Christina Stürmer

Biography

Christina Stürmer (born 9 June 1982) is an Austrian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Linz, she rose to fame as the runner-up of the inaugural season of the ORF eins television talent series Starmania. Following her participation, she signed with Universal Music and released her debut single "Ich lebe×Ich lebe24 March 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Ich lebe (radio version)3:262Ich lebe (unplugged)3:273Ich lebe (karaoke version)3:27" which spent nine weeks atop the Austrian Singles Chart. It was followed by the release of her first two albums, Freier Fall×Freier Fall16 June 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Geh nicht wenn du kommst4:042S/W3:423Anzug3:324Mama (Ana Ahabak)3:565Rebellen der Sonne3:226Astronaut3:017Spieglein3:118Engel fliegen einsam3:169Mehr Waffen mehr Feinde3:5010Hier bin ich3:1511Wo ist deine Liebe?3:1512Ich lebe3:27 (2003) and Soll das wirklich alles sein×Soll das wirklich alles sein8 June 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Bus durch London3:452Geh raus aus meinem Kopf3:473Vielleicht auch nicht3:084Kind des Universums4:315Wir halten jetzt die Welt an3:316E.T.4:237Märchen3:468Immer an euch geglaubt3:509Liebt sie dich so wie ich3:2710Soll das wirklich alles sein3:5711Eintagsfliege4:1012Vorbei3:1313Arzt3:0714Mr. President3:4315Supermarkt3:0916Weißt du wohin wir gehen4:04 (2004), both of which debuted atop the Austrian Albums Chart and produced eight top ten hits, including the number-one singles "Mama (Ana Ahabak)×Mama (Ana Ahabak)4 November 2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Mama (Ana Ahabak) (radio edit)3:412Mama (Ana Ahabak) (unplugged)4:003Mama (Ana Ahabak) (alternative version)3:414Engel fliegen einsam (live)3:315Mama (Ana Ahabak)" and "Vorbei×Vorbei3 May 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Vorbei (radio version)3:122Disco4:133Vorbei (karaoke version)3:124Disco (karaoke version)4:13".
With the release of her international debut album Schwarz Weiss, Stürmer became one of the biggest-selling Austrian artists to emerge in German-speaking Europe in the mid-2000s. She followed her international breakthrough with a series of successful albums, including the chart toppers Lebe lauter×Lebe lauter15 September 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Nie genug3:322Lebe lauter3:243Die Welt3:564Ohne dich3:225Revolution3:246Augenblick am Tag2:547Seite Eins3:548Scherbenmeer3:499Unsere besten Tage3:0910An Sommertagen3:1911Sonne hinter dem Nebel2:5712Um bei dir zu sein3:3013Reine Nebensache3:5414Mitten unterm Jahr4:3515Nie genug (video)3:3516Nie genug (Making of)17Bildergalerie (2006), In dieser Stadt×In dieser Stadt10 April 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks0Entlaufene Hunde3:051Das können wir sein2:532In dieser Stadt3:323Bleib hier3:484Nicht mehr weit3:195Ist mir egal2:556Mehr als perfekt3:367Im Kreis3:118Dieser Tag3:479Tanz ohne Musik3:3510Jetzt dank ich Dir3:1711Jedes Wort3:3912Vielleicht3:2813Niemals hoffnungslos2:5314Ich vermisse nichts3:1715Du für mich3:3216Stille Helden3:5017Ein Leben lang3:1718Reiß das Radio auf3:2119Nimm mich mit3:42 (2009), Ich hör auf mein Herz (2013) and Seite an Seite (2016). Several singles from these album became hits on the pop charts in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, including the number-one hits "Nie genug×Nie genug28 April 2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Nie genug (radio edit)3:322Nie genug (instrumental)3:323Bist Du bei mir3:154Kind des Universums (live)4:075Nie genug (video)3:29" and "Um bei dir zu sein×Um bei dir zu sein3 August 2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Um bei dir zu sein (single edit 2007)3:182Um bei dir zu sein3:29" as well as top ten singles such as "Mitten unterm Jahr×Mitten unterm Jahr16 November 2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Mitten unterm Jahr (radio edit)4:002Mitten unterm Jahr4:333Lebe lauter (live unplugged)3:524Mama Ana Ahabak4:49" and "Millionen Lichter×Millionen Lichter29 March 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Millionen Lichter3:372Auf und davon3:05".
Throughout a career spanning 15 years, Stürmer has sold over 2.0 million records. Aside from her commercial accomplishments, her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including eleven Amadeus Austrian Music Awards, a Goldene Stimmgabel, and two ECHO Awards. In 2015, Stürmer took part in the second season of the German The Best Singers adaptation Sing meinen Song – Das Tauschkonzert. In 2017, she served as a coach on the German television series It Takes 2.

