Suzie Kerstgens | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | 1971 Geldern, Germany |
Origin | Cologne, Germany |
Genres | Pop |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
Years active | Mid-nineties to present |
Labels | Logic (BMG), modernsoul (Ministry of Sound), Island (Universal) |
Associated acts | Ralley, Klee |
Website | www |
Suzie Kerstgens (born 1971) is a German singer and lyricist. She is the lead vocalist and co-founder of German pop band Klee.
Suzie Kerstgens was born in Germany, 1971, [1] in the north-western town of Geldern [2] and grew up in neighbouring Sonsbeck. [3] During her youth, she received her secondary education at the gymnasium in Xanten and also completed classical ballet and dance training. [2] [4] She then studied philosophy and German studies at the University of Duisburg-Essen. [4]
In the mid-nineties, Kerstgens began working with musicians Sten Servaes and Tom Deininger in Cologne. [2] With Kerstgens as lead vocalist, they formed the band Ralley, which was later renamed Klee. [2] [5] Klee is known for its songs about love, life and sorrow and the band members have been described as the great romantics of German pop by music magazine laut.de. [6] Most of the lyrics for Klee's songs are written by Kerstgens [7] and are based on her personal experiences. [8] As a member of Ralley/Klee, Kerstgens has recorded seven albums, [9] three of which have entered the top 20 of the German albums chart. [10]
Kerstgens has made two appearances at the Bundesvision Song Contest, an annual competition shown on German television. The first was in 2005, when she performed the song "Gold" with Klee. [11] The second was in 2007, when she sang a duet with German pop band Anajo on the band's song "Wenn du nur wüsstest". [12]
Under the name "Kölsche Kylie", Kerstgens is active as a DJ at various venues in Cologne, including Gebäude 9. [3] [13]
Kerstgens has collaborated with English rock band The Wedding Present, contributing vocals on the 7" vinyl release of the band's single "I'm from Further North Than You" (2005). [14] Another collaboration was with German rock band BAP on a re-recording of the band's song "Frau, ich freu mich" (2005). [15]
Kerstgens lends her support to various organizations in Germany, including Pro Asyl, Aktion Mensch, Fairtrade (Fair trade), Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe (German AIDS aid) and the National Paralympic Committee Germany. She is also a sponsor of the project "Schule ohne Rassismus – Schule mit Courage" (School without racism – school with courage) at her former gymnasium in Xanten. [8] [16]
Kerstgens lived in a flat share in the Sülz area of Cologne for 16 years. She then moved with her boyfriend to the Agnesviertel, another area of Cologne. [3]
Kerstgens has been a fan of English rock bands The Cure and The Smiths since her childhood. [7]
Studio albums (Ralley)
Studio albums (Klee)
Klee is a German pop band from Cologne. Named after German painter Paul Klee, the band was formed in 2002 by singer Suzie Kerstgens and musicians Sten Servaes and Tom Deininger. Klee's brand of pop music incorporates electronic as well as acoustic sounds and, in more recent years, the band has embraced chanson and schlager. Four of Klee's albums have entered the top 30 of the German albums chart.
And Then She Came is a rock band from Aachen, Germany. The band was formed as Krypteria, a gothic metal band. Originating from a 2001 "pop musical theatre studio project" of the same name, the idea was to use different vocalists, though German-Korean singer Ji-In Cho assumed the role of lead vocalist in 2004. One self-titled studio album was released under this moniker. The group went on hiatus in 2012 and later reformed as And Then She Came in 2016.
Wir sind Helden was a German pop rock band that was established in 2000 in Hamburg and based in Berlin. The band was composed of lead singer and guitarist Judith Holofernes, drummer Pola Roy, bassist Mark Tavassol and keyboardist/guitarist Jean-Michel Tourette.
Blumfeld was an indie-pop band from Hamburg, Germany, formed by singer and songwriter Jochen Distelmeyer. The name of the band was taken from the main character of the short story "Blumfeld, ein älterer Junggeselle" by Franz Kafka. Blumfeld are counted among the most significant representatives of the Hamburger Schule and are considered to be one of the most successful combos of the German indie scene.
