Gracia

Gracia Bauer (born Gracia Arabella Baur in 1982) is a German pop singer known for her rise on Deutschland sucht den Superstar (DSDS) and for representing Germany at Eurovision 2005. She gained fame as a DSDS finalist and later sang “Run & Hide” at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005. 

Early Breakthrough on DSDS (2002–2003)

Gracia’s big break came on the first season of DSDS in 2002/2003. She impressed audiences with her powerful pop-rock voice. Gracia finished in fifth place on the show, becoming one of the season’s fan favorites. The exposure led to a recording contract. In October 2003 she released her debut album “Intoxicated.” The album reached #10 on the German charts and sold over 50,000 copies. It featured hit singles like “I Don’t Think So” (which peaked at #3 in Germany) and “I Believe in Miracles”. Gracia also joined three fellow DSDS finalists on a charity single “Don’t Close Your Eyes” as the group 4 United. Her early success on DSDS set the stage for the next step of her career.

Eurovision Song Contest 2005 – Run & Hide

In 2005, Gracia Bauer was selected to represent Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kyiv. She competed with the pop-rock song “Run & Hide,” produced by David Brandes. The lead-up to Eurovision was controversial: it emerged that her producer (and partner) David Brandes had artificially boosted the single’s chart position by buying large quantities himself. This scandal marred the national selection process. Despite the turmoil, Gracia performed confidently at Eurovision. However, “Run & Hide” failed to win over the international audience. Germany finished last (24th place) in the final, scoring just 4 points. (Her only points came from Monaco and Moldova.) Gracia took the disappointing result in stride – she famously remarked, “Well, somebody has to finish last.”

Shortly after Eurovision, in late 2005, Gracia released her second album “Passion.” This album included “Run & Hide” and other new tracks. Unfortunately, Passion did not replicate her earlier chart success. By 2006, she put out a few more singles, such as “When the Last Tear’s Been Dried” and “Never Been,” and even a duet called “Cos I Believe” (under the project name Xantoo). These songs only achieved moderate success in the charts. After a burst of fame from DSDS and Eurovision 2005, Gracia’s music career began to slow down.

Life After Eurovision: Hiatus and Career Change

Following her Eurovision appearance and the modest performance of her later singles, Gracia gradually stepped out of the spotlight. The Run & Hide controversy and a string of less successful releases led her to withdraw from the music scene around 2006. She took a hiatus from recording and performing. In December 2009, Gracia made a brief return to music with a holiday single titled “Christmas Is Calling.” The song garnered little attention, but it marked a momentary comeback. Around the same time, Gracia appeared on television outside of singing. In 2010 she participated in and won the cooking reality show “Das perfekte Promi Dinner” (The Perfect Celebrity Dinner). This venture showed her presence in media beyond music.

After 2010, Gracia Bauer pivoted to a more ordinary career. She left the music industry and worked in the corporate sector for a while. Notably, she became the head of human resources at a consulting firm. This was a significant change from her pop star days. Gracia intentionally kept a low profile and lived a private life during these years.

Brief Comeback and Later Life (2014–2025)

Gracia could not stay away from music entirely. In late 2014, after about five years away from the stage, she announced a musical comeback. She released a new single called “Magic Moments.” This upbeat track was chosen as the official theme song of the 2014/2015 Four Hills Tournament (a famous ski jumping event in Germany). Fans were excited to hear Gracia’s voice again. The single’s B-side, “Sorry About,” was also released at that time. However, this return to music was short-lived. After the event, Gracia did not continue with a full album or concert tour. The brief comeback showed that while she still loved music, she had moved on to a new life path.

By the mid-2010s, Gracia Bauer embarked on yet another career change – this time into healthcare. She undertook training to become a nurse. Gracia completed her nursing qualifications by 2018 and started working in a hospital. In fact, she relocated to Switzerland during this period and settled near Basel. As of 2025, the former pop singer is working as a nurse. She has expressed that music will always be a part of her, but it is now more of a personal passion than a public career.

Gracia still made small updates to delight her fans. In November 2024, she unexpectedly re-released her earlier holiday song “Christmas Is Calling” after 15 years. The 2024 version was a refreshed, shortened edit of the original, released digitally to celebrate the season. This showed that even while focusing on her nursing career, Gracia Bauer hasn’t completely said goodbye to music.

Gracia Bauer – Where Is She Now?

Today, Gracia Bauer leads a quiet life away from show business, finding fulfillment in her healthcare profession. Public appearances are rare, though in 2020 she did appear on an RTL reunion special called “DSDS – Das große Wiedersehen” to talk about her experiences and life after the show.