Nena

Biography

Gabriele Susanne Kerner (born 24 March 1960), known artistically as Nena, is a German singer. In 1983, as the lead vocalist of the band Nena, she recorded the Neue Deutsche Welle song "99 Luftballons×99 Luftballons2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track199 Luftballons3:29". In the same year, the band re-recorded this song in English as "99 Red Balloons". Nena's re-recording of some of the band's old hit songs as a solo artist, produced by the co-composer of most of them, her former Nena band colleague and keyboard player Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, rekindled her solo career in 2002. Combined with the success of the Nena band years, she has sold over 25 million records, making her the most successful German pop singer in chart history.

Early life

Gabriele Susanne Kerner was born on 24 March 1960 in Hagen, West Germany while her family was living in the nearby town of Breckerfeld. She was the oldest of three children; her father was a teacher. She spent the earliest part of her childhood in Breckerfeld and later lived in Hagen. She acquired her nickname Nena while on a vacation to Mallorca, Spain, with her parents. Nena is a Catalan word meaning "baby girl". In 1977, she left high school before gaining the Abitur, and in the three following years she was trained as a goldsmith, which she left before obtaining her journeyman's licence.

Beginnings

Nena's musical career began on 2 July 1979 when guitarist Rainer Kitzmann founded the Stripes and, on the basis of having seen her dancing at a local disco, asked her to audition for the position of the lead singer. The group, based in Hagen, performed songs with English lyrics and had a minor hit with the song "Ecstasy", but never achieved mainstream success and disbanded on 3 March 1982. However, The Stripes's record company, CBS, offered Nena a record deal if she would move to Berlin and make music with German lyrics. In May 1982, Nena and her boyfriend Rolf Brendel moved to West Berlin, where they met future band members guitarist Carlo Karges, keyboard player Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, and bass player Jürgen Dehmel. Together, they formed the band Nena.
In June 1982, they released their first single, "Nur geträumt", which became an instant hit in Germany after the band appeared on the German television show Musikladen on 21 August 1982. The single reportedly sold 40,000 copies the day after the song appeared on the show and reached No. 2 in the German charts.

1982–1987: International success and band breakup

In 1983, the band released its first album Nena, which contained the singles "99 Luftballons×99 Luftballons2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track199 Luftballons3:29" and "Leuchtturm×Leuchtturm11 January 2000 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Leuchtturm (Live)3:252Ganz gelassen ...4:213Es wird immer wieder gut3:384Na und?3:02599 Luftballons (Live)4:596Es ist in Ordnung (Live)5:047Heute bin ich gar nicht lieb3:578Lass los5:239Wenn wenigstens Sommer wär (Live)3:2110Fragezeichen (Live)4:3711Auf dich und mich4:3012Dann fiel mir auf (Live)4:52". "99 Luftballons" became a number one hit in West Germany and the Netherlands in 1983 and went on to major international chart success the following year, an English version hitting No. 1 in the UK and the original German version hitting No. 2 in the US, behind Van Halen's "Jump". In 1984, Casey Kasem's radio show American Top 40 introduced a "mixed" version of the song, "splicing" the German and English versions together.
In May 1984, while on a tour in the UK, Nena made the headlines of the British red-top press for having unshaved armpits. While not uncommon in continental Europe at the time, this was considered unusual in English-speaking countries to the extent that some consider it an explanation for the commercial failure of the follow-ups to "99 Luftballons". Baffled by the attention generated, Nena asked her manager's girlfriend to shave her and has remained clean shaven ever since. Referring to the "huge indignation" the issue raised, Nena, in her memoirs published in 2005, wrote, "Can a girl from Hagen, who dreams of the big wide world and is in love with Mick Jagger, have no idea that girls can't under any circumstances have hair under the arm? Yes she can. I simply had no idea!"
Although "99 Luftballons" was Nena's only hit in the English-speaking world, the band continued to enjoy success in several European countries in the following years, including the single "Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann×Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann8 July 2002 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann (live)6:522Es ist in Ordnung3:133Was hast du in meinem Traum gemacht3:554Alles was du willst3:275Nur geträumt (live)5:256Lena (live)4:197America3:208Todmüde4:129Fragezeichen (live)4:3510Es gibt so viele Möglichkeiten3:1511Wenn wenigstens Sommer wär3:0012Jamma nich4:1013Lass los5:2214Das Lied dieser Welt3:45". Nena's next international single "Just a Dream" (an English language re-issue of "Nur geträumt") reached No. 70 in the UK charts in 1984; it had "Indianer" on the B-side. A dance version of "Just a Dream" was released in the 1990s to a new audience and became a club anthem.
The band split in 1987 and Nena went solo thereafter.

