Michelle

Michelle (born Tanja Gisela Hewer on 15 February 1972) is a German Schlager music singer with a career spanning over 30 years. She rose to fame in the 1990s and represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest 2001. Known for hits like “Wer Liebe lebt” and “Wie Flammen im Wind”, Michelle has sold over six million records in Europe and earned major awards including multiple Echo and Goldene Stimmgabel honors.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Michelle was born in Villingen-Schwenningen in southern Germany and grew up in a difficult family environment. Despite hardships, she began singing in local bands as a teenager. Her break came in 1993 when a friend in the broadcasting industry got her a spot on German TV. There, popular singer Kristina Bach noticed Michelle’s talent and introduced her to producer Jean Frankfurter. In 1994, Frankfurter wrote Michelle’s song “Und heut’ Nacht will ich tanzen” (“Tonight I Want to Dance”), which became a breakthrough hit and reached the top of the German charts. This success led to an appearance on the ZDF-Hitparade (a major music TV show), making the young singer known across the country. By her early twenties, Michelle had released her debut album and was establishing herself in the German pop and Schlager scene.

Rise to Fame in the 1990s

In the late 1990s, Michelle’s career gained momentum with several festival appearances and hit songs. She took part in Germany’s pop music competitions, including the Deutsches Schlagerfestival. In 1997, she won the Schlagerfestival with her single “Wie Flammen im Wind” (“Like Flames in the Wind). The album of the same name became her first Top 10 album in Germany. In the same year, she took part in the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Im Auge des Orkans” (In the eye of the hurricane). During this heyday period, she scored two more Top 10 albums and earned gold records. Michelle’s melodious Schlager ballads and pop tunes attracted a wide audience. By 1999, she was recognized as one of Germany’s leading Schlager singers, even being named “Schlager Singer of the Year” in the press.

Eurovision 2001 and Mainstream Success

Michelle reached a career milestone in 2001 when she represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen. Performing the power ballad “Wer Liebe lebt” (“To Live for Love”), she delivered a strong performance and finished in eighth place among 23 countries. This Eurovision appearance brought her international exposure. The same year, she released a successful album titled Rouge. The early 2000s saw Michelle release popular singles like “Idiot” (2002) and “Das Hotel in St. Germain”, further cementing her mainstream success. By this time, she had won numerous music awards in German-speaking countries, including two Echo Awards and two Amadeus Austria awards.

Challenges and Comeback (2003–2006)

After a string of hits, Michelle faced serious personal challenges in the mid-2000s. In 2003 and 2004, she experienced depression and temporarily withdrew from the music business. During this troubled period, she even ran a small dog grooming salon and, by her own later admission, survived a suicide attempt. This hiatus from singing lasted until 2005. In early 2005, Michelle made a comeback with a new studio album titled Leben (“Life”), which was a commercial success. It entered the German charts at #3 and earned a gold certification within weeks. This marked a positive turning point, and Michelle returned to the spotlight with renewed energy.

Following Leben, Michelle explored new creative avenues. She briefly adopted the alias “Tanja Thomas” in 2006 to release My Passion, a collection of disco cover songs from the 1970s. However, this experiment met with little success and was short-lived. In April 2006, Michelle garnered media attention by appearing on the cover of the German edition of Playboy magazine, showcasing a different side of her public image. The same year, she released the album Glas, which earned praise from critics and fans. By 2006, Michelle had successfully rebounded from her hiatus, balancing music with modeling and maintaining her popularity in the German pop scene.

“Goodbye Michelle” and Return to Music (2007–2012)

Around 2007–2008, Michelle signaled that she was ready to step away from the music industry. In March 2008, she announced in a press conference that the “project Michelle” was ending and subsequently filed for personal bankruptcy later that year. As a farewell gesture to her fans, she released an album titled Goodbye Michelle in 2009, intended to be her final record. She even staged a series of concerts and TV appearances as a parting thank-you, stating that it would definitely be her last album under the name “Michelle”. However, the retirement was short-lived. Much to the relief of her many fans, Michelle returned to the music scene in 2010.

