Cassandra Steen

Last updated

Cassandra Steen
2019 Glashaus - Cassandra Steen - by 2eight - DSC8447.jpg
Steen in 2019
Background information
Born (1980-02-09) 9 February 1980 (age 44)
Ostfildern-Ruit, West Germany
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1997–present
Member of Glashaus
Spouse(s)
Stéphan Kocijan
​
​
(m. 2013;div. 2020)​
Website cassandra-steen.de

Cassandra Steen (born 9 February 1980) is a German singer who rose to fame as the lead singer of the pop/soul trio Glashaus. After a series of commercially successful releases with the group, she released her moderately successful solo debut album Seele mit Herz in 2003 and has been active as both a solo artist and as part of Glashaus since.

Contents

Biography

Early life and career

Steen is an only child born to a German mother and an African-American father in Ostfildern-Ruit near Stuttgart, Germany in 1980. [1] [2]

In 1997, Steen's demo tape got into the hands of a befriended producer, who passed it to an up-and-coming hip hop group, he was working with: Freundeskreis. Impressed by her voice, Steen was invited to contribute backing vocals to the trio's 1997 debut album Quadratur des Kreises, gaining her first official feature credit on their collaboration "Telefonterror". [3] The following year she appeared in Freundeskreis' music video for their single "Wenn der Vorhang fällt" and accompanied the band on their first tour throughout German-speaking Europe. [3]

Further collaborations with Freundeskreis failed to materialize as Steen decided to move to Hamburg in hopes of a solo career launch and soon she was offered a contract with the independent label Booya Records. [1] Due to musical differences she soon asked for a release however. [1]

Breakthrough with Glashaus

In 2000, 3p label head Moses Pelham took notice of Steen after listening to her demo tape. Following a first meeting in February 2000, the pair began recording "So Lange", a song that appeared on the 3p compilation album Evolution. [1] Steen eventually signed a solo contract with the Frankfurt-based soul label and started work on what initially was to be her solo album but soon moved into a collaborative endeavor and finally emerged as the debut album of Glashaus, a trio consisting of Steen, Pelham and 3p studio musician Martin Haas, with Steen contributing the lead vocals. [1] After months of recording the group released their debut single, the piano ballad "Wenn das Liebe ist", in 2001. The song became an instant success, reaching number five on the German Singles Chart, and garnered the band three ECHO Award nominations. Four albums later, the band unofficially disbanded in 2006. [3] Steen decided not reunite with Pelham and Hass for another album and in 2009, she was replaced with a new female leading singer. [3]

Solo career

Steen performing in 2011 Cassandra Steen 2011.JPG
Steen performing in 2011

Among three successful albums and a number of hit singles the trio also partially produced Cassandra's solo album, Seele mit Herz , which was eventually released in summer 2003 and yielded the slow jam "Wie du lachst" as its lead single. Both the album and the single were a critical success but widely failed to chart or sell noticeably on the German charts. Additionally, Steen continued singing background and chorus for label mates Illmatic, Franziska and Setlur, and made guest appearances on several new releases by J-Luv, W4C, Melbeatz, Bushido and Curse. Her collaboration with rapper Azad, "Eines Tages", was released in 2006.

In February 2009, Steen released her second studio Darum leben wir via the Universal Domestic/Urban label. Containing production by Marek Pompetzki & Paul NZA, Andreas Herbig und Michael Herberger, the album reached the top ten of the German Albums Chart and sold more than 100,000 copies domestically, resulting in a gold certification by the IFPI. [4] The album's same-titled lead single reached number six on the German Singles Chart and was chosen to represent Baden-Württemberg on the 5th Bundesvision Song Contest where Steen finished fourth with 103 points. [5] The second single "Stadt", a collaboration with Ich + Ich singer Adel Tawil, was released to even greater success, reaching number two in Germany and the top five in Austria. It eventually became the fourth biggest-selling single of 2009 in Germany. [6]

Also in 2009, Steen voiced the character Tiana in the German dub of Disney's 49th animated feature The Princess and the Frog . "Never Knew I Needed", a duet with original singer Ne-Yo, was the first single to be lifted from the accompanying soundtrack. [4] In 2010, she won the ECHO Award for Best National Artist Rock/Pop. [7]

In 2011, her third album Mir so nah (2011) was released. It produced the top 30 single "Tanz" and was followed by her 2014 album Spiegelbild . A prominent featured vocalist, Steen's discography also includes the hit singles "Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt" with rapper Bushido, "Eines Tages" with rapper Azad, and the duet "Unter die Haut" with singer Tim Bendzko.

In 2016, Steen re-joined Glashaus. The following year, she appeared alongside band mate Moses Pelham on the German reality television series Sing meinen Song – Das Tauschkonzert .