1989: Launch of solo career

Nena's first solo album Wunder gescheh'n×Wunder gescheh'n1989 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracksAWunder gescheh'n (maxi version)5:44B1Schlaflied1:40B2Wunder gescheh'n (minimal mix)3:35 was released on 5 November 1989. The title track (German for "Miracles Happen"), composed by Nena herself, relates to the fact that Nena was at the time pregnant with twins, but release of the album that appeared just four days before the fall of the Berlin Wall (on 9 November) and the fact that she performed the song at the end of the Konzert für Berlin three days later has ever since associated it with that historic event. It was to prove to be her last major hit of the 20th century as throughout the 1990s her albums and singles – although often critically acclaimed – were less commercially successful. In 1993, following the indifferent performance of her second solo album Bongo Girl×Bongo Girl1992 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Manchmal ist ein Tag ein ganzes Leben4:032Was dann3:103Ich kann nich' mehr3:464Mach dir keine Sorgen4:525Ohne Ende3:236Alles viel zu schön2:587Was immer du tust3:538Conversation4:169Bongo Girl3:4710You Don't Have to Cry4:0911Mein König4:0512Keine Lügen mehr4:1213Weit über den Ozean4:0414Outro1:40, Sony decided not to renew Nena's recording contract, and the label which distributed her third album, RMG Music Entertainment, disappeared shortly afterwards. In 1995, Nena and her growing family moved from Berlin to Hamburg, borrowing money from a family friend after her bank declined to extend credit.

