“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

English musician, songwriter and activist

John Lennon was an English musician, songwriter and activist. He became known worldwide as the founder of the Beatles, where he was a co-lead vocalist and played rhythm guitar, later also taking on lead and bass guitar, keyboards and other instruments. His songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney is still regarded as the most successful in history. Lennon’s public image also extended beyond music, through his activism and his role as one of the best-known figures of the Beatles era.