Personal life

Steen holds both German and American citizenship. [8]

She married her manager Stéphan Kocijan in December 2013. [9] 2020 she was divorced. [10]

Discography

Studio albums

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freundeskreis</span> German hip hop group

Freundeskreis also known as FK, were a German hip hop group from Stuttgart. They performed songs in German, English, French and Esperanto. The members were Max Herre, Don Philippe and DJ Friction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jasmin Wagner</span> German singer

Jasmin Wagner, better known as Blümchen, is a German pop and dance music singer. Although she releases her English albums under the name Blossom, her German stage name Blümchen actually translates to "floret" or "small flower".

The Rödelheim Hartreim Projekt, for short RHP, was a mid-1990s German rap group from Rödelheim, a part of Frankfurt. The group comprised two members, Moses P. and Thomas H.. They were among the first groups to garner commercial success by rapping in German, while stylistically leaning more towards American gangsta rap.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sabrina Setlur</span> German rapper

Sabrina Setlur, formerly known as Schwester S., is a German rapper. Her debut was in 1995 under the guidance of 3p Records executive and mentor Moses Pelham, producer of her breakthrough single "Ja Klar". Following the drop of her pseudonym and a number-one single, "Du liebst mich nicht", in 1997, a series of hit records established her position as Germany's "best known and highest-selling female rap act" to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joy Denalane</span> German singer-songwriter (born 1973)

Joy Maureen Denalane is a German singer-songwriter, known for her mixture of soul, R&B, and African folk music with lyrics in German and English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glashaus</span> German pop/soul band

Glashaus is a German band consisting of lead singer Cassandra Steen, songwriter and rapper Moses Pelham, and producer Martin Haas. The trio is best known for their mixture of R&B, soul and pop music with lyrics in German language.

<i>Drei</i> (Glashaus album) 2005 studio album by Glashaus

Drei (Three) is the third studio album by German band Glashaus. Entirely written and produced by Moses Pelham and Martin Haas, it was released on 8 May 2005 via 3p Records. Drei debuted and peaked at number 4 on the German Albums Chart, becoming the trio's highest-charting album to date. It marked Cassandra Steen's final album with the band until her hiatus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joy Denalane discography</span>

German recording artist Joy Denalane has released six studio albums, two live albums and more than two dozen singles. Denalane scored her first chart entry in 1999, when she was featured on hip hop group Freundeskreis's single "Mit dir", a duet with future husband Max Herre, that became a top ten hit in Germany. Its success led to a recording deal with the Four Music label, which released her debut album Mamani in 2001. A soul album with elements of neo soul, jazz, and afro pop, it reached number eight on the German Albums Chart and earned a gold certification from the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI). It produced five singles and spawned the live album Mamani Live, which was released in 2004.

<i>Electro Ghetto</i> 2004 studio album by Bushido

Electro Ghetto is the second studio album by German rapper Bushido. It released on 25 October 2004 by his newly founded record label ersguterjunge and Universal Music Group. This was the first record since he has left former label Aggro Berlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xavier Naidoo discography</span>

German singer Xavier Naidoo began his music career in the early 1990s. His debut studio album, Seeing Is Believing, was released in 1994, consisting mostly of cover versions of traditional tracks and soul songs from the 1960s and 1970s. Released in the United States only, it failed to chart on the Billboard 200 and thus, was never released in Europe. Following a fall-out with main producer Nicole Dürr, he signed with Frankfurt am Main-based Pelham Power Productions (3P) and began appearing as a background vocalist on several of his label-mates' albums. Naidoo's second studio album Nicht von dieser Welt, produced unter the guidance of Moses Pelham and Martin Haas, was released in May 1998. The album peaked at number one on the German Albums Chart and sold more than a million copies. Its singles included his debut single "20.000 Meilen", the top twenty entries "Nicht von dieser Welt" and "Seine Straßen" as well as top five hit "Sie sieht mich nicht", which served as the theme song for the feature film Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar (1999). A gold-certified live album of his first concert tour, simply titled Live (1999), reached the top ten in Germany the following year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapsoul</span>

Rapsoul is a German hip-hop group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassandra Steen discography</span>

German recording artist Cassandra Steen has released five studio albums as a solo artist. Steen began her career as lead vocalist of pop trio Glashaus who released their self-titled debut album in 2001 and scored the top five hit "Wenn das Liebe ist" the same year. She released her first solo album, Seele mit Herz (2004), during the hiatus of the band on band member Moses Pelham's 3–P label. It reached the top sixty of the German Albums Chart and produced the singles "Wie du lachst" and "Alles was du willst", both of which failed to chart or sell noticeably.

