It was four decades ago when Sylvia Martens, alias Nea Marten, was three years old and was painting the children's room wallpaper with pens while dreamily singing to herself. The first two big M's for painting and music were on the horizon.

After school, she trained as a dentist's assistant and did a technical college entrance qualification. It wasn't the right thing. So she started studying interior design and later a career as a singer in bands, as a solo artist with her own albums and as a songwriter.

15 years on the road, a life out of a suitcase - on the road to interviews and appearances on radio and TV (MDR, Sat.1, NDR, HR, Landeswelle Thüringen), on stage with her hits like "Es rappelt im Karton" (from the TV commercial for eis.de) and radio and TV singles like "Puppy Love", "Kaleidoskop" or "Magic Mystery" (produced by the 80s hit producers Louis Rodriguez - Modern Talking, CC Catch, Matt Popp and Udo Lindenberg producers).

In the lockdown of 2021, the Thuringian native finally rediscovered painting. "When I calm down, the longing for paper and brushes comes." At the same time, Sylvia Martens completed a distance learning journalism course in Berlin and has been working for three years at MDR in Erfurt as a radio presenter - the third big M.

At her own request, she is less on stage these days: But no painting is created without her quietly singing along to her favorite music - especially Phil Collins.

Hence the title of her first vernissage on April 20, 2024, "Going back - To the beginning." The painter, presenter and musician is returning to her roots.

In her luggage is a suitcase full of dreams and questions from her childhood, which she now brings to the screen as Nea Marten. The beginning of an exciting journey.

Occasionally, Nea Marten is drawn back to the stage - also with new songs. The single "Leicht" (from 2022) - produced and written in Sweden together with Tony Malm (Anastacia) has been running on NDR, BR or MDR since then.

At the same time, the all-rounder is working on new paintings for a second vernissage in 2025.

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