Last edition of "Wetten, dass...?" - David versus Goliath: Who is the woman who stood up to Thomas Gottschalk?
If attention is the most important currency in an increasingly fast-moving world, then things could hardly be going better for Shirin David, who has been touring Germany for the first time since the beginning of November and recently released the duet version of "Atemlos durch die Nacht (10 Year Anniversary Version)" with Helene Fischer. And on Saturday evening, David, real name Barbara Schirin Davidavičius, was finally a guest on "Wetten, dass...?". The maximum ennoblement in prime time, arrived on the nation's sofa.
If it hadn't been for Thomas Gottschalk, who was as outspoken as he was clueless: "What I would never have thought, Shirin, but I was told: You're an opera fan. [...] I wouldn't have guessed you were a feminist either." In the past, a sentence like that would have become a footnote and been laughed off by the audience. But Shirin David would not have been Shirin David if she had simply swallowed the cheeky remark. The singer immediately countered: "I would like to say that as feminists we can look good, be clever, eloquent and beautiful at the same time. One doesn't exclude the other."
There was encouragement for this on social media. David's fans know that she stands for a clear edge, for empowerment, for not bending over backwards. This is precisely why she is a role model for many, which became clear recently at the tour kick-off in Stuttgart. "Shirin makes me feel good because she shows me that I can be anything I want," said one visitor, while another explained: "I come from the village, where I was always the weird one, the conspicuous one, the colorful one. Shirin gives me the feeling that I am completely right, just the way I am."
Shirin David is a role model for many young women
It is no coincidence that Shirin David is one of the most successful female rappers in Germanytoday. She has worked hard for her success. She repeatedly talks about the difficult family circumstances she comes from, for example to "Funk": "If I had stayed in Lithuania, everything would have been different." Although David was born in Hamburg, she spent a large part of her childhood in Lithuania, her mother's home country. David's father, on the other hand, comes from Iran, which is why "three hearts" beat in her chest, as she once said.
In an interview with "Capital", she talked about the family's poverty: "We used to have no money at all and only got by with state aid. I didn't know that until I was 13. My mother was a single mother and took on all kinds of jobs to give me and my sister a good life." Nevertheless, they went to the opera and listened to classical music. Education and good manners were "the most important things" to her mother.
Her favorite composer was Johann Strauss, she told Gottschalk on Saturday evening, by which time their exchange of blows was already over. As a four-year-old, she played the piano and violin, later trained in singing, acting and dancing and even took part in several productions at the Hamburg State Opera.
Self-promotion on YouTube
A classic path, a foundation that was also followed by consistent self-marketing. David recognized the potential of earning money online early on. In 2014, she launched her YouTube channel, on which she has 2.85 million subscribers to date. "YouTube was an important marketing platform to build the necessary reach and financial strength," she explained to Capital.
"2015 was the golden YouTube year, I earned myself silly. There were very few Youtubers and the companies still had no idea about online marketing. They rewarded our work very generously." Her sister Pati Valpati is also in the public eye and is a Youtuber, albeit not as successful as David with 165,000 followers.
Shirin David's channel still features a colorful mix, with many vlogs from the tour currently available, as well as food hotspots in Berlin and behind-the-scenes insights. At one point, she shows the wigs she uses. Back in 2017, when David was a judge on "Deutschland sucht den Superstar", her changing hairstyle caught the eye, but it would be a mistake to reduce David to her appearance.
The fact that she is often underestimated because of her love of styling and beauty hardly bothers David, as she once said. "I actually think it's a good thing now." She wants to be "allowed to be loud and self-confident without being labeled as rude". And she wants to "make it clear that sexism is unacceptable", the musician told Capital. "If I can be a role model and make young girls feel more comfortable, braver and stronger, that makes me proud." Her "Wetten, dass...?" appearance may have helped.
Sources:"Funk","Capital","YouTube by Shirin David","RTL"
Lesen Sie auch:
- Despite Thomas Gottschalk's skepticism on "Wetten, dass...?", Shirin David proved to be an opera fan and a feminist, showcasing her intelligence and eloquence.
- The audience at Shirin David's tour kick-off in Stuttgart praised her for her empowering message, with many fans seeing her as a role model who encourages self-acceptance and confidence.
- Raised in a family that struggled financially, Shirin David found success as a rapper in Germany, leveraging the potential of YouTube as a marketing platform and building her reach and earning potential.
- In an interview, David revealed her love for classical music, particularly Johann Strauss, and her diverse background, having Lithuanian, German, and Iranian roots.
Source: www.stern.de
