Katja Ebstein

Katja Ebstein is a German singer who first gained wider attention through the Eurovision Song Contest. She represented Germany three times, in 1970, 1971, and 1980, with her 1970 entry 'Wunder gibt es immer wieder' finishing third. That stretch of performances in the early 70s gave her a durable connection to the contest in her home country.

Her most enduring song came out in 1971. 'Abschied Ist Ein Bißchen Sterben' became a major hit in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Its straightforward, melancholic title, farewell is a little like dying, and its melody seemed to lock into the public mood of the time. Other songs like 'Der Stern Von Mykonos' and 'Diese Welt' also found an audience.

She studied music in Berlin and performed in theater before her recording career took off. In the 1970s, her open support for social democratic politics drew some criticism, but it didn't derail her work. She kept recording and performing, her voice suited to the kind of melodic, lyrical German pop that defined much of that era.