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{{Lead too short|date=May 2024}}{{Infobox musical artist | name = Francisca Urio | image = AV0A1097 Franciska Urio.jpg | caption = Urio in 2018 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|2|6|mf=y}} | death_date = | origin = Meiningen, Thuringia, East Germany | genre = Rhythm and blues, Soul | occupation = Singer-songwriter, radio presenter, model | years_active = 1996–present | label = | website = [http://www.francisca-urio.de/ www.francisca-urio.de] }} '''Francisca Urio''' (born February 6, 1981, in Meiningen, Thuringia, East Germany<ref name="francisca-urio.de">[http://www.francisca-urio.de/ francisca-urion.de]</ref>) is a German singer-songwriter and radio presenter of Afro-German heritage who lives in Berlin.
== Personal life == Francisca Urio was born in Meiningen, a town in southern Thuringia but grew up in Berlin as the only child of her German mother Monica and her father Geoffrey from Tanzania, both architects who met while studying in Dresden.<ref>Der Tagesspiegel (April 25, 2007): [http://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/archiv/25.04.2007/3222066.asp Im echten Leben zurück] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070529052319/http://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/archiv/25.04.2007/3222066.asp |date=May 29, 2007}}</ref> Her father's RnB, Soul and Pop music collection influenced her music taste from an early age. Her first stage experience was at pre-school age as an extra in a ''Porgy and Bess'' performance at the Berlin Theater des Westens. She attended the Fläming-Grundschule in 12159 Berlin-Friedenau and the Paul-Natorp-Gymnasium in 12161 Berlin. After finishing school with the Abitur in 2000 she decided to pursue her singing career full-time.
She is engaged to socially deprived children and was patroness of the network Take-My-Hand e.V.
== Music career ==
=== ''Silvashado'' band === In 1996, Francisca Urio founded together with Priscilla Harris, N'gone Thiam and Boussa Thiam the band ''Silvashado'' in Berlin. They performed regularly in clubs in Berlin and at festivals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.<ref>[http://www.priscilla-harris.de/referenzen/index.html Tourlist, Priscilla Harris webpage] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928210644/http://www.priscilla-harris.de/referenzen/index.html |date=September 28, 2007}}</ref> In 2002, the band took part at a performance in Dresden in front of the ''Sempera Opera House'' for eighty-thousand helpers in the 2002 100-year flood. The band toured and performed with singers like O-Town, Mary J. Blige,<ref>[http://francisca-urio.de/index.php?id=5 Francisca Urio – offizielle Homepage<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015203201/http://francisca-urio.de/index.php?id=5 |date=October 15, 2007}}</ref> Ben,<ref name="ben">Ben ''Hörproben Live'' ([https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0000AN345 ASIN])</ref> Seal,<ref name="seal">Seal ''One Night to Remember'' ([https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000E97ZZA ASIN])</ref> Mousse T.,<ref name="bild1">Bild Online (6.2.2007): [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/02/06/superstars-profi-saenger/dsds-betrug-kandidaten.html Was haben Profis bei den Superstars zu suchen?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070318021540/http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/02/06/superstars-profi-saenger/dsds-betrug-kandidaten.html |date=March 18, 2007}}</ref> Shakira, and Wyclef Jean<ref name="rtl">[http://www.rtl.de/musik/superstar_932772.php RTLmusik biography]</ref> and featured on concert DVDs with Ben<ref name="ben"/> and Seal (''One Night to Remember'', recorded live in Düsseldorf).<ref name="seal"/> After first Boussa and later N'gone Thiam left the band, Urio and Harris continued as duo until their last concert in October 2006<ref name="bild1"/> when they started to concentrate on their solo careers.
thumb|left|Urio performing 2012 in Cologne
=== ''Deutschland sucht den Superstar'' === Francisca Urio gained national recognition as contestant and 'Top 10' finalist in the 2007 German "Idol" version ''Deutschland sucht den Superstar'' (DSDS) broadcast by RTL. She was considered a unique talent,<ref>Süddeutsche Zeitung (11.3.2007): [http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/artikel/177/105072/ "Licence to kill" – ein Star namens Francisca] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070527213244/http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/artikel/177/105072/ |date=May 27, 2007}}</ref> having the best voice<ref>Bild Online (1.4.2007): [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/01/dsds-voting/francisca-schock.html Wer wird jetzt Superstar?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070513125329/http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/01/dsds-voting/francisca-schock.html |date=May 13, 2007}}</ref> and being the favorite<ref>Bild Online (3.4.2007): [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/03/francisca-superstars/lauren-zuneigung-zuschauer.html Warum Deutschland Lauren mehr liebt als Francisca?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070522112358/http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/03/francisca-superstars/lauren-zuneigung-zuschauer.html |date=May 22, 2007}}</ref><ref>laut.de: [http://www.laut.de/vorlaut/news/2007/04/01/14871/index.htm DSDS: Beste Stimme ausgeschieden]</ref> in this competition, not only by the jury but also gaining acclamation by professional singers like the bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff.