2002: Return to chart success

In 2002, Nena celebrated her 20th anniversary on stage with the album Nena feat. Nena×Nena feat. Nena28 October 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks · 2 discsDisc 1199 Luftballons (new version/album version 2)5:062Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime (new version)4:033Nur geträumt (new version)2:554Leuchtturm (new version)4:145? (Fragezeichen) (new version)4:086Wunder geschehen (new version)3:507Jetzt bist du weg (new version)4:488Lass mich dein Pirat sein (new version)3:319Es regnet (new version)4:4210Lichtarbeiter (new version)4:5511Vollmond (new version)2:4212Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann (new version)4:0313Ich häng immer noch an dir (new version)3:5214Carpe diem (Söhne Mannheims ragga mix – radio edit)3:36Disc 21Haus der drei Sonnen4:292Tanz auf dem Vulkan3:373Dafür ist das Leben zu kurz5:494Du kennst die Liebe nicht5:48599 Luftballons (old live version)4:496Carpe Diem7:29, a disc produced by Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen (her former band colleague and author of almost all of the band's and her chart successes) and consisting of newly arranged recordings of the band's hits from the 1980s. This album marked a comeback for Nena, and spawned a number of successful chart entries. The remake of "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime" as an English-German duet with Kim Wilde was a hit in various European countries, reaching the No. 1 spot in the Netherlands and Austria, and No. 3 in Germany, in 2003.
Having regalvanised her career by virtue of the band's 1980s hits, Nena reestablished herself as a force with entirely new material (produced again by Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen) with the 2005 album Willst du mit mir gehn×Willst du mit mir gehn21 March 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 21 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Willst du mit mir gehn3:462Lass mich3:273Und jetzt steh ich hier und warte4:474Liebe ist4:555Ich komm mit dir4:066Immer weiter4:117Ohne Liebe bin ich nichts (Berlin version)3:448Vitamine4:089Wir fliegen3:4510Neues Land4:5311Der Anfang8:3012Ich will was Neues (Berlin version)3:40Disc 21Ja kann man denn da überhaupt was machen / Ich will was Neues9:052Es ist ja noch nicht zu spät / Das ist der Anfang7:573Ohne Liebe bin ich nichts3:154Machs doch11:065Hey Pauli ein neuer Ton3:406Wenn die Sonne scheint4:407Das verträgt sich nicht mit uns3:488Hochzeit je t’aime6:399Die Tür geht zu3:47 which quickly achieved platinum status and climbed to No. 2 in the German charts. The first single from the album, "Liebe ist×Liebe ist28 February 2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Liebe ist (Radioversion)4:042Liebe ist (Pianoversion)5:133Ohne Liebe bin ich nichts3:164Liebe ist (remix)5:125Liebe ist (Albumversion)4:55", reached No. 1 on the German charts in early 2005, and was the theme song for a German telenovela, Verliebt in Berlin. It reached the top position 22 years after "99 Luftballons×99 Luftballons2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track199 Luftballons3:29", the longest span between first and last number one in German chart history.
In October 2007, Nena released a new album entitled Cover Me×Cover Me28 September 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 31 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Mach die Augen auf3:262Eiszeit2:543Der Sheriff5:134Mein Weg ist mein Weg4:385Helden4:226Ich werde dich Lieben2:487Remmidemmi4:218Für alle, die3:219Winter Sommer3:4610Astronaut5:3011Ein Lied4:4212Schön von Hinten2:4913Wir bauen eine neue Stadt2:1914In den tiefen dunklen Gängen der Vergangenheit5:1315Die Kinder deiner Kinder3:5116Für dich tu ich fast alles3:2417Das Jahr 20004:01Disc 21The Last Time3:452It's All Over Now Baby Blue3:173She's a Rainbow3:144Fade Into You5:085Friday I'm in Love2:406Starman3:477Blowin' in the Wind3:598Slipping Away3:569Sexy Boy4:3110Big Yellow Taxi2:3611Children of the Revolution3:3112After the Goldrush6:3113Us and Them7:0414Darkness6:25, made up entirely of cover songs. David Bowie, Rolling Stones and Rammstein are three of the bands covered. She also released the single, "Ich kann nix dafür×Ich kann nix dafür13 April 2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Ich kann nix dafür (radio mix)3:322Ich kann nix dafür (instrumental mix)3:353Ich kann nix dafür (TOKTOK remix)5:194Ich kann nix dafür (VooDoo & Serano remix)5:315Young Folks4:396Ich kann nix dafür (video)3:30" in April 2007 for the film, Vollidiot, and her cover of "She's a Rainbow" by the Rolling Stones in the US and the UK. In 2009 she recorded and released a new version of her hit song "99 Luftballons", which more closely follows the 1980s original, in contrast to her 2002 version. This song was first performed in Germany on 6 September 2009. Some parts of the new version are in French.

2009: Own record label

Since 2009, Nena's releases have been published by her own record label, The Laugh & Peas Company, which also promotes the work of her daughter's group (Adameva) and that of one of her protegées from The Voice of Germany, Sharron Levy.
Nena released a new single on 18 September 2009, called "Wir sind wahr×Wir sind wahr18 September 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Wir sind wahr (radio edit)3:582SchönSchönSchön3:523Wir sind wahr5:394Wir sind wahr (Nacht-Mix)6:11", and a new album on 2 October: Made in Germany×Made in Germany2 October 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1SchönSchönSchön3:502Du bist so gut für mich4:283Ich bin hyperaktiv3:464Dreh Dich3:155Geheimnis4:146Du hast Dich entschieden4:137Wir sind wahr5:418Made in Germany3:449In meinem Leben5:3910Es gibt keine Sicherheit3:2511Schmerzen5:3312Ganz viel Zeit6:4113Nachts wenn es warm ist5:49. The autobiographical ballad from the album "In meinem Leben×In meinem Leben26 March 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1In meinem Leben (Radio Version)4:092In meinem Leben5:31" became her fourteenth top 10 hit in Germany, taking her to 12th position in the all-time list of top 10 hits in Germany, the third highest placed German act and top German female. She also collaborated with the popular techno-rap artists Die Atzen to produce a new single, "Strobo Pop×Strobo Pop11 March 2011 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Strobo Pop (Atzen Musik Mix)3:202Strobo Pop (extended version)4:59". In 2011, she contributed vocals to the track "Let Go Tonight" by Kevin Costner and Modern West.

