Shirin David has reminded viewers of The Voice of Germany that her musical background extends far beyond rap. In the show’s 16th season, the coach joins talent Hank for a surprise duet from Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, creating a dramatic moment that reportedly leaves the other coaches stunned and delivers a powerful emotional impact.
The performance highlights a less familiar part of David’s artistic history. Although she is widely known as one of Germany’s most successful rappers, she began studying music and dance as a child. She received her first piano lessons at the age of three and later learned to play the violin and oboe. Her training also included attendance at a respected ballet school in Hamburg and the Hamburg Youth Opera Academy.
David is not described as a formally trained opera singer, but her education included classical singing, acting and dance. She also appeared in several opera productions during that period. Those experiences help explain why she can move convincingly into an operatic performance on The Voice, even though her public career has largely been built around contemporary music, visual presentation and social media.
The singer, whose birth name is Barbara Schirin Davidavicius, first became known through YouTube videos focused on lifestyle and entertainment. In 2015, she expanded her ambitions with the single “Du liebst mich nicht,” recorded with Ado Kojo, which reached the top ten of the German singles chart. Two years later, she joined the television panel of Deutschland sucht den Superstar, marking an early step into mainstream TV.
Her major breakthrough arrived in 2019 with the debut album Supersize. The track “Gib Ihm” became her first number-one hit, helping establish the combination of provocative lyrics, elaborate aesthetics and outspoken confidence that remains central to her public image. According to Joyn, David has since collected eight number-one hits, while “Gib Ihm” has surpassed 76 million views. The KitschKrieg collaboration “Gut Genug” extended her record for the most number-one songs by a female artist and also gained attention in the United States.
David’s career has also expanded beyond music. She launched the fragrance “Created By The Community” in 2017 with input from her online community, followed by “Created By Shirin” in collaboration with Douglas. She now sells body-care products through the shirin beauty brand and introduced the iced tea brand DirTea in 2021. Her television appearances have included the second season of Wer stiehlt mir die Show?, where she was part of the panel and hosted one episode.
The Voice of Germany has become another important part of that development. David first joined the coaching lineup in 2023 and is appearing as a coach for the third time in the current season. She shares the red chairs with Rea Garvey, Nico Santos and Michi Beck and Smudo. While she continues to release music, including “Mo’ Money Mo’ Haters” with Summer Cem and the collaboration “Gut Genug,” the opera duet gives audiences a fresh view of the skills behind her modern rap persona. All episodes featuring David are available to watch for free on Joyn.
