GLAMOUR Women of the Year Award 2024 in Partnership with Dyson: Nina Chuba als “National Music Act”
Who's back? Nina, Nina, Nina! After her huge hit “Wildberry Lillet” and the even more successful accompanying debut album “Glas”, Nina Chuba has become an integral part of the German music world. She has already played on the biggest onesGermany like at the Deichbrand, the Reeperbahn Festival and the Lollapalooza Festival, and we can all sing along to the chorus of “Wildberry Lillet” somewhere. But the singer isn't resting on her laurels. In 2024 she returned with her new single “Nina” and teased that she is already working on a new album. In 2025, Nina Chuba will go on a big arena tour through Germany.
But Nina Chuba can't just sing: Back in 2005, she appeared in front of the camera as a little investigator in the series “Die Pfefferkörner”. This was followed by appearances on “Das Traumschiff” and in 2024 she impressed in the eighth season of “Who steals the show from me?”. There she was even able to prevail against her opponents and moderate the final in October 2024.
For GLAMOR, the musician represents a new, approachable generation of pop stars and is therefore honored as a “National Music Act” at the Women of the Year Award 2024.
Nina Chuba in an interview about her mix of genres, role models and fans from all generations
In her songs, the singer likes to show herself vulnerable and talk about, depression and the loneliness of Gen Z. She also uses her reach on social media to share personal experiences.
We are pleased that you are celebrating the Women of the Year 2024 with us. If you were on the jury, who would be your Woman of the Year?
My Woman of the Year would be my mom. She is the strongest woman I know. What she has achieved in the last few years and continues to achieve is incredible. I love her so, so much.
What empowers you?
My friends, my family, sports, fashion, seeing new places. Somehow all of life.
If you could give your twelve-year-old self one tip, what would it be?
Dare to be who you are! You're okay like this. And be brave. Everything will be fine.
When, how and/or where do you feel most comfortable?
With my loved ones around me. I can be no matter where. When I have my closest people around me, I feel at home. Sounds cheesy, but it's true.
Looking back, what has been the biggest hurdle in your career so far? How did you overcome them?
I think the biggest hurdle is still not putting too much pressure on yourself and trusting in myself and my abilities. I have certain expectations of myself that often block me and stress me out. If I don't fulfill these requirements, I quickly become insecure.
What advice do you have for young women out there?
You are good the way you are! Do your thing, pursue your passions, no matter what others say. There will always be people who find fault with you. Just keep going.
What scares you? What gives you confidence?
Since my success, many more things scare me than before. I have a fear of flying, a fear of driving an Uber at night, a fear of being in large crowds. And of course, huge fear of losing people I love. My therapist gives me confidence. Since then I've been inI am learning to deal with these fears and overcome them.
Do you have a role model?
My manager Anna is my role model. I think she knows how to live properly and well. That's great. I want to be like that too.
Is there anything you're surprised you've achieved?
I'm really surprised that I managed to turn my dreams into reality. It's still so crazy that I'm a musician now. I would never have thought that was possible.
Do you have a motto that you stick to?
Professionally, yes. My Spotify description has said “fuck genres, get money” for years. Of course that's not meant completely literally, but I just always want to make the music that I'm up for. I don't want to limit myself and I love trying things out, no matter the genre.
What is the absolute highlight of your year?
Like every year, my highlight of the year was actually my tour and the festival summer. I work with the best team in the world and always have the best time when we're on the road.
With “Die Pfefferkörner” you got into the acting business quite early. What was it like to be in front of the camera at the age of seven?
It was an incredibly beautiful and educational time. I learned early on what it means to work and really “hustle”. This has always helped me a lot so far.
You sing, you act, and now you even have “Who’s Stealing the Show?” moderated: What would you describe as your greatest passion, what would you describe as your greatest challenge?
I just love entertainment, no matter what form it takes. Of course music is my biggest passion, but I can also imagine so many other things for my future. Moderation, for example, was so much fun for me, but it's a lot harder than I thought it would be. Then I would have to practice a little more.
In the summer of 2022 you catapulted to the top of the charts and became one of the most successful German musicians almost overnight. This brings new opportunities, but also a lot of pressure. How do you deal with it?
Phew, as I said, sometimes it's still difficult for me to deal with this pressure. But I have a team around me that supports me and helps me to stay calm and trust in myself. And I go on vacation regularly. It's so important for your mind to just take yourself away from social media for a while.
What's the appeal of covering such a large target group - from elementary school students, TikTok kids to old school radio fans, Gen X.
It's simply the best thing to be able to connect so many generations with my music. This mix of all age groups at my concerts creates such a pleasant and loving atmosphere.
What have you learned about yourself in the last two years?
That I need to take better care of myself and be kinder to myself.
Your look is part of your artist personality: What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion is super important to me. I use it to express myself and try to convey my inner self to the outside world. Plus, I just love dressing well and always feel so much more confident when I'm wearing a good outfit.
You now have a lot more eyes on you in public - and you see yourself when you upload videos to TikTok, produce music videos, etc. Does that have anything to do with your self-image and body image?
To be honest, since I've been active and exercising regularly, I don't think about my body that much anymore. I feel comfortable in there. I'm glad he can do so much and is so strong. I love him very much and hope that he will carry me through life healthy and happy for a long time.
As a singer and rapper, you sometimes find yourself in a stereotypically male environment. How does that make you feel? Do you have the problem of sometimes having to fight harder to be taken seriously?
Yes, I have that. At the beginning of my career, I didn't really want to admit it, but I sometimes get the feeling that people in my industry don't treat me as equals. And as a woman you also have to deal with a lot more hate and disrespect on social media.
But I think that will change at some point. It takes time to break down old structures and stereotypes. But we have more and more women in the music industry who are helping to change that! I firmly believe in it!
