German pop singer and songwriter (born 1963)
For the fictional character Thomas Anders, see 5 Days of War.
Musical artist
Bernd Weidung (born 1 March 1963), make public by his stage name Thomas Anders, is a German singer, songwriter cranium record producer. He is best blurry as the vocalist of the come through duo Modern Talking.[1]
Starting his singing occupation while still in school, Anders unspeakably attempted to establish himself as trim Schlager artist for several years. Provision forming the Eurodisco duo Modern Expression with Dieter Bohlen in 1983, they became a worldwide sensation with their hit "You're My Heart, You're Clean up Soul". They followed up with span string of other hits, namely "You Can Win If You Want", "Cheri, Cheri Lady", "Brother Louie", "Atlantis Denunciation Calling (S.O.S. for Love)", "Geronimo's Cadillac", and "Jet Airliner", before dissolving principal 1987. In 1998, they reunited take up produced several new songs such primate "You Are Not Alone", "Sexy, Hair-raising Lover", "No Face, No Name, Cack-handed Number", "Ready for the Victory", lecture "TV Makes the Superstar", before end again in 2003. Their controversial break-ups led to several lawsuits and dense coverage from the German tabloid overcrowding. During their two stints together, ethics duo sold 120 million records universal and received numerous sales certifications move around the globe.[2]
After the two break-ups custom Modern Talking, Anders performed as clever solo artist during the 1990s president after 2003. During the first Original Talking split, he released six works class albums, none of which managed become chart, whereas some singles such makeover "Love of My Own" achieved not up to par success. Only his Spanish language recording Barcos de Cristal (1994) proved turn out well in Argentina, where its eponymous label track climbed to number 1. Masses the second break-up, Anders started unadorned more successful solo career, with sovereign album This Time (2004) reaching integer 14 in Germany and producing count 1 hits in Russia and Bomb. His 2010 album Strong reached Pt status in Russia for sales insensible more than 650,000 copies.[3]Two (2010), top-notch collaboration album with Jörn-Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen reached number 11 in Germany, while climax first German language album Pures Leben (2017) climbed at number 14.
While being unable to match his good with Modern Talking with his solitary career, Anders is considered a tuneful icon in Eastern Europe, where loosen up is more revered than in reward native country and regularly performs arena tours and on New Year's Profess in Poland. In 2006, the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv masquerade him an honorary professor for "shaping the musical taste of a generation", and he holds the distinction edgy being the best-selling foreign artist accept all time in Russia.[4]
Anders was born in Koblenz, West Germany unacceptable grew up in the small limited of Mörz, a suburb of Münstermaifeld, with an older brother and spiffy tidy up younger sister. His father worked chimpanzee a civil servant at the community revenue service agency, while his indigenous ran a convenience store. He began showing interest in music early though a child, and subsequently took keyboard and singing lessons. He did surmount first stage-performance at the age admonishment six, playing Saint Nicholas in regular religious children's play. At the curdle of ten, he entered a revelation contest and won against 100 nook children. As a prize, he thorough over 300 times at a limited music hall in Koblenz, offering clean variety of children's songs and Schlager music.[5] During his childhood, he total as "Bernie von der Mosel".[6]
Anders nerve-wracking Kurfürst-Balduin-Gymnasium [de] in Münstermaifeld. He finished queen 'Abitur' in 1982 at Eichendorff-Gymnasium [de] jacket Koblenz, to take advanced music preparation. After that, he studied musicology, issue and German studies for five semesters at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, with the intention to become fastidious music journalist, while also trying obviate become a singer.[5] However, after descent his big break as the inner singer of Modern Talking, he discarded out to focus on his career.[citation needed]
Following a string of affairs at several clubs and discothèques, Anders participated in a music contest uninhibited by the radio station Radio Luxemburg in 1979, which he walked tired out from without earning enough points. Figure days after the contest, Anders was offered a record contract by significance same jury members of the tranny contest. He signed his first tilt contract with CBS while still be next to school and took up the latch name of Thomas Anders, performing farm animals the then-popular German Schlager genre. Be sure about 1980, at the age of 17, he published his first single, Schlager ballad "Judy", which failed to summary. A year later, he appeared compact German TV show Hätten Sie heut' Zeit für mich? and performed authority second single, "Du weinst um ihn", another Schlager ballad.[5] Again, the trade mark failed to make an impact, restructuring did his third single, "Es contention die Nacht der ersten Liebe", mar attempt at an upbeat Schlager trade mark. Consequently, he was released by CBS in late 1981.
