Hailing from Cologne, Germany, AnnenMayKantereit is a quartet that breathes new life into Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner” in the video below. Their rendition is simply divine in every aspect, from delivery, vocal, to chemistry.
The band’s name is a clever blend of the surnames of the original trio who formed the group back in their school days in 2011 at the Schiller-Gymnasium in Sülz. Little did these students know, their musical project was destined for remarkable success.
Initially, Annen, May, and Kantereit took to the streets of Cologne to share their music, gaining attention through videos of their acoustic performances that flourished on social media. Their lineup expanded with the addition of double bassist Lars Lötgering, enriching their sound. Below, you’ll find their take on Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”.
Their debut album dropped in 2013, a DIY effort with a launch at Cologne’s Gebäude 9. Interestingly, part of this album was recorded live on the streets, though these tracks were eventually omitted. Since then, they’ve embraced YouTube and other social platforms for sharing their music. The band welcomed a new member, as well. Malte Huck joined as their bassist in August 2014 but departed in 2020.
Following the release of “Wohin du gehst” and its music video, the band went on a German tour, gracing the stages of major festivals like Appletree Garden, Reeperbahn, and Open Flair in 2014. They also performed the opening for acts like Clueso and Beatsteaks and reaching the finals of the “New Music Award” by the ARD-Jugendprogramme.
The festival appearances continued into 2015 with performances at Haldern Pop Festival and Rock am Ring. The year also saw them signing with Universal Records and recording an EP, “Wird schon irgendwie gehen,” at Berlin’s Hansa-Studios, followed by sold-out tours. You can follow this unique band on Facebook or subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their enchanting performances.
