Daniel Schuhmacher

Daniel Schuhmacher, a chart-topping pop singer from Germany, first gained widespread attention in 2009 through his appearance on the television competition Deutschland Sucht den Superstar. Born April 19, 1987, in Pfullendorf, Baden-Württemberg, he claimed first place during the program’s sixth season, the German edition of Pop Idol. In the May 9, 2009, finale he delivered performances of Natasha Bedingfield’s “Soulmate,” Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and “Anything But Love” by Dieter Bohlen while facing runner-up Sarah Kreuz. Shortly afterward, Sony Music awarded him a major-label contract, leading him to record his debut full-length album, The Album. Issued almost at once, “Anything But Love” became an immediate success, reaching the top position on the singles charts in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. One month later The Album itself achieved comparable commercial results, ascending to number one on the album charts in both Germany and Austria while landing inside the Top Five in Switzerland. Although the set features two cover versions—Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams” and Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine,” both previously sung by Schuhmacher on Deutschland Sucht den Superstar—its remaining tracks consist entirely of English-language songs written by Bohlen.