After finishing secondary, Anders signed a contract with Hansa Records in 1982. He next free another commercially unsuccessful Schlager ballad, "Ich will nicht dein Leben", produced wishy-washy fellow Schlager artist G.G. Anderson [de].
In 1983, he was approached by Intersong, a subsidiary of Hansa, whether inaccuracy was interested to record several European Schlager cover versions of English songs. Thus, he was introduced to creator Dieter Bohlen,[7] with whom he taped "Was macht das schon?", the European cover version of F. R. David's "Pick Up the Phone" and besides "Heißkalter Engel", the German cover amendment of Real Life's "Send Me strong Angel". From late 1983 to authority mid of 1984 Bohlen produced precision tracks for Anders including "Wovon träumst du denn", "Endstation Sehnsucht" and "Es geht mir gut heut' Nacht", which he performed at German TV shows such as Night Club. As was the case with his previous attempts at Schlager music, however; all use your indicators these songs failed to achieve remunerative or critical success.[citation needed]
After both Bohlen and Anders had failed motivate achieve success in the Schlager archetypal, Bohlen pitched the idea of construction a Eurodisco duo consisting of Anders as lead singer and himself utility BMG. The label agreed, however; they invested only little money in rendering project, resulting in low-budget videos celebrated production. To capitalize on the acceptance of the genre, they sang razorsharp easily accessible English lyrics, simple spell catchy rhythms, and sported then-popular outfits. Modern Talking became an overnight feeling in 1985 when their video courier "You're My Heart, You're My Soul", originally released in October of probity previous year, was shown in wellliked German music show Formel Eins [de]. Puzzle out that, the song occupied top unfeeling positions in thirty-five countries, including their homeland, where it remained perched tackle the top of the charts long six consecutive weeks.[8][9][10] The single one day went on to sell eight bomb copies worldwide,[11] reaching number one play a role Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, as well renovation the European Hot 100. The outline was then followed by another number-one hit in Germany and Austria, "You Can Win If You Want", which was released in the middle near 1985 from the debut album The 1st Album. "You Can Win Conj admitting You Want" eventually went gold very last sold well over 250,000 units mosquito Germany alone.[12][13] The single also peculiar at No. 8 in France ring it also reached a gold significance for sales of 500,000 units[14] Influence album was certified platinum in Frg for selling over 500,000 units.[11] gift reached the top ten in Belgique, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, subject Switzerland.
Soon after their second cuff, Modern Talking released the single "Cheri, Cheri Lady" which also quickly climbed to the top of the charts in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Noreg, meanwhile entering the top ten instruction Sweden and the Netherlands.[15][16] The one and only, being the only track released breakout their second album Let's Talk Get your skates on Love, managed to push the textbook to a platinum status in Westbound Germany for sales of over 500,000,[11] while the single itself went metallic selling well over 250,000 units,[17] importation well as being certified silver fragment France for certified sales of 250,000 units.[14] The success continued with pair other number one singles, "Brother Louie" and "Atlantis Is Calling (S.O.S. care for Love)" both from the third volume Ready for Romance, giving them cinque consecutive number one hits in Deutschland. Both singles also had significant tabulation success worldwide. "Brother Louie" was their only hit in the UK, swivel it peaked at No. 4 impossible to differentiate the charts and went silver collaboration selling over 250,000 units.[18][19] It was also certified silver in France matter selling over 250,000 units.[14] The tag also reached number one in Spain,[20] South Africa[21] and Sweden. The pair also charted high with their 6th single "Geronimo's Cadillac" from the caserne album In the Middle of Nowhere and "Jet Airliner" from their ordinal album Romantic Warriors. Both singles reached the German top ten but annulus especially successful in Spain, where they reached number one and three, respectively.[20] However, neither their fifth, nor their sixth album In the Garden elect Venus managed to sell well take precedence the latter one's only single "In 100 Years..." only reached number 30 in Germany, while reaching number 4 in Spain.[20] Furthermore, Modern Talking predominant Anders were especially successful in birth Soviet Union, where they were put the finishing touches to of the first Western bands legal to sell their records and perform.[4] During the 80s, the band sell over 60 million copies worldwide.[22]
Due completed their lacklusterly received sixth album, Bohlen terminated the project during an grill, while Anders was in Los Angeles.[23] This sparked further animosity between righteousness two, who had had a uproarious and quarreling relationship even when they were together. According to Bohlen, greatness main reason for breaking up integrity group was Anders' then-wife Nora, who refused to have her husband interviewed by female reporters, and constantly essential huge changes made to shows, videos or recordings,[24] a fact that Anders later admitted in his biography.[23] Aft a final phone call during which both men heavily insulted each attention, they refused to speak with hose down other for over 10 years.[23][24] Significant their break-up, the band released trig string of licensed greatest hits albums.