Starmania

In 2003, Stürmer finished in second place in the talent show Starmania behind Michael Tschuggnall. Shortly after that she released her first original song, "Ich Lebe×Ich lebe24 March 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Ich lebe (radio version)3:262Ich lebe (unplugged)3:273Ich lebe (karaoke version)3:27" (I Live) which in 2003 occupied the number one spot on the Austrian music charts for nine weeks.

Beginning her career in Austria

After "Ich Lebe×Ich lebe24 March 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Ich lebe (radio version)3:262Ich lebe (unplugged)3:273Ich lebe (karaoke version)3:27" followed two more successful singles: "Geh nicht wenn du kommst×Geh nicht wenn du kommst11 August 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Geh nicht wenn du kommst4:032Ein Kompliment (live version)2:273Geh nicht wenn du kommst (karaoke version)4:03" (Don't Go When You Come) and the anti-war song Mama (Ana Ahabak) (Arabic for Mama, I Love You) which originated during the war in Iraq. The song represents a young Iraqi girl's perspective of the war, and it also spent nine weeks at the number one spot on the Austrian charts. Her first album, Freier Fall×Freier Fall16 June 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Geh nicht wenn du kommst4:042S/W3:423Anzug3:324Mama (Ana Ahabak)3:565Rebellen der Sonne3:226Astronaut3:017Spieglein3:118Engel fliegen einsam3:169Mehr Waffen mehr Feinde3:5010Hier bin ich3:1511Wo ist deine Liebe?3:1512Ich lebe3:27 (Free Fall), was released exclusively in Austria in May 2003, and it also rose quickly to the top of the charts, where it occupied the number one spot for weeks. In fall of 2003 she undertook an Austrian tour behind the strength of her first album.
In May 2004 her second album, Soll das wirklich alles sein×Soll das wirklich alles sein8 June 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Bus durch London3:452Geh raus aus meinem Kopf3:473Vielleicht auch nicht3:084Kind des Universums4:315Wir halten jetzt die Welt an3:316E.T.4:237Märchen3:468Immer an euch geglaubt3:509Liebt sie dich so wie ich3:2710Soll das wirklich alles sein3:5711Eintagsfliege4:1012Vorbei3:1313Arzt3:0714Mr. President3:4315Supermarkt3:0916Weißt du wohin wir gehen4:04 (Is that really everything?) appeared, again only in Austria. The album was even more successful than Freier Fall, (Free Fall) but the album's singles had only average sales figures. The Wirklich alles! (Really Everything!) tour in Austria followed in the fall. The highlight of this tour was the concert at Vienna city hall in November, which sold out all 11,000 tickets. The concert was filmed, and along with some interviews and a short biography, was released in DVD form as Wirklich alles! During the club tour that began directly after the Vienna concert, she presented for the first time her own original compositions, which she had written with her band.

Breakthrough in Germany

At this time, Stürmer and her managers, Andreas Streit and Bernd Rengleshausen, were working towards breaking through in Germany. The single Vorbei was released in Germany in November 2004, but it fell short of expectations. In April 2005 a re-worked version of "Ich Lebe×Ich lebe24 March 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Ich lebe (radio version)3:262Ich lebe (unplugged)3:273Ich lebe (karaoke version)3:27" was released in Germany. This single met with success; it rose to ninth place on the German charts, and shortly thereafter reached number four.
The album which followed, named Schwarz Weiss (Black White) was released in June 2005, in Germany and Switzerland, reached number three on the German album charts, and stayed in the top twenty for more than a year. The majority of the songs on this album, which were mostly already known in Austria, were reproduced and oriented towards the emerging trends in German rock and pop music. The singles were "Engel fliegen Einsam×Engel fliegen einsam1 August 2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Engel fliegen einsam (radio mix)3:162Engel fliegen einsam (acoustic mix)3:10" (Angels Fly Lonely) "Mama (Ana Ahabak)×Mama (Ana Ahabak)4 November 2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Mama (Ana Ahabak) (radio edit)3:412Mama (Ana Ahabak) (unplugged)4:003Mama (Ana Ahabak) (alternative version)3:414Engel fliegen einsam (live)3:315Mama (Ana Ahabak)", and "Immer an euch geglaubt×Immer an euch geglaubt10 March 2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Immer an euch geglaubt (radio version)3:092Immer an euch geglaubt (album version)3:343Immer an euch geglaubt (live)4:154Bis ans Ende der Welt3:435Immer an euch geglaubt (video)3:09" (Always Believed In You). The singles were also re-recorded to be more rock oriented. In late 2005 Christina and her band toured through Germany and Switzerland. The Schwarz-Weiss tour, with just under 40 concerts, lasted two months.