Rosenstolz was a German pop duo from Berlin that was active between 1991 and 2012 and had chart hits in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The duo consisted of singer AnNa R. and musician Peter Plate, who occasionally provided vocals. Rosenstolz achieved major chart success after the nineties, with five studio albums going to No. 1 in the German albums chart. Although the duo split up to pursue separate music careers, they left open the possibility of a future reunion.
Bloodangel's Cry is an album by German power metal band Krypteria, released in 2007. It peaked at position 55 in the German album charts and at 44 in Switzerland.
Macht Liebe is the eighth studio album by German pop duo Rosenstolz, released in 2002 by Polydor Records. Featuring a mix of electropop and ballads, the album reached gold status in Germany.
Ji-In Cho is a German heavy metal singer of Korean descent. She has been the lead vocalist and pianist of the symphonic metal band Krypteria since December 2004 until their hiatus after her pregnancy. Following this, she became the lead vocalist of And Then She Came, a band consisting of most of the former members of Krypteria.
Peter Plate is a German musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. Between 1991 and 2012, he was the keyboardist and occasional vocalist of Rosenstolz, a German pop duo that had chart hits in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Open Water is the fourth regular studio album by German pop singer Sasha, released by Warner Music on 3 March 2006 in German-speaking Europe.
Andrea Neuenhofen, better known by her stage name AnNa R., is a German singer and songwriter who provides the lead vocals for German pop group Gleis 8. She was previously the main vocalist of Rosenstolz, a German pop duo that was active between 1991 and 2012 and had chart hits in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Good News on a Bad Day is the fifth regular studio album by German pop singer Sasha, released by Warner Music on 27 February 2009 in German-speaking Europe.
Stadtaffe is the first and only solo album by German musician Peter Fox. Released 26 September 2008, the standard version contains twelve tracks, four of which have been released as singles. Fox performed the Single Schwarz zu blau at the Bundesvision Song Contest 2009 in Potsdam while representing Berlin, and won, becoming the first person to win the contest twice. The album was certified 6× Platin for shipping 1.2 million copies in Germany and is the 3rd most downloaded album of all time there, selling 100,000 copies just due to downloads.
The Sweetest Hangover is the third album by German musician Miss Platnum. It was released on 4 September 2009 under the label Four Music. The song "Why Did You Do It?" was already released in 2008, as a promotional single. The first single, "She Moved In!" was released on 14 August 2009 and reached #51 of the German Singles Chart.
The discography of Rosenstolz, a German pop duo from Berlin, includes 12 studio albums and at least 40 singles, released between 1992 and 2012. The band also released a number of live albums, six compilation albums and video albums.
Herz (Heart) is the ninth studio album by German pop duo Rosenstolz, containing songs representing the different sides of love. Released in 2004 by Island Records, the album reached triple platinum status in Germany. It also yielded four top 20 hits in the German singles chart.
Kassengift is the seventh studio album by German pop duo Rosenstolz, released in 2000 by Polydor Records. The album was the first Rosenstolz album to reach No. 1 in the German albums chart and includes "Amo Vitam", a song sung entirely in Latin that reached the top 20 of the German singles chart.
Alles Gute is a compilation album by German pop duo Rosenstolz, featuring a selection of songs from the early part of the band's career during the nineties. Following its initial release in 1998 by Polydor Records, the album reached No. 10 in the German albums chart. The album was later re-released in 2001 with a bonus CD containing newer songs.
Live aus Berlin is a live album by German pop duo Rosenstolz that was recorded in the Columbiahalle in Berlin during the band's 2002 Macht Liebe tour. The album was released in 2003 by Island Records on single CD, double CD, and DVD.
Willkommen in unserer Welt is a live video album by German pop duo Rosenstolz, released on DVD in 2004 by Island Records. The recording was done during the band's 2004 Herz tour at the final concert, which took place at Kindl-Bühne Wuhlheide, an open-air venue in Berlin.