Ikke Hüftgold Gets Serious: Engagement in Paris with Nina Reh

Ikke Hüftgold Gets Serious: Engagement in Paris with Nina Reh

Palma, April 7, 2026. A photo appeared on Instagram that is currently making the rounds at the bars on the Playa de Palma just as quickly as at the tables of cafés in Santa Catalina: a hand sparkling in front of the Eiffel Tower, accompanied by a simple "Two times YES." Behind it are Matthias Distel, the schlager singer known as Ikke Hüftgold, and his partner Nina Reh.

Those who have watched the couple know: this is not a hasty wedding, but something that has grown over years. The two have been together since 2021; it all began at one of his performances, and they later kept in touch via Instagram. Nina now performs on stages around the Ballermann herself. The age difference — he is in his late 40s, she in her mid-20s — is shrugged off by the pair: "We don't really feel that far apart," Distel has said. This spring, however, the prevailing feeling is joy.

The engagement has a little backstory. Distel apparently planned the proposal for some time; a short trip to Paris was a Christmas surprise. The first attempt in the Louvre failed because of the crowds, another at the Eiffel Tower rehearsal was foiled by the wind. It was only on the viewing platform of Galeries Lafayette that the moment came and she said yes. Such anecdotes prompt amused smiles on the island: romance with a touch of chaos, as one knows from genuine, loud Mallorcans.

One can imagine how the news hit the Playa de Palma: on the promenade, between ice cream parlors and souvenir stalls, several regulars and landlords were on the phone yesterday with shining eyes. In the bars in front of the Bierkönig, where Distel often performs, the photo was celebrated — the Bierkönig's opening days are coming up anyway (from April 16) and for many regulars live shows and the little dramas of life go hand in hand.

Congratulations from colleagues quickly poured in on social media: names from the scene like Isi Glück, Malin Brown, Julian Benz and Frenzy sent short, warm messages. Distel himself joked that his phone was "flooded" after the post. Such reactions show: the schlager and party scene still has faces people recognize — and they fit the picture of an island that is slowly rolling into the season.

For Mallorca, such an engagement is not only a private matter. Celebrity couples attract attention: photographers, fans and even brides-to-be who consider the island as a backdrop for their own celebrations. Distel has already announced that the wedding is planned for 2027; until then they want to perform the upcoming season and start concrete planning in the autumn. Whether the celebration will take place here is still open, but the idea of a vow with the Serra de Tramuntana in the background or a beach party at the Playa de Palma fits well with local imagination.

What remains as a small, positive impression from this news? First, the everyday: people in Palma smiling over the picture while having coffee, waiters passing the news on, musicians backstage looking forward to what’s coming. Second, a signal for the scene: continuity, familiar faces, the season has reliability. And third, a personal tone: two people standing together, making plans and carrying the island in their hearts.

An ironic thought to finish: while season boats are already being polished on the coast and Palma's street sweepers brush away the last traces of winter, a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower is enough to make the champagne corks pop at the bar. For many on Mallorca that is a reason to smile — and for others perhaps a reminder that love rarely pays attention to numbers.

So if you come to the Bierkönig in the coming weeks, keep your eyes open. You might see not only familiar tunes and parties, but also two people who want to continue their journey together — and the island will be smiling along.