History Music / KlausNomi

Klaus Nomi (born Klaus Sperber, January 24, 1944 – August 6, 1983) was a falsetto DarkCabaret / {{New Wave|Music}} cover singer, performance artist, and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers pastry chef]] who rose to fame in the 1970's. Raised in UsefulNotes/{{Germany}} (and coming from ''outer space''), he started out singing operatic arias in vaudeville shows before becoming one of the most lauded New Wave talents of the era. Sadly, he became a victim of ExecutiveMeddling, and eventually lost control over most of his music. Even more tragic was his early death at age 39 from AIDS, being one of the first celebrities to die from the disease.

Klaus Nomi (born Klaus Sperber, January 24, 1944 – August 6, 1983) was a falsetto {{New Wave|Music}} cover singer, performance artist, and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers pastry chef]] who rose to fame in the 1970's. Raised in UsefulNotes/{{Germany}} (and coming from ''outer space''), he started out singing operatic arias in vaudeville shows before becoming one of the most lauded New Wave talents of the era. Sadly, he became a victim of ExecutiveMeddling, and eventually lost control over most of his music. Even more tragic was his early death at age 39 from AIDS, being one of the first celebrities to die from the disease.

''Klaus Nomi'' is...

* RearrangeTheSong: Nomi covered songs, both from pop and classical music, in ways that sound extremely bizarre and otherwordly.

Klaus Nomi still has a massive fanbase, and is considered by many to be New Wave's best example of DoingItForTheArt.

* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: Klaus is... Pop music covering opera performance art with heavy reliance on synthesizers? Let's just say it's New Wave.

Klaus Nomi (born Klaus Sperber, January 24, 1944 – August 6, 1983) was a falsetto {{New Wave|Music}} cover singer, performance artist, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking pastry chef]] who rose to fame in the 1970's. Raised in UsefulNotes/{{Germany}} (and coming from ''outer space''), he started out singing operatic arias in vaudeville shows before becoming one of the most lauded New Wave talents of the era. Sadly, he became a victim of ExecutiveMeddling, and eventually lost control over most of his music. Even more tragic was his early death at age 39 from AIDS, being one of the first celebrities to die from the disease.

* [[TenorBoy Countertenor Boy]]: Nomi didn't just put up a funny voice: He was actually trained as a counter tenor singer.

* TheCoverChangesTheGender: Spectacularly averted with "You Don't Own Me:" "''Don't say I can't play with other BOYS!''"
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: "Total Eclipse," about nuclear disaster taking place, but Nomi invites everybody to just sing and dance a final time.

* TitleTrack: "Simple Man" from ''Music/SimpleMan'' and "Za Bakdaz" from the never finished project he worked on before his death.