No Angels: What was made of ex

No Angels: What happened to ex-angel Vanessa Petruo? They were considered the "German Spice Girls" and are still the most successful girl group in Germany: The No Angels brought fresh wind to the charts in the early noughties, fitting perfectly into the then highly demanded bubblegum pop sound. Currently, the band is causing headlines again with its new ARD documentary "No Angels - That's US!". The novelty of the band at that time was less about the (perfectly produced and catchy) songs, but about the origin story: The No Angels won the very first "Popstars" season and were thus the first band to win a (German) casting show—and their formation could be followed from the beginning with the television. A relationship between fans and the band therefore existed long before the first single "Daylight in your eyes," which promptly won one Gold and two Platins. "Daylight in your eyes" sold a staggering 500,000 copies in 24 hours. Vanessa Petruo, Nadja Benaissa, Lucy Diakovska, Sandy Mölling, and Jessica Wahls thus reached the pop Olympus in the shortest time. The debut album "Elle'ments" also sold over a million copies—a still rare success for a German band. In the following years, the No Angels released several successful albums such as "Now… Us!" (2002) and "Pure" (2003). With hits like "Something About Us," "Still in Love with You," or "There Must Be an Angel," they dominated the charts for many years and received numerous awards, including the Echo, the Bambi, the Golden Camera, and even the World Music Award. In 2003, the band split, and in 2007 there was a first comeback—for the first time with four members, as Vanessa Petruo did not return to the band. This was a shock for fans—and unimaginable: Petruo was not only the fan favorite but also emerged early as the creative force behind the band behind the scenes. She wrote the number-one hit "Something About Us" (with co-writers), with which the band not only broke into a new—more edgy, sharper—sound musically but also defended themselves lyrically against all critics. Even in 2021, during the No Angels' second comeback for their 20th band anniversary, Petruo was not present. Disputes between her and the other band members were, however, vehemently rejected by all sides. Attempts as a solo artist After leaving the No Angels, Petruo remained in the music business and tried her hand as a solo artist: in 2004, she released her first solo single "Drama Queen"—a catchy pop-rock song with funk elements that still managed to reach number 11 on the German charts. A solid start, but also a clear musical break from the sound of the No Angels. However, in Austria, it only reached number 35 on the charts, and in Switzerland only number 88. The second single "Hot Blooded Woman" in 2005 was a commercial flop, as was her debut album "Mama Lilla Would." However, the album was praised by critics for its musical diversity. Today, among music connoisseurs, the album is considered a hidden gem. After (and partly during) the No Angels, Petruo was also active as a voice actress and actress. She was also active as a songwriter for other artists. In 2011, her last song appeared on YouTube: "Ich muss mich bewegen" (I must move). There were no further albums. In 2014, she announced that she was completely withdrawing from the public eye. Radical career change: From the stage to the lab After the end of her entertainment career, Vanessa began a distance education in psychology at the FernUniversität in Hagen and completed it with a Bachelor of Science degree. Then she worked as a research assistant at the Max Planck Institute before completing a master's degree in cognitive neuroscience at the Technical University of Dresden, which she finished with honors. In December 2018, she earned her doctorate in cognitive neurophysiology with the distinction "Magna cum laude". In her dissertation, Petruo investigated cognitive flexibility processes and their neurophysiological foundations in healthy and mentally ill adolescents. For some years, the former pop star Vanessa Petruo lived in Los Angeles. She worked there as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Southern California. She researched in the "Brain & Music Lab" of the USC Brain & Creativity Institute. Now, Petruo has returned to Berlin and works there in a group practice as a psychotherapist. She has nothing to do with show business today—but personally, a lot has also happened to her: Petruo is married and has three daughters. On the website of the practice, she is listed as "Dr. rer. nat. Vanessa Petruo-Zink." "Carry the No Angels in my heart" Shortly before the No Angels' second comeback, Petruo published a statement on Instagram: "I made the decision a few years ago not to appear in public anymore. I have studied, live, and work in Los Angeles now," she wrote there. Mölling also confirmed this, who at the time emphasized in the show "Grill den Henssler" that she was not angry with her ex-colleague: "I don't take it badly either. She is in the States in Los Angeles at university and teaches psychology there and has a great career, so hats off." In her statement, Petruo also emphasized that she likes to look back at her time with the No Angels: "I am happy that you still think of me after so many years and carry the No Angels in my heart." "This decision was not easy for me" In 2023, Petruo turned to the public again due to the fans' ongoing questions about why she was not part of the No Angels comeback. In an Instagram story, the No Angels shared another statement from their ex-colleague, in which they wrote, among other things: "I also want to emphasize that I am very happy that the band is back together and making music, and I wish them all the success from the bottom of my heart. (...) It is important to know that there is no resentment or conflict between me and the others. We simply grew apart and are now on different paths. I will always cherish our time in the band and am grateful for the wonderful memories we created together." She also wrote: "As some of you know, my life has developed in a different direction since the band's dissolution over 20 years ago. This decision was not easy for me, and I never lost my passion for music. It has only taken a different form—I enjoy making music privately and expressing my creative energies in other ways." But not everything so peacefully? In the new documentary about the No Angels, there is of course also talk about why Petruo is no longer part of the band, but she herself does not speak, having possibly declined interview requests. As Mölling emphasized before, one should accept the ex-colleague's decision, and Benaissa even invites her with a smile to a "Daylight" performance if Petruo wants to: "I have a lot of love and understanding for her." However, Diakovska strikes a different tone, who supposedly had a particularly close relationship with Petruo during their time in the band. She expressed clear disappointment that Petruo also ended contact with the other "Angels" in private after leaving the band. She was very surprised by Petruo's decision. "Then she was suddenly gone and didn't want to have anything to do with the others, but also with me," Diakovska said tearfully in the documentary, adding: "I would have been so happy if she had contacted me at some point." Comments