Nestor Alexander Haddaway, a Trinidadian-born German singer, rose to fame in 1993 with his chart-topping hit single "What Is Love", which reached number one in 13 countries.
Born on January 9, 1965, Haddaway was raised in Chicago and later relocated to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area at the age of nine. His early exposure to Louis Armstrong's music inspired him to learn how to play the trumpet at the age of 14.
Haddaway attended Meade Senior High School in Fort Meade, Maryland, where he was a member of the marching band, which led him to form his first group, Chances. In 1987, he enrolled in medical school but quit due to lack of excitement and relocated to Cologne, West Germany, where he worked in taverns and later formed his own company, Energy, involved in organizing fashion shows and photo shoots.
In 1992, Haddaway signed with German record company Coconut Records, and his debut single "What Is Love" quickly gained popularity in Europe, reaching number two in Germany and the United Kingdom. The single sold over 900,000 copies in Germany and 400,000 in the United Kingdom, earning a music recording certification of Gold.
Haddaway's subsequent singles, including "Life", "I Miss You", and "Rock My Heart", also reached the top 10 in Europe, solidifying his status as a successful Eurodance artist. His debut album, The Album, was a multi-million seller, reaching Platinum status in Germany and Gold in the UK and France.
In 1995, he released his second album, The Drive, which included the UK top 20 hit "Fly Away" and other popular tracks. "What Is Love" experienced a resurgence in popularity as the theme music for the Butabi brothers on Saturday Night Live and the 1998 film A Night at the Roxbury.
Haddaway's subsequent albums, Let's Do It Now (1998) and My Face (2001; re-released as Love Makes),failed to chart. He appeared on several television shows, including Comeback – Die große Chance in Germany and Hit Me, Baby, One More Time in the UK and US.
In 2008, "What Is Love" was featured in a commercial for Diet Pepsi MAX that aired during Super Bowl XLII, parodies the leitmotif, and includes several stars, but Haddaway himself did not appear in the ad.
