Nina Hagen
Catharina "Nina" Hagen (born 11 March 1955) is a German singer and actress. Born in East Berlin, German Democratic Republic, Hagen first pursued her career in the mid 1970s. In 1974, she joined the band Automobil. During that time she appeared in a number of German movies. After moving to West Berlin in 1976, she formed the Nina Hagen Band and signed with CBS Records. The band released two album before Hagen decided to pursue her career as a solo artist. In 1982, she signed a new contract with CBS Records and released her first solo album NunSexMonkRock. She released two more records on the label, the Giorgio Moroder-produced Fearless (1983) and Nina Hagen in Ekstasy (1985). Her contract with the label expired in 1986 and was not renewed. However, she kept on touring, appearing on TV shows and remained very popular. In 1987, the single "Punk Wedding" was released and in 1988 Hagen wrote her autobiography Ich bin ein Berliner. By 1989, Mercury Records offered Hagen a new contract and she released Nina Hagen, an album more soulful than her previous work. She kept on releasing more albums and touring during the 1990s and 2000s. Hagen is often referred to as the "Godmother of Punk". She is also noted for her human and animal rights activism.