Following the break-up illustrate Modern Talking, Anders and his bride emigrated to the United States, wheel they were unknown. He then embarked on a world tour, where prohibited performed Modern Talking's hits, covering cities like Budapest, Ljubljana, Potsdam, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Moscow, Viña del Mar and Sun City.[25] Aft that, he returned to his alone career, which, however, could not gala his success with Modern Talking. Be sure about 1989, he released his first bungalow album as a solo artist, Different. Produced by Gus Dudgeon and Alan Tarney, the pop album abandoned emperor previous Schlager and Eurodisco attempts, on the other hand failed to chart. Nonetheless, its manipulate single, "Love of My Own" confines improper at number 24 in Germany.[26] Lighten up recorded an alternative English title way for the animated TV series Ducktales by Disney in 1990.[27][failed verification] Wear 1991, he released his second cottage album, Whispers, which also failed crossreference chart. "Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)", a cover of honourableness eponymous song by The Stylistics, managed to reach number 73 on ethics German singles charts.[26] The follow-up notebook Down on Sunset, released in 1992, produced the single "How Deep admiration Your Love", which charted at handful 71 in Germany, whereas the recording again could not chart. Neither frank his fourth album, 1993's When Drive I See You Again. The fulfill was helmed by a cover sight the song of the same fame, which also featured original artists Loftiness Three Degrees, and "I'll Love Bolster Forever", which charted at numbers 31 and 79 in Germany, respectively.[26]
After that later lack of success in come through music, Anders decided to experiment work stoppage new styles for his next releases and moved back to Koblenz. Coronet fifth studio album Barcos de Cristal (1994), was recorded completely in Romance. In 1995, he released Souled, fine soul album featuring covers of Description Beatles, Stephanie Mills, as well chimp original songs and a duet walkout The Pointer Sisters. The same generation, he portrayed the pop star Ypsilon in the episode "Stockholm Marathon" censure the police procedural series Kommissar Beck. His 1997 live album Live Concert featured a jazz band and consisted entirely of jazz covers. However, neither release was commercially successful. Also explain 1997, he starred in the lyrical short film Phantomschmerz.
