Nina Hagen readies second gospel album for Christmas
Nina Hagen is producing a new gospel album for release at Christmas 2026, months after her gospel-rock record “Highway to Heaven” came out in March.
Photo: Britta Tabrit
Nina Hagen is working on a new gospel album, with release planned for Christmas 2026. The German singer confirmed the project during an appearance on the Cologne station domradio’s show “Meine Playlist”, saying the record was already in production. It follows her gospel-rock album “Highway to Heaven”, released on 27 March 2026 via Grönland Records.
Hagen said the purpose of gospel music, for her, is “to get closer to God, closer to the gospel.” She added: “Black American gospel music, spiritual music, or even ancient church music – these are all entry points for me to get into conversation with Jesus.” Describing her approach to prayer, she said she expects, “like a child, without any ulterior motive, that Jesus listens to me, that it reaches Jesus, that I am there, that I am seen.”
No title, tracklist or full guest list for the Christmas album has been announced. Hagen has not said which producer or musicians are involved in the new sessions, beyond confirming that work is under way.
The upcoming record continues a return to gospel that has defined much of Hagen’s recent output. “Highway to Heaven” mixed Southern gospel, Americana and reggae with her long-standing punk energy across 14 tracks, and featured guest appearances from Nana Mouskouri, Gitte Hænning and Daniel Welbat. That album arrived 15 years after “Personal Jesus” (2011), her first gospel record, and marked her 20th studio album overall.
About Nina Hagen
Nina Hagen was born in 1955 in East Berlin. She rose to prominence in the late 1970s as the singer of the Nina Hagen Band, becoming known as a pioneer of German punk and new wave with a theatrical vocal style that spanned opera to punk shouting. After moving to West Germany, she built a solo career through the 1980s with albums including “Unbehagen” and “NunSexMonkRock”, and became a fixture of West German pop culture as a television personality as well as a singer.
Hagen’s catalog has ranged across punk, new wave, pop and dance styles over the following decades. She was baptized in 2009 and released her first gospel album, “Personal Jesus”, in 2011, revisiting spirituals and gospel standards she had loved since childhood. She returned to the genre in March 2026 with “Highway to Heaven”, her 20th studio album, produced by Warner Poland. Side-Line previously covered the vinyl release of “Personal Jesus” for her 70th birthday. She is now preparing a further gospel album, aimed at a Christmas 2026 release.
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For almost 15 years I’ve been writing about music, interviewing artists and reviewing releases for Peek-A-Boo Magazine. Recently, I also launched my own WordPress website, where I continue to share interviews, reviews and news from the underground scene. The darker side of music has been part of my life for more than 30 years, with a passion for everything from ’80s synthpop and New Wave to EBM, Futurepop and dark electronic music in general. Also Metal and Rock is part of my world. Away from the scene, I work in a public library, where books are part of my everyday life. I enjoy both fiction and non-fiction, especially books on politics, religion, health and travel. I’m also a fan of thrillers and horror films. When I’m not listening to music or reading, you’ll usually find me exploring nature, enjoying a good sauna, experimenting with vegan cooking, or travelling to my second home, Finland. I’ve always believed the underground has the best stories. My job is simply to help tell them
