That head-bobbing of two hopeless guys in shiny blazers from the Night at the Roxbury sketch? That pumping loop and the eternal "baby don't hurt me" that even someone who has never set foot in a nightclub can hum? That's him. And here's the first fact most people don't know: the man behind the biggest Eurodance anthem learned to play the trumpet because Louis Armstrong got to him at fourteen, and in 1987 he even enrolled in medical school, which he left out of boredom and moved to Cologne, where he mostly worked in bars. Anyone searching for Haddaway Brno today is usually asking one thing: can you hear that chorus live? This article will tell you who Haddaway actually is, why his song hasn't disappeared after three decades, and what to watch out for when looking for a concert.

Haddaway Brno: why that name still resonates

In short: Haddaway is a one-massive-hit man who has never disappeared from dance floors, ads or the internet, and thousands of people still hear him live every year.

When you say Haddaway, most people think of exactly one song. And no wonder. He is best known for the 1993 hit "What Is Love", which reached number one in 13 countries. This is not a song that flooded the charts for one summer and then retreated into the archive. On the contrary, it lives on, and Haddaway lives on with it. According to his official biography, he performs around 120 shows a year, which puts him among artists who have essentially never stopped playing. The phrase Haddaway Brno is therefore understandable: retro Eurodance still has a grateful audience in the Czech Republic, and a name that promises that one chorus draws people across generations.

Interestingly, the road to that hit was anything but straight. Before Haddaway became the face of the nineties, he played in a marching band and was running his own business. All of that is worth telling.

Who is Haddaway and where did he come from

In short: a Trinidadian-American singer with German roots and a jazz childhood, who worked his way to the stage via a detour through the trumpet, unfinished medical studies and Cologne bars.

Nestor Alexander Haddaway was born on 9 January 1965; he is a Trinidadian-American singer and songwriter who has lived in Germany for many years. His background is colourful in its own right. His father was a marine biologist from Germany, his mother a local nurse; after his parents separated in the early seventies, Haddaway first lived with his father in Europe, then with his mother in America.

Music for him did not begin with synthesizers but with brass. Listening to Louis Armstrong at fourteen prompted him to learn the trumpet; at high school in Maryland he was a member of the marching band, which eventually became his first group, Chances. When his studies didn't lead anywhere significant, he changed continents. But before music could support him, he got by in other ways: after leaving university in 1987 he moved to Cologne, where he worked in bars for a few years and founded his own company, Energy, through which he organised fashion shows and photo shoots.

The turning point came in Germany. In 1992 Haddaway was signed by the German label Coconut Records, and his debut single "What Is Love" quickly became popular in Europe, reaching number two in both Germany and the United Kingdom. In the States he is regarded more as a typical one-hit wonder, because he never broke through across the Atlantic in the same way. In Europe it was different. The second single "Life" reached number two in Germany, number six in the UK and number forty-one in the US, and the following singles "I Miss You" and "Rock My Heart" also placed in the European top ten, making him a successful Eurodance artist. His debut album The Album went platinum in Germany for a shipment of 500,000 copies. So it was no accident, at least not in the European context.

What Is Love: the story of a song that hasn't aged

In short: one of the catchiest tracks of the nineties has a surprisingly sad lyric, a songwriting duo nobody would have guessed, and a beginning where absolutely everyone turned it down.

First, a fact fans often don't know: the hit was not written by the singer himself. The song was written by Haddaway's producers Dee Dee Halligan and Junior Torello; Halligan is a German producer who also performs under the name Tony Hendrik, and "Torello" is actually a woman, a lyricist and producer better known as Karin Hartmann. A male pseudonym hiding the co-author of one of the most-played dance tracks in history. According to Halligan, Haddaway was singing demos in the basement of the Coconut studio when the decision was made to have him record "What Is Love"; the single was released in Germany in 1992 and was later picked up by British Logic and American Arista.

That it would be a hit was far from certain. Initially the song was a hard sell; Haddaway recalled in 2018 that nobody wanted it, and every radio station and every record label said no. A lucky moment helped: a new station, WDR, was opening in Cologne and used "What Is Love" as its jingle.

And then there is the second layer that keeps the song working to this day: beneath the cheerful surface is real pain. Although it is an upbeat dance track, the lyrics are quite raw - Haddaway sings about trying to love a girl who does not return his love. A happy-sad song you dance to while lamenting. That very contradiction caught the attention of many other musicians. Canadian singer Kiesza turned it into a vulnerable ballad and admitted she had not initially noticed how sad the song actually is.

And the numbers? They speak for themselves. The track spent seven weeks at number one on the European Eurochart Hot 100 in the summer of 1993 and ultimately topped the charts in 13 countries. By March 1994 it had sold 2.6 million copies worldwide. The music video added its own bizarreness: it was directed by German director Volker Hannwacker, is set in a mansion, and features Haddaway being pursued by three femme fatales, at least one of whom is a vampire. And recognition came from home too: in 1994 Haddaway won two Echo Awards in Germany, in the categories of best national single and best national dance single.

