Mark Medlock

German vocalist Mark Medlock claimed victory by an overwhelming margin during the fourth season of Deutschland Sucht den Superstar. Record sales and high-profile partnerships that followed distinguished him as one of the stronger success stories to emerge from reality television. Born in July 1978 to an African-American father and a German mother, he grew up in Frankfurt. Together with his younger brother, Medlock spent his formative years in the working-class neighborhood of Offenbach am Main. His father, who had roots in Georgia, immersed the boys in a constant stream of soul and gospel recordings. Early signs of ability surfaced when Medlock began singing at age six. He left school unfinished, withdrawing in his late teens to nurse his mother through her final illness; she died in 2000. His father’s death came soon afterward, forcing Medlock and his brother into manual labor to survive. Appearance on Deutschland Sucht den Superstar reversed his fortunes, with viewers embracing him from the early rounds. He captured the title with more than 75 percent of the audience vote, his commanding voice quickly generating a devoted following. Debut album Mr. Lonely yielded the chart-topping singles “Now or Never” and “You Can Get It.” DSDS panel judge and dance-pop mogul Dieter Bohlen served as producer and songwriter on multiple Medlock hits. The pair collaborated again on the 2007 follow-up Dreamcatcher. Powered by the radio favorite “Unbelievable,” that sophomore release reached number six on the German charts within weeks. Cloud Dancer earned Gold certification in Germany in 2008 after selling more than 100,000 copies, a feat repeated by 2009’s Club Tropicana. Later projects arrived as 2010’s Rainbow’s End and 2011’s My World.