Kerstin Ott

Kerstin Ott, born on January 17, 1982 in West Berlin, is a German singer and songwriter who celebrated one of the most remarkable breakthroughs in recent music history with her hit “Die immer lacht”. Originally intended to cheer up a sick friend, the song was written within a few minutes at the kitchen table. In 2016, the song was remixed by the DJ and producer duo Stereoact and reached top positions in the German, Austrian and Swiss charts.

Her musical career began early: as a child, Kerstin sang in Rolf Zuckowski’s children’s choir and at the age of ten, a music teacher taught her her first chords. Despite not knowing any notes, she was already writing songs back then, often inspired by personal feelings and as a means of self-therapy. However, great success was a long time coming. After training as a painter and varnisher, she worked as a DJ on the side and sold her self-burned CDs. One of these songs, “Die immer lacht”, eventually ended up on YouTube, where it was later discovered by Stereoact.

The remix version of the song became a summer hit in 2016, spending over 25 weeks in the German top ten and going double platinum. Despite her sudden fame, Ott remained down-to-earth and worked as a painter until the beginning of 2016. Following the success of “Die immer lacht”, her debut album “Herzbewohner”, produced by Thorsten Brötzmann, followed at the end of the year. The single “Scheissmelodie” and the subsequent “Kleine Rakete ” built on this success and cemented her place in the German-language music landscape.

Her music combines soulful pop songs with danceable club beats and her lyrics often reflect everyday life. Away from the hustle and bustle of stardom, Ott enjoys the peace and quiet of her home in Heide, where she spends time with her wife and two children.

With “Mut zur Katastrophe” (2018) and the hit “Regenbogenfarben“, which it contains, which she performed as a duet with Helene Fischer she successfully continued her career. In 2019, she was the first contestant to surprise viewers with a same-sex dance partner on “Let’s Dance” and put in a strong performance despite her insecurities. Her album “Ich muss dir was sagen” reached platinum status and second place in the charts in 2020. In the same year, Kerstin recorded the song “Wegen dir (Nachts wenn alles schläft)” with Howard Carpendale.

She is also in the top 10 with her more recent releases such as “Nachts sind alle Katzen grau” (2021) and the compilation “Best Ott” (2022). Her success story is far from over and Kerstin Ott remains a permanent fixture on the German music scene.

Ott lives near Heide in Holstein. In August 2017, she entered into a registered civil partnership with her long-term girlfriend Karolina, which was converted into a marriage in October 2017. Karolina Ott brought two daughters into the relationship from her previous marriage[4] Since her experiences on a pilgrimage to Portugal in 2023, Ott has been vegan, given up smoking and no longer drinks alcohol.

In the NDR program “tief und deutlich”, Kerstin Ott spoke openly about her former gambling addiction, which she has had since the age of 18. Triggered by a win of 140 euros on her first visit to an arcade, she developed a seven-year addiction in the course of which she gambled away around 100,000 euros. In order to finance her addiction, she lied to those around her, demanded material money in advance and then gambled it away. The situation came to a head when she broke off her police training and became unemployed and homeless. For two months, she lived with her then partner in her car or with friends.

The turning point came when she banned herself from gambling halls. With notes that she distributed within a radius of 50 kilometers, she banned herself from entering and overcame her addiction with this drastic measure. Although she is now considered cured, she emphasizes that there is always a risk of relapse. In addition to her gambling addiction, she has also overcome other vices such as smoking and alcohol and now lives a vegan lifestyle. Her story shows that discipline and courageous steps are necessary to lead a life without a gambling addiction.

Studio albums by Kerstin Ott

• 2016 Inhabitant of the heart
• 2018 The courage to face disaster
• 2019 I have something to tell you
• 2021 All cats are gray at night (Golden record)
• 2024 Forever for you