A hearty Moin Moin, I'm NANÉE - singer-songwriter and body revolution activist from Hamburg.

 

Believe in yourself! Do your thing! and Go your way!

For me, these are encouraging words to make your dreams come true. Dreams of a world in which everyone is accepted as he/she is. No matter how we came into the world. In my songs I tell about it. I talk about body positivity, about the courage to accept yourself as you are.
Because in a world in which it still all too often depends on appearances, such as even skin and perfect proportions, especially those who fall out of the beauty grid and do not meet the norm have a hard time. Those who are too big, too small, too thick, too thin, or, like me, born with a rare genetic defect.

But, what is "the ideal of beauty" anyway? 

This "ideal image" of man, created by social norms and the media. How much can you believe it? I'm just saying: Rubens vs. skinny models. And how much should you chase after such different images, depending on time and culture, to feel good? Wouldn't it be much nicer to like yourself? if you could free yourself from what others think of you? 
 

"Be proud of who you are and not ashamed of how others see you." ( unknown)
 

For me it was a long way, but today I have finally arrived at myself, my body and what I love - music. It wasn't always like this. Because my genetic defect CMN (Congenital Melanocytic Nevi). means that (to put it simply) my body simply produces too much pigment. The pigment cells in my skin don't spread evenly over the whole body, but form a lively pattern with hundreds of birthmarks of all sizes.

As a teenager this meant that I was often stared at, bullied and marginalized. I felt torn between the desire to live my music and the desire to be invisible in order to escape the stares. Which was no easy task with a height of 1.85 m. 😉

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Today I know: It's never too late to take the first step into your new life!

You only need a burst of courage for a short moment!

The moment when the will is bigger than the fear!

 

The stone that started everything rolling for me was when I was allowed to live and work in San Francisco for 6 months in 2004. There, in the melting pot under the Californian sun, I suddenly experienced an undreamt-of lightness and freedom. There, it didn't matter what I looked like or whether I had marks and scars. What mattered was how I was as a HUMAN being. I made friends with the San Fransico Motorcycle Club and discovered the Windy Roads, Route 66 and the adventure of "being myself" on a borrowed motorbike and left my turtleneck off for the first time.

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Almost fateful for me was a visit to the San Francisco Glide Church Choir. The unbridled enthusiasm and joie de vivre they exuded united people of all ages, social classes, with and without handicaps, so that after a short time no one could be kept on their seats. We sang, celebrated life, love and diversity and I knew: Music is my path!

 

I took this enthusiasm back to Hamburg and entered the stages of Hamburg with the soul and gospel choir "50 VOICES", e.g. in the Fabrik, Laeitzhalle or Schmidts Tivoli. I loved the tingling feeling when I went on stage and after my first solo performances, I couldn't get rid of the thrill of standing in front. I left the choir, became lead singer in the first cover bands, started writing my own songs.

 

Californian sun & freedom met Nordic dirty weather.

 

Instead of weekly rehearsals in a basement, I soon wanted to bring my own stories and songs to the stage and decided to stand on my own feet at the end of 2017. NANÉE was born!

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In 2019, my debut EP was released and I had many plans in my head, wanting to take off. Then came Corona...

With my "Cookies & Concert" stage concept, I was able to create a virtual space where you not only felt like you were experiencing a combination of music and reading, but as if you were sitting at a cosy evening with friends.

 

As a body revolution activist, I developed my 'IchBinPerfektWieIchBin - Challenge' and started to share my experiences as a keynote speaker.

 

Then when the request came from VOX at the end of 2021 to take part in the Female Empowerment theme week of 'Shopping Queen', I needed a pretty big 'burst of courage'. Because nothing disgusts me more than judging other people only by their looks.

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But I saw the chance, as a 1.85 m tall woman born with a genetic defect, to publicly show exactly what I stand for with my music and story. Namely, that we are all just as good and right as we are.

A big step out of my comfort zone, which I have not regretted, as I was able to celebrate the TV premiere of my single "Geh deinen Weg" on VOX.

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With the partly autobiographical songs of my new CD "Tausend Farben" (Thousand Colours), I take you into a world where "different" is finally normal. And "colourful" is the most beautiful of all colours. Because I think that's what makes our world so worth living in.

I have learned to go my own way. And I still do. And I invite you to accompany me. Let's break out of the pigeonholes and free ourselves from the chains that keep us from going our own way. 

Subscribe to my NANÉE News and I will send you empowering insights into my life and behind the scenes 1-2 times a month and let you listen to new songs and much more. 

I look forward to seeing you! 

And until then: Stay true to your dreams and let yourself grow wings! 

 

Your NANÉE