On February 6, 2007, the German newspaper ''Bild'' appeared with an article accusing Francisca Urio and her friend Priscilla Harris (who was also a contestant at the casting show) to be professional singers, having already recorded CDs and are therefore not entitled to take part in the competition.<ref name="bild1"/> However the accusations where quickly dismissed as the rules of the DSDS show only prohibit participants to have a current recording contract but not to have previous professional experience.<ref>RTL Online: [http://www.rtl.de/musik/superstar_931377.php?set_id=8244 DSDS-Kandidaten wehren sich gegen Profivorwürfe] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070227183208/http://www.rtl.de/musik/superstar_931377.php?set_id=8244 |date=February 27, 2007}}</ref>
Despite the praise her performances received from the jury<ref>Die Welt (1.4.2007): [https://www.welt.de/fernsehen/article788330/Francisca_Urio_hat_es_nicht_geschafft.html Francisca Urio hat es nicht geschafft]</ref> Francisca Urio was unexpectedly eliminated in the 4th motto show, which equally surprised the jury,<ref>Bild Online (2.4.2007): [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/02/dsds-francisca/superstar-schock.html Flog die Beste raus, weil sie zu schön ist?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070521043642/http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/02/dsds-francisca/superstar-schock.html |date=May 21, 2007}}</ref> the other candidates<ref>VIVIANO Magazin: [http://www.viviano.de/ak/News-Musik/deutschland-sucht-den-superstar-11527.shtml DSDS: Kandidaten noch immer fassungslos] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927023421/http://www.viviano.de/ak/News-Musik/deutschland-sucht-den-superstar-11527.shtml |date=September 27, 2007}}</ref> and the viewers.<ref>Der Tagesspiegel (3.4.2007): [http://www.tagesspiegel.de/weltspiegel/archiv/03.04.2007/3181277.asp Warum flog Francisca raus?]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>Bild Online (2.4.2007): [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/02/dsds-francisca-aus/fan-wut.html Fan-Wut nach Franciscas Aus] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526120411/http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/02/dsds-francisca-aus/fan-wut.html |date=May 26, 2007}}</ref> However, in an online voting with over hundred thousand votes organized by the newspaper ''Bild'' after the casting show was finished, Francisca Urio won the voting by a small margin ahead of the DSDS winner Mark Medlock.<ref>Bild Online: [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/05/06/dsds-voting-zusammenfassung/bilder-voting/superstars.html Superstar online voting] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070516034851/http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/05/06/dsds-voting-zusammenfassung/bilder-voting/superstars.html |date=May 16, 2007}}</ref>
=== Solo career === In 2006, Francisca Urio toured through Germany with the musical show ''The Magic Night of Dancing Musicals'' in which she presented 5 songs as solo singer. Since 2003, she was a presenter at the Berlin radio station ''Jazz Radio''. thumb|right|Urio 2011 in St. Petersburg The radio station ''Spreeradio 105.5'' arranged for Francisca Urio to perform and record with the ''Filmorchester Babelsberg'' in May 2007.<ref>Die Welt (April 4, 2007): [https://www.welt.de/fernsehen/article793396/Zweite_Chance_fuer_Francisca_Urio.html Zweite Chance für Francisca Urio]</ref>
Urio was invited to take part on May 22 and 23, 2007 in the semi-finals of the ''International Competition Of Young Singers of Popular Music'' "New Wave 2007" in Moscow and qualified for the finals which took place in Jūrmala, Latvia from July 25 to 30, 2007. She reached the 5th place in the competition.<ref>[http://www.newwavestars.com/en/singers.html New Wave Competition] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070909051206/http://www.newwavestars.com/en/singers.html |date=September 9, 2007 }}</ref>
On July 7, 2007, Urio sung the American national anthem before the fight between IBF/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and challenger Lamon Brewster in Cologne in front of an audience of 19500 spectators and millions of television viewers.
In 2008, she started recording her debut album with producer Dieter Falk. The album called ''Alpha Girl'' was released on June 10, 2011.
In February 2010 she was the show-act at the Rosenball charity-event in Munich for the Tabaluga children foundation.<ref name="francisca-urio.de"/>
At the festival ''White Nights of St.Petersburg'' she won the prize for 'Best Newcomer 2011' for her album ''Alpha Girl''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://wnfestival.com/fest?id=19000 |title=White Nights of St. Petersburg |access-date=November 12, 2013 |archive-date=November 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112163606/http://wnfestival.com/fest?id=19000 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Discography ==
=== Album === * 2011 ''Alpha Girl'' (Nji-Music)
=== Singles === * 2001 Silvashado: ''Die Reise durch mein ich'' (Sony Music Entertainment/BERLIN RECORDS) * 2010 ''It's a woman's world'' (NJI Media) * 2010 ''Baila Commigo'' (NJI Media) * 2011 ''We Are One'' (Nji-Music) * 2011 ''Stomp your Feet'' (Nji-Music)
=== Sampler === * 2007 ''Power of Love'' (joined release of all finale participants of ''Deutschland sucht den Superstar'') ** ''If I Ain't Got You'' ** ''If You Don't Know Me By Now'' (Francisca Urio and the DSDS-Top-10)
== DVD appearances == * 2003 Ben ''Hörproben Live'' * 2005 Seal ''One Night to Remember''
== References == <references />
== External links == {{commons category}} * [http://francisca-urio.de/ Official homepage] (in German) * {{IMDb name|id=2538501|name=Francisca Urio}} * [http://www.news-on-tour.de/?p=599 Article with photos of the singer]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Urio, Francisca}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:People from Meiningen Category:German people of Tanzanian descent Category:German soul singers Category:Deutschland sucht den Superstar participants Category:German radio presenters Category:German women radio presenters Urio, Francisca Category:21st-century German women singers