With songs like "He belongs to me" (1975) and "Marleen" (1976) Marianne Rosenberg once became a hit star. Over 50 years after her debut, she is still on stage. On Tuesday (March 10th) she celebrates her 65th birthday and just a few days later, on March 13th, the singer releases her new album "In the Name of Love". In an interview with the news agency spot on news, she talks about her life so far and whether she thinks of quitting after so long in the spotlight.
How do you celebrate your 65th birthday?
Marianne Rosenberg: First with a small record release party in a Kreuzberg club, then with my family and friends.
You have been on the stage for over 50 years. Do you sometimes think about quitting?
Rosenberg: No, because making music is more than a job. In any case, it is a passion for me. There is nothing better for me than having an idea, working it out and sharing the finished song with other people. That's why I'm looking forward to getting my music back on stage. At a concert we are all in the same room together. The direct feedback from concert visitors is something very special for every musician. There are always goosebumps moments on and in front of the stage. That's why I'm going on a tour in April 2021, initially through ten German cities.
If you were to withdraw from the spotlight, what would your retirement be like?
Rosenberg: I haven't thought about that yet.
When you look back at your life so far – what do you remember in particularly good or bad?
Rosenberg: It was certainly extremely important to escape the enormous pressure of the record industry at the end of the 1970s. They wanted me to keep working like this, deliver two albums in one year and keep going in circles. I had to break out there, have to end it, wanted to find my own way and my own identity as a woman and musician.
With "Mister Paul McCartney" you landed your first hit when you were 14. Are you still a fan of the former Beatles?
Rosenberg: At that time I was actually more of a fan of Mick Jagger, although I like to acknowledge that the Beatles have long been unsurpassed in the quality of their compositions.
You "screwed up" an autograph of him. How much do you regret that today?
Rosenberg: I waited three and a half hours in the Berlin Deutschlandhalle for him to sign my single cover for me. In one of my many moves I later lost it and only realized the loss many years later, because otherwise I would not collect autographs.
You have been an icon of the LGBTQ scene for years. Does that make you proud?
Rosenberg: Yes, that makes me proud, because I consider it an honor to be named alongside the other great women in this scene. In addition, you cannot construct or influence this, you are chosen.