From the dance floor to a meme: a hit's second life

In short: television, advertising, hip hop and the internet all helped the track survive the nineties, and Haddaway benefits from that to this day.

The song's pop-culture immortality was launched by American comedy. "What Is Love" is now inseparably linked to the 1998 film A Night at the Roxbury, which was based on a series of sketches from Saturday Night Live in which Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan played the Butabi brothers, a pair of perpetual losers in clubs, synchronously bobbing their heads to the rhythm of Haddaway's hit. That head movement is recognised even by people who couldn't name the artist to save their lives.

Then others joined in. In 2008 the track appeared in a Diet Pepsi MAX commercial during Super Bowl XLII, which parodied its motif and featured, among others, LL Cool J, Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes, though Haddaway himself did not appear in the ad. And third, the hip-hop generation. In 2009 "What Is Love" returned to the charts after being remixed by German DJ Klaas, and resurfaced again in 2010 when Eminem prominently sampled it in the single "No Love" featuring Lil Wayne. And the song has not gone to sleep in the present either: in 2023 French DJ David Guetta announced his own version titled "Baby Don't Hurt Me", in collaboration with Anne-Marie and Coi Leray.

Haddaway himself is still recording. On 26 April 2024 he released the single "Lift Your Head Up" from the album The Sun. Live performances, however, are built mainly on the classic that audiences are waiting for.

What to expect from a Haddaway concert if it comes to Brno

In short: a retro Eurodance evening lives off one thing - the whole room knows the chorus better than the artist. If he showed up in Brno, expect a festival or open-air format rather than a solo show with elaborate staging.

Haddaway is a pro at this who never stopped touring. In 2011 he himself said that most of his performances are "in the east", in places like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or Siberia. He tours festivals, retro nights and "nineties" showcases and knows exactly what people are waiting for. The programme of such a show is built on nineties hits the audience knows by heart, and the climax is clear in advance - "What Is Love" will come, and the room will go wild.

Important note: if you come across a poster in Brno with Haddaway's name on it, verify everything with the official organiser. Never assume dates, venues or tickets based on unconfirmed sources - with international acts, dates sometimes shift. In our events calendar you will find currently confirmed concerts, and through the concerts hub you can get to what is actually planned in the region. You can look up the artist's profile and any upcoming dates in the artists section.

Practical tips: how to keep track of the date and tickets

In short: only buy from verified sellers, check the full lineup for retro nights, and for a summer open-air in Brno bear in mind that you don't go to sit - you go to sing and dance.

  • Check the format. With names like Haddaway it is often a "90s" show with multiple artists, not a standalone concert. The lineup will tell you whether he gets the whole evening or perhaps just a half-hour block built around his biggest hits.
  • Verified sales. Buy tickets through the official organiser or established networks. Retro events tend to have smaller capacities than stadiums, so be careful with resales at inflated prices on social media.
  • Expect to stand. You don't sit at a Eurodance show. Anyone who wants to get the most out of "What Is Love" heads to the front, not the back rows, and wears comfortable shoes.
  • Summer Brno and the weather. Open-air events in season can be moved or relocated due to weather. Follow the organiser's official channels right up to the day of the event, and it's better to get to the centre by public transport as parking tends to be limited.

If you're more drawn to a broader cultural programme than one specific name, take a look at related genres and formats. The calendar will help you get your bearings on what is actually playing on a given date, and if you fancy a completely different kind of evening, there is always theatre.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Haddaway and what is he famous for?

He is a Trinidadian-American singer and songwriter who has lived in Germany for many years, best known for the 1993 hit "What Is Love", which reached number one in 13 countries. That track made him one of the icons of Eurodance.

Did Haddaway write his biggest hit himself?

No. "What Is Love" was written by producers Dee Dee Halligan (also performing as Tony Hendrik) and Junior Torello, which was a pseudonym for the lyricist and producer known as Karin Hartmann. Haddaway was the voice and face of the track; the authorship lay with the production duo from Coconut Records.

Why do I know this song even though I listen to completely different music?

Most likely thanks to pop culture. The track became an inseparable part of the film A Night at the Roxbury and the Saturday Night Live sketches. It was also later sampled by Eminem and re-popularised by remixes, so it reached people who don't even remember the nineties.

Where can I find a confirmed concert date in Brno?

Always with the official organiser and through verified ticket sellers. Follow currently confirmed concerts and their details in the events calendar and in the concerts section. Don't rely on unconfirmed dates from discussions.

Is Haddaway still releasing new music?

Yes. On 26 April 2024 he released the single "Lift Your Head Up" from the album The Sun. Alongside touring he is therefore still working on new recordings, even though his live shows are built mainly on classic hits.

Sources

  • Wikipedia - Haddaway (biography, discography, career)
  • Wikipedia - What Is Love (charts, sales, music video, awards, cover versions)
  • Songfacts - What Is Love by Haddaway (songwriters and origins)
  • The A.V. Club - "What Is Love" one-hit wonder (context, Roxbury, charts)
  • GRAMMY.com - He Haddaway With This Song (number of performances, career)
  • kdykam.com - events calendar, concerts, artists, theatre