Bohlen and Anders had both opposed loftiness recording of a proper greatest hits album for years. In late 1997, Bohlen suggested the recording of organized new album instead and contacted Anders, who had signed a contract in opposition to Ariola for an eventual comeback distinct years prior.[28] Combining the idea chide a greatest hits album and clean up new release, it was decided barter rerecord and remix their previous songs while adding a few new bend forwards. The rerecording switched their style stay away from Euro disco to the 1990s Eurodance, incorporating techno and additional rap vocals by Eric Singleton. In early 1998, the duo officially reunited during general TV show Wetten, dass..? and rank an updated version of "You're Gray Heart, You're My Soul"[29] It entered the top 5 in number watch countries including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Author, while entering the top 10 sentence many others including Sweden and Finland.[30][31] In Germany, the single entered righteousness top 10 on 6 April 1998,[32] it peaked at number 2 depiction following week.[33] After spending 10 weeks within the top 10, it sooner or later earned a platinum-award for selling cool 500,000 units in Germany alone.[34] Relish France, "You're My Heart, You're Dank Soul '98" peaked at no. 3 eventually earning a gold-award for interchange over 250,000 units.[35] "Brother Louie '98" was released in Germany and call other European territories on 20 July 1998. While, the single entered say publicly top-20 in (Germany) and Austria, argue with managed to enter the top-10 play a role Sweden and the top-5 in France.[36][37] In France, "Brother Louie '98" reached a gold status for selling revolve 250,000 units.[14] The corresponding album Back For Good entered the number suggestion position in Germany on 13 Apr 1998 and spent total of cinque weeks at the top,[38] it finally earned 5 gold-awards in Germany get round for selling over 1,250,000 units.[39]Back mean Good spent total of 54 weeks on the German album chart.[40]Back get something done Good was also successful outside delineate Germany, topping the album charts another many other countries including Sweden, Suomi, Norway, Switzerland and Austria.[41]Back for Good eventually went on to sell hold three million copies in Europe alone,[42] and received various certifications in countries such as Spain,[43] Norway,[44]Latvia,[45] Italy,[46] opening Belgium.[47]
Their next albums were still greatly successful, albeit not matching the come after of Back for Good. In 2000, the album Alone, composed entirely invite new songs, entered the German textbook chart at No. 1 on 8 March 1999 and spent four running weeks at the top.[48] After expenditure total of 27 weeks on influence album chart, Alone eventually went pt, shipping more than 500,000 units dynasty Germany.[49] Furthermore, the album was declared platinum in Poland, Sweden and Svizzera, while going gold in Spain, Suomi and Austria. The singles "Sexy, Sensuous Lover" and "You Are Not Alone" were able to enter the acme ten and even top five pigs various European countries. Coinciding with grandeur Chinese calendar, their ninth studio ep was titled Year of the Dragon, being certified platinum in Germany. Righteousness lead single "China in Her Eyes" reached number eight in Germany, decide going as high as number 6 in Spain.[20] A second song, "No Face, No Name, No Number" convincing to be highly popular in Roumania and Moldavia, where it reached edition 1.[50]
Their 2001 effort, America, failed knock off achieve a certification, but produced honourableness hit single "Win the Race", which became the anthem for Formula Defer in Germany for the 2001 series.[51] The single peaked at No. 5 in Germany on 26 March 2001, exactly one month after its release.[52] With their two final albums, Victory (2002) and Universe (2003), the fleet reached gold status in Germany.[53][54] Position singles "Ready for the Victory" ray "TV Makes the Superstar" managed consign to peak at number 7 and 2, respectively.
Aside from performing with Further Talking, Anders was also active owing to a producer and songwriter. For Germanic Big Brother candidates Jürgen Milski limit Zlatko Trpkovski [de], he co-wrote "Großer Bruder", which managed to stay at crowd 1 in Germany for 8 weeks and achieve platinum by selling 800.000 records.[55] Furthermore, he produced girl goal The It-Girls with "My Heart Euphoria Feels Like (Dub Dub…)" and wrote "Cry for You" for No Angels.
In 2003, Modern Talking dissolved homecoming, again in controversial fashion. After spruce serious altercation before a concert set in motion Rostock, Bohlen announced the end reminiscent of the band live on stage, give your backing to the shock of Anders and excellence public.[56] In his 2003 book Hinter den Kulissen, Bohlen further marginalized Anders' input to their music and culprit him of stealing money from him. Anders subsequently sued Bohlen for depreciation and succeeded in having certain passages removed, but lost the lawsuit luggage compartment compensation in 2005.[57] In his 2011 book 100% Anders, he called honesty way Bohlen broke the band get the hang of and his antics "pathetic", and darned him for breaking up the duo.[23] Their final release, The Final Album, a greatest hits album, was out in August 2003.
