Nena
Her voice became the defiant, hopeful soundtrack of the Cold War with a song about balloons triggering nuclear war.
Born 1960 (age 66)·German singer·Birthday: March 24·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born Gabriele Susanne Kerner in Hagen, West Germany, Nena's journey from a hairdresser's apprentice to a global pop sensation is a story of unexpected, era-defining resonance. In the early 1980s, she fronted the band that bore her stage name, channeling the raw energy of the Neue Deutsche Welle scene. The 1983 release of '99 Luftballons' was a cultural lightning strike; its deceptively cheerful melody carried a sharp anti-war message that perfectly captured the anxiety of a world divided by the Berlin Wall. The English version, '99 Red Balloons,' catapulted her to international fame, making her a rare German crossover act. After the band dissolved, she stepped away from the spotlight to raise a family, only to orchestrate a remarkable solo comeback in the 2000s, re-recording her classics with a mature, introspective sound. With a career spanning decades, Nena remains a foundational figure in German pop, her work a persistent reminder of music's power to bridge political and generational divides.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Nena was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nena Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Nena's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the band Nena to international fame with the 1983 anti-war anthem '99 Luftballons'.
- Achieved a major global crossover hit with the English-language version, '99 Red Balloons'.
- Successfully revived her career as a solo artist in 2002, reaching a new generation of fans.
- Has sold over 25 million records worldwide across her band and solo career.
Did You Know?
Her stage name 'Nena' comes from a nickname given by a Spanish-speaking babysitter, meaning 'little girl'.
She initially trained to be a goldsmith before pursuing music.
She has six children and has often involved her family in her music and public life.
The iconic '99 Luftballons' was inspired by a concert where balloons were released into the air.
“I never thought about being a star. I just wanted to sing.”
