Haddaway

Nestor Alexander Haddaway was born on January 9, 1965, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. His early life was characterized by significant relocation, living first with his German marine biologist father in Europe and later with his local nurse mother in America. He spent his formative years in Chicago and subsequently moved to the Washington, DC metropolitan area at the age of 9. Influenced by jazz legend Louis Armstrong, Haddaway began playing the trumpet at 14 and formed his first group, Chances, while attending Meade Senior High School in Fort Meade, Maryland. In 1987, he briefly pursued a medical career before relocating to Cologne, West Germany, where he engaged in various roles, including working in taverns and establishing his own company, Energy, which specialized in organizing fashion shows and photo shoots.

Haddaway’s career trajectory shifted significantly in 1992 when he signed with German record company Coconut Records. His debut single, “What Is Love,” released in 1993, quickly ascended to global popularity, reaching number 2 in both Germany and the United Kingdom. It sold 900,000 copies in Germany and earned a Gold certification in the UK for 400,000 units shipped. The track also achieved commercial success in the United States, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving a Gold certification for 500,000 unit shipments. By early 1994, “What Is Love” had accumulated worldwide sales of 2.6 million copies. Haddaway continued this momentum with his second single, “Life,” which reached number 2 in Germany, number 6 in the UK, and number 41 in the US, with worldwide sales of 1.5 million by 1994. Subsequent singles like “I Miss You” and “Rock My Heart” also achieved Top 10 positions in Europe, solidifying his status as a prominent Eurodance artist. His debut album, “The Album” (also known as “Haddaway” in the US), sold millions, earning Platinum status in Germany and Gold certifications in the UK and France.

His second album, “The Drive,” released in 1995, featured the UK Top 20 hit “Fly Away.” The enduring popularity of “What Is Love” was notably rekindled through its use as the theme for the Butabi brothers sketch on “Saturday Night Live” and the 1998 film “A Night at the Roxbury.” Though subsequent albums like “Let’s Do It Now” (1998) and “My Face” (2000) did not chart significantly, Haddaway maintained visibility through television appearances on shows such as “Comeback – Die große Chance” (2004) and “Hit Me, Baby, One More Time” (2005), which led to a moderate German chart hit with “Spaceman.” The track “What Is Love” experienced renewed success in 2009 with a remix by German DJ Klaas and a prominent sample in Eminem’s 2010 single “No Love.” In 2012, his collaboration with The Mad Stuntman on “Up and Up” became a Top 20 dance hit in the US. Haddaway continues to perform, particularly in Eastern European and Central Asian countries, and released the single “Lift Your Head Up” in April 2024, from his forthcoming album “Day After Day.”