Nico, the stage name of Christa Päffgen, was a German singer, songwriter, model and actress, and one of the most distinctive figures in experimental music during the second half of the twentieth century.
She was born on October 16, 1938, in Cologne, Germany, during the years of the Nazi regime. While she was still a child, she moved with her mother to the Berlin area. Her father served in the German army and died during World War II. Her childhood was marked by war, the absence of her father and the difficult conditions of postwar Germany.
As a young woman she entered the world of fashion. Photographer Herbert Tobias gave her the name Nico, which she adopted as her artistic identity, and she soon worked as a model in Paris and other European cities. She also became involved in cinema and in 1960 appeared in Federico Fellini's celebrated film La Dolce Vita.
In the mid-1960s Nico became part of the New York art scene and associated with Andy Warhol and his Factory. Warhol brought her together with the Velvet Underground, and she appeared on their landmark debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico, released in 1967. Her deep and unusual voice can be heard on Femme Fatale, All Tomorrow's Parties and I'll Be Your Mirror, all written by Lou Reed.
Her collaboration with the group was brief. In 1967 she released her first solo album, Chelsea Girl, but she soon sought greater control over her own music. With The Marble Index in 1968 she developed a radically personal sound built around her deep voice, the harmonium, sparse repetitive melodies and dark, poetic lyrics.
Desertshore followed in 1970 and became one of the clearest expressions of her artistic identity. Later albums included The End..., Drama of Exile and Camera Obscura. Her solo records achieved little commercial success at the time, but their reputation steadily grew, influencing musicians associated with experimental rock, post-punk and gothic music.
Her personal life was turbulent and for many years she struggled with heroin addiction. Despite these difficulties, she continued recording and performing throughout much of her life.
In July 1988, while staying in Ibiza, Nico suffered a cerebral hemorrhage following an incident while riding a bicycle. She died on July 18, 1988, at the age of 49.
