BETTINA KOESTER

BETTINA KOESTER

Genres: post-punk, electronic, experimental, jazz, germany

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About BETTINA KOESTER

Bettina Köster (15 June 1959 – 17 March 2026) was a German musician, composer, poet, music producer, and author. She was a singer and primary lyricist for the band Malaria! from 1981 to 1984 and later worked as a solo artist. Köster was known for her deep, warm, and smoky voice and became regarded as an influential figure in the queer subculture. In 2021, she described herself as non-binary. Köster began her musical career in Berlin during the late 1970s and early 1980s. She studied at the Berlin University of the Arts and played saxophone in the underground band DIN A Testbild from autumn 1978. In May 1979, she co-founded the all-female band Mania D with Karin Luner, Beate Bartel, Eva Gössling, and Gudrun Gut. Mania D performed in New York at Arleen Schloss’ Performance Loft "A’s" and Club Tier 3 in autumn 1979. In summer 1979, Köster and Gut opened the concept store Eisengrau, which combined underground fashion, Super-8 films, and art, and became a meeting point for Berlin's creative scene. Eisengrau also published music by underground bands on cassette from 1980, serving as a medium for the city’s experimental music community. Köster was associated with the Geniale Dilettanten, a loose collective of musicians and artists in Berlin, including Einstürzende Neubauten and Die Tödliche Doris. In 1981, the British radio presenter John Peel dubbed Köster, Gut, and Bartel the "Queens of Noise". Following a split from Beate Bartel, Köster and Gudrun Gut founded Malaria! in 1981, which became one of the most internationally recognised German all-female bands. Köster’s vocal style shaped the band’s image, and she performed in venues such as Studio 54 and the Mudd Club in New York, as well as touring in Europe and the United States with Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Birthday Party. In 1982, Malaria! performed at the opening night of documenta 7 in Kassel. That same year, Köster appeared in Rosa von Praunheim’s film "Rote Liebe". From 1983 to 2001, Köster lived in New York, where she worked as a filmmaker and producer with Isabel Hegner. She composed the soundtrack for "Peppermills" (1997), which won the Teddy Award for Best Short Film at the 1998 Berlinale. She also co-produced Hegner’s 2003 documentary "Burma: Anatomy of Terror" and co-authored the thriller "Mandalay Moon" with Martin Schacht. In 2005, she performed with Jessie Evans in the supporting programme for The Vanishing, leading to the music project Autonervous, which released an album in 2006. From 2009 onwards, Köster performed regularly with drummer Ines Perschy and as a solo artist in clubs and at festivals. Köster’s 2009 solo album "Queen of Noise" drew on punk’s DIY ethos and highlighted her artistic autonomy. The work blends influences from the Beatles, DAF, Grace Jones, Marianne Faithfull, Nico, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Kraftwerk with her own creative vision.

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