She has sold almost 18 million records and even those who don’t know much about her music have probably heard songs like “Atemlos durch die Nacht” or “Achterbahn”. Even the German national football team celebrated to her music after winning the World Cup in 2014. A dream career for the pop singer, who turns 40 on Monday (5 August).
Fischer was born in 1984 in Krasnoyarsk in the Siberian region. At that time it was still the Soviet Union, but now it is Russia. Soon after, the family moved to Germany, to Wöllstein in Rhineland-Palatinate. Even then, Helene loved singing and dancing and trained as a musical actress in Frankfurt am Main. Then, at the age of almost 20, she had a huge opportunity: in 2005, she made her television debut on ARD’s “Wedding Festival of Folk Music”. At her side: presenter Florian Silbereisen, with whom she was able to sing “Komm mit nach Varaždin” (Come with me to Varaždin) in a very romantic way, about roses, love and happiness.
“I really just held on to him a little bit. I was very happy that he was by my side and that we mastered it together in a playful way,” she recalled this appearance in 2021 in the documentary “15 Years in a Rush” by the TV channel Vox. Was there already a spark between the two of them back then? A few years later they were together and were considered the dream couple of the pop world for ten years. She is now in a relationship with the acrobat Thomas Seitel and is the mother of a daughter.
Love, longing, sorrow, hopes, wishes
The fact that Fischer became so famous is not only due to the catchiness of her songs, which quickly become earworms whether you want them to or not. Her personality also plays a big role. On the one hand, flawlessly detached and perfect, on the other hand, down-to-earth and warm, an ideal projection surface for wishes and desires. Helene, the girl next door, who you would like to be friends with.
Photo gallery: Helene Fischer’s furious show in Munich
(Photo: Daniel Scharinger (Daniel Scharinger)) Bild 1/25
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She sings about things that almost everyone has experienced, as the Bochum pop researcher Ingo Grabowsky once put it. Love, longing, sorrow, hopes, wishes – the spectrum of human sensitivities is reflected in her songs. A mixture that appeals to people of all generations. “At least at the beginning, Helene Fischer always came on stage as innocent as an angel and was someone that men could adore without women becoming jealous,” says Grabowsky.
Artistic performances
Being on first-name terms with fans is no problem for Fischer, as she proved at a concert in Vienna in the fall. As can be seen in a video, a child asks the blunt question: “How is your baby?” Fischer seems surprised, laughs and doesn’t hesitate to answer: “The baby is doing great, it’s become a really, really sweet little thing,” she says kindly. And she reveals: “We are very, very happy.”
But it’s not just the human aspect that makes Fischer so attractive to her fans. It’s also the artistic performances that the audience wants to see. Hanging upside down from the ceiling and singing at the same time? No problem for the singer. On her 2023 “Rausch” tour, she worked with artists from Cirque de Soleil and swung through the air on a trapeze or hung from a pole, with the microphone firmly in her hand and her body under high tension.
“I’m not reckless,” she told the television station RTL. “I’m an artist who likes to face challenges.” That’s only possible with hard training – and a few injuries. During acrobatic rehearsals, Fischer broke a rib and in June 2023 she injured her face with a trapeze bar at a concert in Hanover. The concert was canceled, but just two months later Fischer continued her tour. “I’m doing fantastic,” she called out to her fans.
Insatiable interest in her private life
The dark side of her fame: an insatiable interest in her private life. Silbereisen described what that feels like in 2018, when her relationship ended. “For ten years, the media has speculated week after week about marriage, children or separation. For years, people have not even shied away from rummaging through our garbage can to find something private and construct a story from it,” Silbereisen wrote on social media.
While other celebrities post vacation photos and moments from their lives, Fischer shields her private life. It is also not known where and how she celebrates her birthday. Rare insights were provided in the 2013 documentary “Alone in the Light”, which is no longer available. For months, Fischer was followed by a camera, even away from the spotlight.
“Of course, the audience only ever sees the perfect show. Of course I’m an entertainer on stage and in my role, but in private I’m someone who doesn’t really need show and glamour,” Fischer revealed to the German Press Agency at the time. The public Helene loves make-up, styling, unusual clothing and high heels. “In private I like it totally minimalist: preferably jeans.”
The pop star is currently taking a creative break. Fans will have to wait until her next concert series. Her 360-degree stadium tour is not scheduled to start until summer 2026.