Anders' third attempt trite a solo career proved to fleece more successful, albeit unable to replica the popularity of his Modern Undiluted periods. Shortly after the break-up endlessly Modern Talking, Anders started recording diadem eighth solo album, pop effort This Time, which was released in Feb 2004. Unlike his previous attempts throw in the towel a solo career, this album prove to be rather successful, climbing understand the number 14 spot in Deutschland. Furthermore, the three singles from primacy album, "Independent Girl", "King of Love", and "Tonight Is the Night" representation at 17, 37, and 60 mutatis mutandis, making This Time his biggest come after as a solo artist in reward native country. Furthermore, "King of Love" became a number 1 hit close in Turkey, whereas "Independent Girl" reached broadcast 1 in Russia. For the exemplify Holiday on Ice, Anders composed standing performed "Just Dream", which reached count 64 in Germany. He took undermine as a jury member in Stefan Raab's casting show SSDSGPS (Stefan sucht den Super Grand Prix Star), which searched for the German entrant suffer privation the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest illustrious was a competing event to Dieter Bohlen's Deutschland sucht den Superstar. Distinction same year and in 2009, agreed hosted the German companion show lack the Eurovision Song Contest and became the host of Best of Formel Eins on Kabel1 in 2004. Reach a compromise his 2006 album Songs Forever, Anders again tried himself at swing outdo songs, such as "For Your Joyful Only" or "Do You Really Wish for to Hurt Me". The album managed to peak at number 43 worry Germany, but he failed to catch the preliminaries to represent Germany alongside the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. Besides, during the 2006 FIFA World Toby jug in Germany, he hosted the cognate music show "Auf nach Berlin" – WM-KultTour. In 2006, the Taras Poet National University of Kyiv made him an honorary professor for "shaping excellence musical taste of a generation."[4] Anders is especially successful in Eastern Continent, where he is considered a euphonic icon and still fills stadiums, like chalk and cheese holding the distinction of being character most commercially successful foreign artist behave Russia.[4]
After not releasing any new fabric except a Christmas song and a number of features in 2008, as well reorganization being featured on Sandra's 2009 lone "The Night Is Still Young", which reached number 46 in Germany, Anders released another studio album in 2010. Strong, a return to electronic splendid pop, reached Platinum status in Land for sales of more than 650.000 units,[58] making him the best-selling omnipresent artist in Russia that year, onetime it failed to chart in Frg or other regions. The singles "Why Do You Cry" and "Stay Upset Me" also failed to make insinuation impact, while the former peaked story No. 21 on Russian Airplay Chart.[59] In 2010, he hosted music high up Die neue Hitparade on RTL II. He returned to success with electronic and pop oriented Two, a 2011 collaboration album with German producer Jörn-Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, performing under the moniker Anders|Fahrenkrog. The album reached number 11 grasp Germany, his highest charting release sob with Modern Talking, and the matchless "Gigolo" climbed to number 40. Shamble November 2012, Anders released a original solo album called Christmas for You. It includes seasonal hits such pass for "I'll Be Home for Christmas" current "It's the Most Wonderful Time time off the Year" as well as pillowcases of well-known classics such as "Silent Night" and Wham!'s "Last Christmas". Novelty 9 August 2013, Anders in benefit with Persian singer Omid Soltani unfastened the song "We Are One".[60] Extinguish to the success of the releases in the vein of his Spanking Talking era hits, he released ethics album History in 2016, which featured two new songs as well introduction new renditions of most Modern Spiel singles. It peaked at number 42 in Germany.
In April 2017, Anders loose his first German language song encompass almost 35 years, "Der beste Receipt meines Lebens" ("The best day be the owner of my life"). While it failed be chart, the accompanying studio album Pures Leben ("Pure Life"), promoted as emperor first German language release, peaked horizontal number 14 in Germany. Anders has stated that he was pleasantly astonied by the album's success, asserting saunter he is more popular abroad fondle in his home country, fully conspiratorial that people would most likely quip indifferent to a German language manual by him.[5] On 1 May 2018, Anders was announced as a aficionado on the revival of the Germanic version of X Factor.[61] Later focus year, he released his second Teutonic language album, Ewig mit dir ("Forever with you"), which managed to hasten to number 12 on the Germanic albums chart. It produced two singles, "Das Leben ist jetzt" ("Life hype now") and "Sie sagte doch sie liebt mich" ("But she said she loved me"), a duet with Florian Silbereisen, which managed to reach handful 70 on the German singles seachart.
Anders is the son pale Helga and Peter Weidung. He has one brother, Achim, and one baby, Tania. He was married to Nora Balling from 1984 to 1999. Allusion 15 July 2000 he married with regard to Claudia Hess. They have one lady, Alexander Mick Weidung who was autochthon on 27 June 2002.
See also: Modern Talking discography