Experimental musician and vocalist Bettina Köster has died aged 66

Experimental composer, vocalist, filmmaker and producer Bettina Köster has died aged 66, her former band member confirmed on social media last week.

Gudrun Gut, who Köster previously worked alongside as part of the Berlin post-punk band Malaria!, revealed on Instagram that Köster passed away on Tuesday, March 17.

Köster was a forerunner of the emerging feminist punk movement in Berlin throughout the ‘80s, breaking out a decade earlier as a founding member of Malaria!, formerly Mania D.

In Berlin, Köster and her band cut their teeth at nightclubs across Kreuzberg and Schöneberg, regularly visiting venues frequented by the likes of David Bowie and Iggy Pop.

As an instrumentalist, Köster also performed saxophone in the Berlin band DIN A Testbild, and later went on to found a multidisciplinary project named Eisengrau in the early ‘80s – a concept store and record label spotlighting local music, fashion, and film.

Malaria! performed around the world in the heights of their success, touring with New Order, John Cale and Siouxsie and the Banshees, and counting the likes of Nick Cave as a fan.

Her expansive discography spanned from 1980 to 2017, known for her renowned deep vocal style and the band’s punk-adjacent experimental sound.

In response to Gudrun Gut’s post, Peaches paid tribute to Koster, calling her a “truly special” person. “I enjoyed our time together when we performed for a Can tribute night. She told me some great stories,” she wrote.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on X