Cro in Wuhlheide: Masked man takes 17,000 people hostage in euphoric mood

Cro starts where others end: in the audience. During the first song, the singer leaves the stage and heads to the concrete stands to join his fans. From the crowd to the left of the stage, he sings his new single "Bad Boi." The audience reacts with both shock and excitement, surrounding the two-meter-tall masked man and besieging the space panda. But when Cro finally makes his way back onto the stage, they refuse to let him go. "Guys," he calls out, "I have to work."

Cro, whose real name is Carlo Waibel, is one of the few artists who remains at the top of the charts even after more than a decade – despite, or perhaps precisely because, he has consistently remained anonymous. While others increasingly reveal their personalities and privacy, Cro clings to his trademark – his panda mask.

Anonymity is not a new concept in the international music scene. Daft Punk, for example, wore their futuristic helmets for decades, creating a mystical aura around themselves. US DJ Marshmello still hides behind an oversized marshmallow head, and the virtual band Gorillaz exists exclusively as animated characters.

But especially in Germany, Cro, with his panda mask, is almost a unique phenomenon. While other German artists like Sido shed his skull mask after a few years, Cro has persisted with his self-promotion for over a decade. With this consistent approach, he has achieved something that hardly anyone else in the mainstream has managed: to be constantly present while remaining invisible.

For Cro, the mask is not just a visual trademark, but a protective shield that marks the boundary between public and private spheres. It prevents the usual celebrity cult and directs the focus to what's essential—the music and the art. This balance of visibility and seclusion makes him a special figure in German pop culture, where the entire personality of artists is usually dissected by the media.

Born in 1990 in Mutlangen, near Stuttgart, Cro demonstrated a passion for music from an early age. As a teenager, Carlo Waibel began recording his own songs, playing piano and guitar, and producing his own beats. In 2012, he released his debut album, Raop—a portmanteau of rap and pop.

With this album, he created a new genre that is light-hearted, melodic, and catchy at the same time. Since then, Cro has regularly topped the German charts with albums such as Melodie (2014), tru. (2017), Trip (2021), and 11:11 (2022). A total of more than 9.6 million records have been sold, impressively underscoring his commercial success.

But Cro is more than just a musician. He designed fashion and launched his own collections with his now-defunct label Vio Vio. In recent years, his artistic focus has shifted increasingly to painting. His large-format, colorful canvases oscillate between street art, comics, and pop art. These works reflect the lightness and joy of color that also characterize his music. For him, visual art is another form of expression, allowing him to explore his creativity and expand the boundaries of his work.

Cro maintains a rare balance: he is present and absent at the same time. Plusphoto/IMAGO

For some time now, Cro has been living primarily in Bali, far from the German spotlight. There, he works on new projects, paints, and enjoys the peace and inspiration offered by the tropical surroundings. This move underscores his desire to position himself not just as a musician, but as a versatile artist, consciously escaping the pressures of the music industry.

The fact that he has never revealed his face publicly to this day is almost an art project in itself in times of total visibility. Cro maintains a rare balance: He is present enough to fill entire stadiums and festivals, yet absent enough to avoid being crushed by tabloid headlines. Very little is known about his private life to this day, which only reinforces his fascination for many fans.

His live performances reflect this tension. On stage, Cro combines pulsating beats, poppy hooks, and precisely placed quiet moments into a dynamic performance. This blend creates an atmosphere that conveys both festival ecstasy and an intimate living room feeling. It is this combination of energy and intimacy that distinguishes his concerts and has firmly established him as a unique artist in the German music scene.

"Berlin, you guys are amazing," says Cro, who performs several outfit and makeup changes during his show. All 17,000 people singing along at the Parkbühne Wuhlheide, singing along at their most insanely loud, agree: Cro is amazing. He's a piece from back then, the early 2010s—a journey back to a time that seems within reach once the panda man starts rapping.