Yesterday, the first seven participants of Unser Song fรผr รsterreich have been announced. Today, it’s time to have a look at these seven: Who are they? What do we know?
Alexa Feser
Alexa Feser was born on 30 December 1979. The 35 year old singer started off as a ballroom dancer, who later went on to become a DJ: DJane. She studied Music in Germany – a study she financed by doing commercial jingles and backing vocals. During these jobs, she met a producer, Peter Ries. In 2008, she released her first album under the name Alexa Phazer.
Alexa always sings in German and will also do so for Unser Song fรผr รsterreich. She has chosen two songs from her latest album,ย Gold von morgen, for the show. Her first pick isย Glรผck and the second pick will beย Mehr Als Ein Lied. Both songs can be found on Spotify.
Andreas Kรผmmert
Andreas Kรผmmert, born on 20 July 1986, is the winner of the 2013 season of The Voice of Germany. The blues and rock singer didn’t need any of the glamour to win the show: his coach Max Herre put faith in him ever since his audition, where he sangย Rocket Man by Elton John. In 2014, he released an album produced by Max Herre:ย Here I Am.
The 28 year old normally sings in English and it’s expected he will also do that for the national final. He hasn’t announced which songs he’s going to use yet.
Faun
Possibly the biggest name of the national final so far. A band consisting of seven members: Fiona Rรผggeberg, Oliver Pade, Niel Mitra, Rรผdiger Maul, Sonja Drakulich, Stephan Groth and Katja Moslehner. Their style can be described as medieval folk music or pagan folk. They use synthesizers accompanied by medieval instruments. Their 2013 albumย Von den Elben sold over 100,000 copies and reached the Gold status in the German album charts. Their duet with 2014 national final participants Santiano,ย Tanz Mit Mir, proved to be a success for the band.
Also Faun have not yet revealed which songs they will perform during the show in Hannover.
Laing
Laing is an all female electro/soul/pop trio from Berlin. The singers are Nicola Rost, Larissa Pesch and Johanna Marshall. They’re accompanied by dancer Marisa Akeny. ย Their stage performances are always simple, yet effective. They’ve participated in the German equivalent of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Bundesvision Song Contest 2012, withย Morgens Immer Mรผde, where they came in second place.
They always sing their songs in German. For Unser Song fรผr รsterreich, they have announced that one of their songs will beย Zeig Deine Muskeln.
Mrs. Greenbird
The 2012 winners of X Factor in Germany: a duo consisting of Sarah Nรผcken and Steffen Brรผckner. Their appearance and style description reminds many people of The Common Linnets, but looking at their songs, the comparison ends with the appearance. They describe their music as singersongwritercountryfolkpop and have released two albums as of yet, with the latest one in 2014.
Mrs. Greenbird have announced that they will be singingย Shine Shine Shine for the national final, but haven’t announced their second song yet.
Noize Generation
Jewgeni Grischbowski is a Ukrainian born DJ, living in Munich. He started his music career in an alternative rock band as their drummer, but soon realised that wasn’t his style of music. Nowadays, he’s a well known DJ in the German club scene. He’s made many remixes of well known songs (such asย Love Runs Out), but will have to come up with original songs for USfร. The question is whether Jewgeni willย sing his songs himself, something he’s never done before, or ask a guest vocalist to join him on stage.
Officially, none of the songs for Noize Generation have been confirmed yet. It is however expected that his new single,ย A Song For You, will be one of the songs.
Fahrenhaidt
Fahrenhaidt is a duo consisting of Andreas John and Erik Macholl, famous for composing and producing songs for other artists. They’re a completely new name to the German music scene in this formation. Their style is described as modern nature pop and they’re about to release their debut album. Nor Andreas, nor Erik are singers, so they’ve asked the help of guest vocalists in all of their songs. Two of them are relatively unknown, but one of them is possibly the most famous name for Eurovision fans. First of all, there’s Amanda Pedersen, a young Danishย singer. Secondly, there’s a young Canadian singer, called Alice Merton. The third vocalist gets praise for her crystal clear voice: a Danish singer known by the name of Emmelie de Forest. That’s right: the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 is one of the guest vocalists for Fahrenhaidt.
Fahrenhaidt have not confirmed any of the songs nor the singers for the German national final. For now, it seems there is a chance, even if it’s not the most logical choice, that Emmelie de Forest may appear in Hannover on 5 March.
The wildcard
The eighth participant of Unser Song fรผr รsterreich will be decided in the Club Konzert, where ten new talents will be asked to perform their songs, mentored by Andreas Bourani. Last year, mentored by Adel Tawil, Elaiza won the wildcard to the national final. Surprisingly, they then fought off all competition, including the famous acts Unheilig, Oceana and The Baseballs, and went on to represent Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 withย Is It Right.
The German national final, Unser Song fรผr รsterreich, will take place on 5 March in Hannover. The Club Konzert will take place on 19 February and will be broadcast on NDR.