In late 2012, Nena released her 11th solo studio album, Du bist gut×Du bist gut2 November 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 23 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Das ist nicht alles4:262Schmetterling3:553Lied Nummer Eins3:254Im Reich meiner Mitte4:085Freiheit4:586Besser gehts nicht4:457Ich hör mir zu4:598Wo ist mein Zuhause3:599Goldene Zeit goldenes Land5:2110Solange Du Dir Sorgen machst3:2111Lautlos3:4212Ich hab Dich verloren5:2113Deine Flügel brechen nicht5:1014Frieden5:3015Du bist gut7:34Disc 21Weisses Schiff (Live in Berlin)4:132Lichtarbeiter (Studio Stuttgart)5:173Liebe ist (Studio Hamburg)3:424Schritt für Schritt (Live in Berlin)5:215Wunder geschehn (Live in Berlin)5:346Willst Du mit mir gehn (Studio Island)4:127Neues Land (Live in Berlin)4:198Ich bin die Liebe (Studio Island)3:32, which peaked at No. 2 in the German charts, although the tracks released as singles from the album were not as successful as those from her previous albums since her 2002 comeback.
Nena's next album, Oldschool×Oldschool27 February 2015 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Oldschool2:432Lieder von früher3:003Genau jetzt3:054Ja das wars2:375Betonblock3:066Berufsjugendlich2:507Sonnemond3:078Jeden Tag2:579Magie3:2610Kreis4:1311Peter Pan4:0512Bruder3:4013Schicksal4:17, which was produced by the German rapper and hip hop artist Samy Deluxe, was released on 27 February 2015. Distribution rights for the album were agreed with Sony Music, 22 years after the company dropped Nena as a recording artist. The album maintained Nena's 21st century chart success pattern (top 5 in Germany, top 10 in Austria, top 20 in Switzerland) but the first two singles released from the album failed to chart. However, for the first time in Nena's career, another track from the album ("Magie"), which was not released as a single, crept into the lower echelons of the German singles chart solely by virtue of downloads. Then, in April 2016, fourteen months after Oldschool's release, the third single from the album, Genau jetzt×Genau jetzt8 April 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Genau jetzt (single version)3:172Genau jetzt (Sing meinem Song version)4:143Genau jetzt (Piano jetzt! version)3:204Genau jetzt (live from the album Live at SO36)4:165Genau jetzt (album version)3:046Magie (live Clubtour) (previously unreleased)4:587Liebe ist (live 2015) (previously unreleased)5:31, returned Nena to the German Top 30 singles chart for the first time in six years.

Since 2015: Collaborations and Licht

The period between the releases of Oldschool and the 2020 album Licht×Licht16 October 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Licht3:442Da Da Dam (Ich geb Dir mein Ja)2:533Zurück in die Zukunft3:294Forelle3:435Wandern3:456Shine On3:467Karawane4:448Galaxien3:389Zimmer3:3710Auf einmal warst Du da4:2911Alles Neu5:51 is the longest in Nena's career between new studio albums. In an era when artists tend to generate more revenue from live performances than recordings, Nena released two live albums and restricted her studio work to one-track collaborations with Zara Larsson, Dave Stewart, Trettmann and fellow guests from the 2016 Sing meinen Song series. In February 2019 Nena provided vocals for the title track and lead single of Schiller's album Morgenstund×Morgenstund22 February 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Morgenstund (radio edit)4:012Morgenstund (Charming Horses edit)2:593Morgenstund (Gestört aber GeiL remix edit)3:274Morgenstund (Stefan Gruenwald & Chassio remix edit)3:115Morgenstund (Coustan remix edit)4:216Morgenstund (Charming Horses remix)4:247Morgenstund (Gestört aber GeiL club edit)4:318Morgenstund (Stefan Gruenwald & Chassio club remix)5:11 which entered the German album chart at number 1 and the top 10 of both the Austrian and Swiss album charts. In February 2020 Nena announced new music would be published "soon" and a month later on her 60th birthday released the single "Licht", which became the title track of her next studio album released on 16 October. Licht maintained Nena's 21st century album chart pattern by reaching No. 3 in Germany, No. 9 in Switzerland and No. 11 in Austria, although none of its three singles released ahead of the album charted.

