No King. No Crown. is an indie folk band hailing from Dresden, Germany, composed of three talented musicians. The band was founded by singer-songwriter René Ahlig, who began his musical journey at the age of 13 and started No King. No Crown. as a solo project about 15 years ago. Ahlig found his musical identity while traveling the world, which led to the release of his debut folk-pop album Heart to Escape in 2012, followed by the sophomore LP Without Yesterday in 2016.
No King. No Crown.'s relentless touring schedule has seen them perform across Europe, with shows in Italy, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bosnia. During this time, the band gained significant online recognition, including reaching the top 30 of the singer-songwriter charts on iTunes with Without Yesterday, and being named “Newcomer of the Week” on Ampya.
For their third album Smoke Signals (2019), No King. No Crown. transitioned from a solo project to a full band, thanks in part to support from Initiative Musik. The album marked a new era for the band, blending their signature indie folk sound with elements of chamber pop and singer-songwriter styles, further enriched by acoustic roots and electronic influences. The result was a distinctive indie folk sound that resonated with listeners, amassing over 7 million plays on Spotify and over a million views on YouTube. Their music has also been featured in German television series on RTL, WDR, KabelEins, and RTL2, and they’ve had radio play on stations such as Deutschlandfunk Kultur, MDR Sputnik, Radio Energy, and MDR Kultur, among others.
In 2019, the band played 55 concerts across Germany, Switzerland, and England. Just before the pandemic hit, No King. No Crown. released an acoustic EP titled Devon Island Session. The global pause provided an opportunity for the band to retreat into their rehearsal room, where they crafted their fourth album, We Made Ourselves a Home, which was released in November 2022.
Continuing their creative journey, the band released an exclusive Piano EP in February 2024. Over the past two years, No King. No Crown. has been on an extensive tour across Germany, sharing their latest work with audiences nationwide. Their music continues to evolve, offering a heartfelt blend of indie folk that connects deeply with listeners, both old and new.