She resumed recording new material and performing live. In late 2010, she released a new album Der beste Moment (“The Best Moment”), followed by L’amour in 2012. The 2012 album included the hit single “Große Liebe” (“Great Love”), which became a chart success and marked the beginning of another strong phase in her career. Michelle’s resurgence in the early 2010s showed her resilience and enduring appeal. She also channeled personal tragedy into music: after suffering the stillbirth of a daughter named Ronja in 2009, she recorded the touching song “Sternenkind” (“Star Child”) in memory of her baby. By 2012, Michelle was again a fixture on the Schlager charts and regularly touring in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Television Appearances and Other Ventures

Beyond studio albums and concerts, Michelle expanded her presence into television and other entertainment ventures. In 2016, she joined the jury of Deutschland sucht den Superstar (DSDS), Germany’s version of Pop Idol, serving as a celebrity judge on the talent show. She actually sat on the DSDS judging panel for two seasons (2015–2016 and 2016–2017) and garnered attention for her candid critiques and Schlager industry expertise. Her involvement in a prime-time TV show introduced her to a younger generation of viewers and reinforced her status as a pop icon in Germany.

Michelle also took part in the popular dance competition Let’s Dance (the German Dancing with the Stars) in 2022. Partnered with a professional dancer, she won praise for her performances week after week. However, partway through the season she had to withdraw from the show due to health issues. Michelle, then 50 years old, suffered severe back problems that forced her to stop dancing despite her love for the sport. Aside from reality TV, Michelle has frequently appeared in televised Schlager festivals and music specials throughout her career. She also co-performed with other artists. Notably, she collaborated with veteran singer Matthias Reim on popular duets like “Nicht verdient”.

Later Career and Recent Projects (2014–2025)

Michelle continued to record new music and celebrate career milestones into the late 2010s and 2020s. In 2014, she released The Ultimate Best Of compilation with some new songs. Her next studio album of original material, Ich würd’ es wieder tun (“I’d Do It Again”), arrived in 2016. It featured the upbeat single “Wir feiern das Leben” (“We’re Celebrating Life”) and returned Michelle to the Top 10 album charts in Germany and Austria. Two years later, she launched the album Tabu in 2018, followed by Anders ist gut (“Different Is Good”) in 2020.

In 2022, Michelle celebrated her 30th anniversary in music with a special release. She put out 30 Jahre Michelle – Das war’s… noch nicht! (“30 Years of Michelle – That’s Not It… Yet!”), an album that combined new recordings with her classic . The title hinted that she wasn’t done yet, and indeed Michelle embarked on a 2023 anniversary tour to mark the three-decade milestone. Her enduring catalog of hits – from romantic ballads to danceable Schlager tracks – continued to resonate with audiences. 

Farewell Album and Legacy

As she moved into the mid-2020s, Michelle began planning a graceful exit from the stage. She announced that her 2024 album Flutlicht (“Floodlight”) would be a farewell album, intended as the final studio album of her career. Flutlicht, released in July 2024, is described as one of her most personal works and encapsulates her journey as an artist. Alongside the album, Michelle revealed plans for a grand farewell tour titled “Zum letzten Mal” (For the Last Time) scheduled for 2026. This final tour is set to take her across Germany one last time, performing her biggest hits like “Idiot”, “Wer Liebe lebt”, and “Nicht verdient”, as well as new songs from Flutlicht. It is envisioned as a celebratory goodbye to thank her fans for their decades of support.

Even as she prepares to step away, Michelle’s legacy in the German music scene is secure. She has influenced the Schlager genre with her emotional voice and modern pop production, inspiring younger artists (including her own daughter Marie Reim, who is now a Schlager singer herself). Over her career, Michelle has sold more than 6 million records.

Michelle currently lives in Cologne and is a proud mother of three daughters.