ‘Fragezeichen’ (1984) contais further hits like ‘Rette Mich’ and ‘Lass Mich Dein Pirat Sein’. The album ‘Feuer und Flamme’ is released in 1985. The German version contains the successful single ‘Irgendwie, Irgendwo, Irgendwann’, which is released on the English version of that album as ‘Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime’.

1986 sees the release of “Eisbrecher”, the fourth Nena album. Two singles are released from this album: ‘Mondsong’ and ‘Engel der Nacht’. It’s also the year in which an official fanclub is founded.

In 1987 the band splits and Nena Kerner announces that she is pregnant. Unfortunately the child dies a few months after being born. Nena copes with the traumatic experience by writing a series of songs for a solo album, which is released in 1989 under the title ‘Wunder Gescheh’n’. A year later, she releases an album of children’s songs, entitled ‘Komm’ Lieber Mai’.

Nena’s 1992 solo album ‘Bongo Girl’ is followed a year later by a live tour, which brings het back to the stage for the first time in eight years. Further solo albums ‘Und Alles Dreht Sich’ (1994), ‘Unser Apfelhaus’ (1995) and ‘Jamma Nich’ (1997) are very successful in Germany, whereas a live album, ‘Nena Live’ (1995) and various compilations underline the enduring attractiveness of Nena’s band past.

After various projects, such as acting and performing live at an all-star ‘Night of the Proms’ live show, Nena decides to celebrate her two decades as a recording artist in 2002 with an album entitled Nena feat. Nena. On this album, she records new versions of her biggest hits. Some of the tracks are duets with well-known national and international stars. For the new version of Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime she sings with Kim Wilde. In the autumn of 2002, Kim flies to Frankfurt to take to the stage as a special guest in Nena’s live show there.

In May 2003, Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime is released as a single in Germany. Nena and Kim do various live appearances in TV shows as a result of this.
In 2006, Kim Wilde releases her the album ‘Never say Never’, which includes another duet with Nena: You Keep Me Hangin’ On (2006).
Kim appeared on a German television show celebrating Nena’s 50th birthday in March 2010.