<i>Mir so nah</i> 2011 studio album by Cassandra Steen

Mir so nah is the third studio album by German singer Cassandra Steen. It was released by Universal Music Urban on 29 April 2011 in German-speaking Europe. The album became Steen's second consecutive top ten album, peaking at number five on the German Albums Chart.

<i>Darum leben wir</i> 2009 studio album by Cassandra Steen

Darum leben wir is the second studio album by German singer Cassandra Steen. It was released by Universal Urban on 20 February 2009 in German-speaking Europe. Darum leben wir marked Steen's first release after parting ways with her long-time collaborators Moses Pelham and Martin Haas and their record label 3P. The singer worked with Marek Pompetzki and Paul NZA on the majority of the album, while additional production was provided by Mathias Grosch, Andreas Herbig, and Oliver Pinelli. Steen's biggest commercial success, it was certified gold by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI), indicating sales in excess of 100,000 units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moses Pelham</span> German rapper (b. 1971)

Moses Pelham is a German rapper, singer and producer.

<i>Seele mit Herz</i> 2003 studio album by Cassandra Steen

Seele mit Herz is the debut solo album by German singer Cassandra Steen. It was released by 3p on 4 August 2003 in German-speaking Europe. Recorded within a hiatus of her former group Glashaus, Steen worked with producers JC-Mjusix, Nachtwandler, Nene, and Thomas Ruffner on the bulk of the album that combined rhythm and blues with soul pop music. Label mates Moses Pelham and Illmatic as well as rappers Eko Fresh, Azad and Kool Savas appear as guest vocalist on the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yvonne Catterfeld discography</span>

German singer Yvonne Catterfeld has released eight studio albums, two compilation albums, two video albums and seventeen singles. After finishing second in the inaugural season of the television competition Stimme 2000, she was signed to a recording deal with Hansa Records. In 2001, she released her first single, "Bum", under her stage name Catterfeld; the song failed to chart in any music market. Her first album, Meine Welt (2003), was preceded by four further singles, including "Niemand sonst" and "Gefühle", both of which reached the top forty of the German Albums Chart, and "Für dich" which reached number one in Austria, Germany and Switzerland and marked her commercial breakthrough. Meine Welt went Platinum in Germany and earned a Gold certification in Austria and Switzerland.

<i>Spiegelbild</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Cassandra Steen

Spiegelbild is the fourth studio album by German recording artist Cassandra Steen. It was released by Polydor and Island Records on 3 October 2014 in German-speaking Europe. Songwriting and co-production on the album was overseen by singer Tim Bendzko with whom Steen had previously collaborated on their 2013 single "Unter die Haut", while music production on most tracks was helmed by Christian "Crada" Kalla. Spiegelbild debuted and peaked at number 42 on the German Albums Chart.

<i>Glashaus</i> (album) Album by Glashaus

Glashaus is the debut studio album by German band Glashaus. It was released on 2 April 2001 via Pelham Power Productions (3p) and Intergroove Records. Produced by band members Moses Pelham, and Martin Haas, the album peaked at number 20 on the German Albums Chart and spawned the top five hit "Wenn das Liebe ist", which was certified gold by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanessa Mai</span> German singer

Vanessa Marija Else Ferber, known professionally as Vanessa Mai, is a German singer. She was first known as a member of Schlager band Wolkenfrei and later began working as a solo artist following the band's split. She chose her stage name as a reference to her birth month, which is spelled Mai in German.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Steen, Cassandra – Biography". laut.de. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  2. ↑ Fauser, Heike (19 September 2009). "Ressort Interview". Frankenpost. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Heiduk, Fred (10 February 2009). "Cassandra Steen (Interview)". Deutsche-Mugge. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Cassandra Steen – Disney Weihnachtsfilm, Titelsong mit NE-YO und Gold-Album!". Universal Music . Schattenblick.de. 18 November 2009. Archived from the original on 4 April 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  5. ↑ Lange, Tino (14 February 2009). ""BuViSoCo": Olli Schulz ausgefuchst". Hamburger Abendblatt . Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  6. ↑ Halter, Andrea (30 December 2009). "Die Jahrescharts 2009". Hamburger Abendblatt . Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  7. ↑ Pittelkau, M. (5 March 2010). "Das sind die Echo-Gewinner 2010!". Bild . Retrieved 5 March 2010.
  8. ↑ "Hollywood in Vienna". www.hollywoodinvienna.com. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  9. ↑ Dreamteam auf allen Ebenen , gala.de, 2014-0924.
  10. ↑ Sängerin lässt sich scheiden. Archived 10 October 2021 at the Wayback Machine Stuttgarter Nachrichten, 9. Dezember 2020
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.