Michelle (German singer)

{{short description|German schlager singer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{BLP sources|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox musical artist |name = Michelle |image = Michelle, Vienna 2009 (2).jpg |caption = Michelle in 2009 |birth_name = Tanja Gisela Hewer |alias = |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1972|2|15}} |birth_place = [[Villingen-Schwenningen]], West Germany |death_date = |origin = |genre = {{hlist|[[Schlager music|Schlager]]|[[Europop]]}} |occupation = Singer |years_active = 1993–present |label = |website = }} '''Tanja Gisela Hewer'''<ref>{{Cite web|date=10 December 2020|title=Erlebte selbst häusliche Gewalt: Schlagersängerin Michelle {{!}} Das Erste|url=https://www.mdr.de/brisant/promi-klatsch/michelle-kindheit-eltern-100.html|access-date=14 April 2021|website=mdr.de|language=de}}</ref> (born 15 February 1972), known by the stage name '''Michelle''', is a German [[Schlager music|schlager]] singer. She represented Germany in the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2001]] with the song ''[[Wer Liebe lebt]]'' ("To Live for Love"),<ref>[http://www.schlagerhits.de/michelle/bio/ Koch Universal]</ref> which placed eighth from 23 participating countries with 66 points.<ref name="ev">[http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=266 Eurovision Song Contest 2001]</ref> Since her debut in 1992 she has won numerous awards, including two [[Echo Music Prize|Echo awards]], two [[Goldene Stimmgabel]]n and two [[Amadeus Austrian Music Awards|Amadeus Austria awards]]. She sold more than 6,2 Million Copies in Europe.

== Early life == Born in [[Villingen-Schwenningen]], Michelle grew up in [[Blumberg]] with a sister and a brother in a difficult social background, her parents being violent alcoholics. At the age of 10 she became a foster child.<ref>[http://www.laut.de/wortlaut/artists/m/michelle/biographie/index.htm German music magazine ''Laut'']</ref> She has been singing in local amateur bands since age 14.

== Career == [[File:Michelle in Berlijn.jpg|thumb|Michelle in Berlin, 2017]] Through a friend who was working at a state broadcast company, she got the chance to perform on German TV in 1993. Popular German singer [[Kristina Bach]] recognized Michelle's talent. A little bit later, the songwriter [[Jean Frankfurter]] wrote and produced the song ''Und heut' Nacht will ich tanzen'' which became a great success and reached the top of the German charts. Michelle got the chance to perform at ''[[ZDF-Hitparade]]'', one of Germany's most popular music shows of the time. Her performance made her popular throughout the country.

Afterwards she participated in several German pop music festivals, for example the preliminary competitions for the Eurovision Song Contest or the traditional "Deutsches Schlagerfestival". She won the latter in 1997 with her single ''Wie Flammen im Wind'' ("Like flames in the wind"). The album, with the same name, gained her her first TOP 10 success in Germany. The following years marked the heyday of her career, gaining her two more top 10 albums, [[Music recording certification|golden records]] and the chance to represent Germany in 2001's Eurovision Song Contest in [[Copenhagen]].<ref name="ev" />

Her 2005 comeback album ''Leben'' ("Life") was another success, reaching TOP 3 in Germany and was awarded another golden record. Afterwards she started a modelling career and in 2006<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-passion-mw0001150672|title=My Passion – Tanja Thomas | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|website=[[AllMusic]] }}</ref> released ''My Passion'', a cover album of disco classics.<ref>[http://www.focus.de/kultur/leben/modernes-leben-tanja-und-michelle_aid_213695.html Modernes Leben: Tanja & Michelle – Leben – FOCUS Online – Nachrichten]. Focus.de. Retrieved 16 April 2012.</ref>

In October 2009,<ref>[http://www.schlagerhits.de/michelle Koch Universal]</ref> she released a new album called ''Goodbye Michelle'' and played several concerts and TV shows, explaining she wanted "to give her fans a real farewell". She stated, however, that this was definitely her final album under the name Michelle. The new single from her album ''Goodbye Michelle'' will be ''Nur noch dieses Lied''. It's the second single after the song ''Goodbye Michelle''. The third single will be ''Gefallener Engel'' in May 2010.

In November 2010, she released her new album "Der beste Moment". In March 2012, she released the album "L'amour" including her new hit "Große Liebe". In March 2014, she released ''The Ultimate Best Of'' album including seven new songs. The 14th studio album was recorded in April 2016, with her new single "Wir feiern das Leben". The album reached the top 10 in Germany and Austria.

== Personal life == Michelle has three daughters and lives in [[Cologne]]. == Discography == [[File:Michelle Bremen Ole 4.jpg|thumb|Michelle performing in 2019]] '''Studio albums, Compilations and Remix albums'''

* 1993: ''Erste Sehnsucht'' * 1995: ''Traumtänzerball'' * 1997: ''Wie Flammen im Wind'' * 1998: ''Nenn es Liebe oder Wahnsinn'' * 1999: Meine größten Erfolge * 1999: Denk'ich an Weihnacht * 2000: ''So was wie Liebe'' * 2001: Best of * 2002: ''Rouge'' * 2005: ''Leben!'' * 2006: ''My Passion'' (as Tanja Thomas) * 2006: ''Glas'' * 2007: Zwischenspiel * 2009: The very Best of * 2009: ''Goodbye Michelle'' * 2010: ''Der beste Moment'' * 2012: ''L'amour'' * 2014: Die Ultimative Best of * 2015: Die Ultimative Best of Live * 2016: ''Ich würd' es wieder tun'' * 2018: ''Tabu'' * 2020: ''Anders ist gut'' * 2022: ''30 Jahre Michelle – Das war's... noch nicht!''

== References == {{Commons category|Michelle (singer)}}

{{s-start}} {{succession box | before=[[Stefan Raab]]<br />with ''[[Wadde hadde dudde da?]]'' | title=[[Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest]] | years='''[[Eurovision Song Contest 2001|2001]]''' | after=[[Corinna May]]<br />with ''[[I Can't Live Without Music]]'' | }} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Michelle}} [[Category:1972 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Villingen-Schwenningen]] [[Category:21st-century German women singers]] [[Category:Eurovision Song Contest entrants]]