Continued success

In 2006, Stürmer and her band released their fourth album, Lebe lauter×Lebe lauter15 September 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Nie genug3:322Lebe lauter3:243Die Welt3:564Ohne dich3:225Revolution3:246Augenblick am Tag2:547Seite Eins3:548Scherbenmeer3:499Unsere besten Tage3:0910An Sommertagen3:1911Sonne hinter dem Nebel2:5712Um bei dir zu sein3:3013Reine Nebensache3:5414Mitten unterm Jahr4:3515Nie genug (video)3:3516Nie genug (Making of)17Bildergalerie (Live Louder). The album reached number one in both Germany and Austria. And the singles, Nie genug (Never Enough), and Um bei dir zu sein/An Sommertagen (To Be By Your Side/On Summer Days) both reached number one as well on the Austrian charts. The first single, Nie genug reached number fifteen in Germany. The following singles after Um bei dir zu sein/An Sommertagen, Ohne Dich (Without You) and Scherbenmeer both reached the top ten in Austria. When Austria co-hosted Euro 2008 with Switzerland, Stürmer's song Fieber was the Austrian song for Euro 2008, followed by her last album In dieser Stadt×In dieser Stadt10 April 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks0Entlaufene Hunde3:051Das können wir sein2:532In dieser Stadt3:323Bleib hier3:484Nicht mehr weit3:195Ist mir egal2:556Mehr als perfekt3:367Im Kreis3:118Dieser Tag3:479Tanz ohne Musik3:3510Jetzt dank ich Dir3:1711Jedes Wort3:3912Vielleicht3:2813Niemals hoffnungslos2:5314Ich vermisse nichts3:1715Du für mich3:3216Stille Helden3:5017Ein Leben lang3:1718Reiß das Radio auf3:2119Nimm mich mit3:42 in 2009, which brought us two more singles, "Ist mir egal×Ist mir egal27 March 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Ist mir egal2:512In dieser Stadt3:32" and "Mehr als perfekt×Mehr als perfekt3 July 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Mehr als perfekt (radio edit)3:222Meistens kommt das Ende früh genug2:553Bist du bei mir (live in Straubing)3:024Mehr als perfekt (video)3:15".
Her single "Wir Leben den Moment×Wir leben den Moment30 August 2010 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Wir leben den Moment3:202Juniherz3:38" was released 3 September 2010, from her latest album, Nahaufnahme×Nahaufnahme24 September 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Zeitlupe3:382Wir leben den Moment3:203Der beste Morgen3:384Macht nichts3:175Wenn die Welt untergeht3:476Juniherz3:377Mit jedem Millimeter3:438Warum3:289Die Nacht singt keine Lieder3:5210Gib mir den Sommer zurück3:1711So wie du bist3:3712Die beste Zeit3:26 (Close-up), which was released in 2010. This album also featured some other hits, such as Warum (Why) and Juniherz (Heart of June).
In 2013, her next single Millionen Lichter (Millions of Lights) was released on 29 March. It was followed by the release of the album Ich hör auf mein Herz×Ich hör auf mein Herz19 April 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Auf und davon3:062Ich hör auf mein Herz3:263Millionen Lichter3:504Himmel ins All4:115Selbe Wellenlänge3:246Herz in der Hand4:147Was machst Du wenn die Stadt schläft3:228Amelie3:029Unendlich3:3310Wieviel wiegt ein Herzschlag3:5011Weltbewegend3:2912Ohne Dich (ist alles nichts)3:59 (I Listen to My Heart) on 19 April. The video was shot in California, USA. In 2023 she recorded a MTV Unplugged album in Vienna.

Personal life

In August 2016, Stürmer and her longtime band member and boyfriend Oliver Varga welcomed a daughter. In March 2021 she had a second daughter.

Studio albums

Freier Fall (2003)
Soll das wirklich alles sein (2004)
Lebe lauter (2006)
In dieser Stadt (2009)
Nahaufnahme (2010)
Ich hör auf mein Herz (2013)
Seite an Seite (2016)
Überall zu Hause (2018)