Live performances

Since 1997, Nena has toured Germany and its neighbouring countries annually, typically performing between 15 and 50 concerts every year.
In 2003, she took the stage during the Howard Jones 20th Anniversary concert at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London to sing "99 Luftballons×99 Luftballons2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track199 Luftballons3:29", with both German and English lyrics. In 2004, Nena went on stage at the Mayday Music Festival in Dortmund, accompanied by the techno duo Toktok. She sang the song "Bang Bang×Bang Bang2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Bang Bang (radio version)3:552Bang Bang (maxi mix)4:513Bang Bang (Toktok remix)4:354Bang Bang (radio edit)3:115Bang Bang (DJ Tocadisco's mix)6:546Bang Bang (The Five's Sl remix)14:29", and was later joined on stage by DJ Westbam to perform "Oldschool Baby". In March 2015, Nena promoted the release of the Oldschool album with a "club tour" of 16 smaller venues (for 200 to 700 people) including her former primary school. A recording of one of these concerts – at the SO36 club in Berlin on 4 March 2015 – was released as Nena's sixth live album Live at SO36×Live At SO364 March 2016 · Album · LiveSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 21 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Noch einmal4:322Lieder von früher3:063Ja das wars2:444Betonblock3:075Kreis3:516Zaubertrick4:077Ecstasy3:068Nur geträumt4:529Willst du mit mir gehn4:3110Sonnemond3:1111Leuchtturm6:0912Berufsjugendlich3:051399 Luftballons4:20Disc 21Genau jetzt4:112Pi Ich rechne mit allem5:473Peter Pan4:004Bruder3:415Wunder geschehn5:136Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann4:107Schicksal4:198Zusammen6:38 on 4 March 2016, exactly one year later. Later in 2015, Nena announced her intention to perform live in the US for the first time by way of a similar "club tour", which was initially planned for early 2016 before taking place as a three-date "mini tour" in September and October. During this tour, Nena met Dave Stewart with whom she collaborated to release in March 2018 the single "Be my rebel", the video for which went on to win 40 international awards.
Nena's 2018 Nichts versäumt tour of mainly sold-out concerts in 45 towns and cities attracted in excess of 250,000 fans and won the German Live Entertainment Award (LEA) for "concert hall tour of the year". The concert in Dortmund on 29 June 2018 was recorded for the Nichts versäumt live DVD which was released on 9 November 2018.

COVID-19 cancellations and controversy

Nena's initial live appearances in 2020 were cancelled due to government restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic but were replaced from July that year with the "Niemand hält uns auf" (nobody stops us) series of 12 drive-in, "picnic" and "360" concerts held in accordance with Germany's prevailing social distancing rules. In February 2021 in the debate in Germany about how COVID-19 restrictions should be lifted, Nena sparked controversy by announcing, "there will be no two-class society at my concerts. You're all always welcome. Whether you get vaccinated or not is entirely your decision and should be respected by everyone." Nevertheless, the majority of Nena's concerts originally planned for 2021 were postponed to 2022, although she remained scheduled to appear at a number of festivals.
In March 2021, she posted an Instagram story expressing solidarity with the demonstrators at an anti-lockdown protest in Kassel, Germany, criticising the "inhumane conditions prevailing" due to COVID restrictions. In July 2021, organisers cancelled her appearances in some festivals after Nena encouraged fans to disregard social-distancing rules during a concert in Berlin. In August 2021 Nena took part in a "party for unvaccinated" titled "A Q Midsummer Night's Dream" in Baden-Württemberg, attended by various members of the Reichsbürger movement and Querdenker, with Musikexpress suggesting the Q in the name may be related to QAnon, given the close proximity of the movements. Later that month, organisers cancelled a Nena concert in Bavaria at the last minute due to concern about her views. In September 2021 Nena cancelled all her remaining 2022 concerts in Germany declaring, "all people are welcome at a Nena concert. Our country is going in a totally different direction and I am not going to be a part of it."
In late 2022, with COVID-19 restrictions lifted, Nena announced a full resumption of her pre-pandemic touring pattern in 2023.

