Arabesque (group)

Arabesque are a German girl group formed at the height of the European disco era in 1977, in the West German city of Frankfurt. The group's changing lineup worked with the German composer Jean Frankfurter (Erich Ließmann).

Arabesque were especially popular in Japan. Their songs began being aired on Japanese late-night radio shows in the late 1970s, and with support from groups such as the Takenoko-zoku, they became especially popular with teenagers and a driving force behind the popularity of Western music in Japan in the early 1980s. Their popularity also spread to South Korea, Chinese-speaking countries and other parts of Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

History

1975–1978: Formation and early years

In 1975, schlager music singer Mary Ann Nagel proposed a girl group to producer Wolfgang Mewes, who accepted. Two additional members were recruited through a singing competition. A Brit (Karen Ann Tepperis), a German-Mexican (Michaela Rose), and a German (Mary Ann Nagel) comprised the initial group.

After the first album, the band lineup changed by keeping only the original member Michaela Rose, while replacing the two other girls, Karen Ann Tepperis and Mary Ann Nagel, with new members Jasmin Vetter and Heike Rimbeau, respectively. Nagel was replaced due to family commitments and becoming tired of the long daily commute from Karlsruhe to Frankfurt am Main, where the group was based.