Other work

Besides her singing career, Nena has also acted in the 1983 musical comedy film Gib Gas – Ich will Spass (released in the US as Hangin' Out) opposite fellow musician Markus Mörl, and the 1987 invisibility comedy Der Unsichtbare starring Klaus Wennemann and Barbara Rudnik, and voiced the character Saphira for the German dub of the movie Eragon (2006) and the role of the Princess for the German version of Arthur and the Invisibles (2006) alongside Tokio Hotel's Bill Kaulitz. Kaulitz has also stated on many occasions that Nena is his favourite singer.

In 2008, Nena appeared as one of the coaches on the German TV series Dein Song, in which established artists mentor a youngster to produce a song. Nena was also one of the coaches on The Voice of Germany for three seasons before announcing her withdrawal from the show in March 2014. In April and May 2016 she was one of the participants in the third season of Sing meinen Song, a show in which well-known artists perform each other's songs and judge their favourites. In February 2017 and 2018, Nena appeared as a juror in the fifth and sixth seasons of The Voice Kids together with her daughter Larissa.
In 2007, jointly with her partner Philipp Palm, Thomas Simmerl, and Silke Steinfadt, she founded the Neue Schule Hamburg, a school following the Sudbury model.
Nena wrote an autobiographical book, Willst du mit mir gehn, jointly with Claudia Thesenfitz, a journalist. Nena's contributions are her disparate accounts of various episodes in her life. Most of Thesenfitz's contributions are excerpts from interviews of many of Nena's friends, co-workers, and relatives.
Since becoming a mother, Nena has released a number of albums consisting of songs for children. In the 1990s, she hosted several TV shows, including Metro and Countdown Grand Prix, the German preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest, in 1998.

Influences and other interests and pursuits

In addition to citing the Ramones, David Bowie and Debbie Harry as early influences, Nena's main artistic source of inspiration and her favourite band is the Rolling Stones. Nena has covered their songs in concert and on her 2007 Cover Me album. In 1984 Nena said, "If I hadn't started listening to the Rolling Stones when I was 12 I'd have been a different person, a secretary or something like that."
Although Nena said she disliked the English version of "99 Luftballons×99 Luftballons2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track199 Luftballons3:29" because it was too "blatant" and that the Nena band was neither political nor a protest band, she has occasionally publicly lent her name in support of political causes. She supports "Ehe für alle" (marriage for everyone) and, as a mother of five, a campaign against the German government's plans to scale back the state provision of midwifery services. In March 2021 she expressed her support for the anti-COVID-19 lockdown demonstration in Kassel.
Nena has been a member of various charity ensembles and supergroups including "Band für Afrika" (Germany's equivalent of Band Aid) in 1985 and "Marlon und Freunde" in 2006, whose top 10 hit in Germany, "Lieber Gott", raised funds for flood victims. She also supports local causes and in 2015 ran (in socks) 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) in aid of a Stuttgart children's hospice.
Nena is a vegetarian and won the PETA (Germany) award for "Sexiest Vegetarian of the Year 2010". She believes in Jesus and God and says that thanking him for every new day is the cornerstone of her spirituality.
In his 2014 biography of the Nena band, Rolf Brendel, its drummer and Nena's boyfriend at the time, said that although other band members used drugs, Nena never did and frowned upon it. Brendel added, "Nena is naturally stoned, she doesn't need to take drugs."

Personal life

Nena and the band's drummer Rolf Brendel split up in 1987. Nena's feelings are described in the song "Jetzt bist du weg" ("Now You Are Gone") from the band's final album, Eisbrecher.
Nena then started dating Swiss actor Benedict Freitag shortly after the band separated in 1987; he is the son of the German actress Maria Becker and Austrian-Swiss actor Robert Freitag. The couple had three children together, the first being Christopher Daniel, who was born disabled allegedly due to medical errors made during the birth that caused Nena to go into cardiac arrest. He died at the age of 11 months. In 1990, they had twins.
After splitting with Freitag, Nena started a relationship with drummer and music producer Philipp Palm from Stuttgart, with whom she had two children. The couple and the four children currently live in Hamburg.
Since 2010, Nena's twins Sakias and Larissa have appeared as back up singers on stage and on her albums, and since 2015 her youngest son Simeon has joined her on stage playing keyboards.