Michelle Leonard | |
---|---|
Born | Soost, Germany | 5 June 1973
Origin | Germany |
Genres | Pop, rock, punk, electro |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
Instrument(s) | singing, keyboards, programming |
Years active | 1990–present |
Labels | Universal Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management |
Michelle Leonard (born 5 June 1973) is a German / British singer and songwriter, now based in Berlin. Leonard has written and co-written multiple songs, both singles and for albums, that have achieved gold and platinum status.[1][2] Leonard is known internationally for her work with AURORA and Paul van Dyk, as well as for her collaboration with Robin Schulz (under the stage name Solamay).[3][4][5] As a songwriter, Leonard is currently signed to Budde Music Publishing.[6]
Leonard grew up in Germany, where she attended British schools. EMI Music Publishing signed her when she was 17.[7] She had just released her first single at 16, which was a cover version of "Falling," a 1990 song by Julee Cruise that later became popular as the Twin Peaks theme song.
Leonard's first original songs included "Feel So Perfect," which was released by Cape, became a radio hit, and was used for a three-year, pan-European C&A advertising campaign. Multiple music videos and short films were created around the song. Many of her co-written songs have been used in advertisements for companies including Axe, RMS (Radio marketing services), Ford Ka and Vodafone Germany.[8]
Some of Leonard's biggest songwriting hits have been performed by other artists. Her greatest achievements in this field have included AURORA's "Running with the Wolves," "Rooftop" by Nico Santos, and "Love Is You" by Thomas Godoj. In 2005, Leonard also worked on the song "Instant Replay" with Such a Surge, which was released on their album Alpha.
Leonard was also the performance and music director for the German Theatre Abroad project in New York and directed the musical "Electric Society," which was staged on 12 November 2005 in Cologne, Germany.[9] In 2009, she was a judge on the German casting television show Popstars and released her debut album Fragile.[10]
Since 2005, Leonard has been a lecturer at the Popakademie (University of Popular Music and Music Business), the Columbia College Chicago, and at the SRH Hochschule der populären Künste (College of Popular Arts) in Germany for Songwriting.[11][12] In 2011, Leonard started the co-publishing company "DOLSIRA" with Universal Music Publishing, Germany, and in 2018, started "EERA" in cooperation with BMG Rights Management.[13][14] In 2015, she started her own solo-artist project, Solamay, which has achieved platinum status.
Year | Title
Album |
Chart Position | Comment | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DE | AUT | CH | FIN | SWE | UK | US | |||
2002 | Hurra, Hurra, die Schule brennt
Busted – Busted (Album) |
19
(7 weeks)[15] |
20
(8 weeks)[15] |
34
(5 weeks.)[15] |
Translation work | ||||
2004 | Save My Life Tonight
Hanna Pakarinen – When I Become Me (Album) |
2
(17 weeks)[16] |
|||||||
2005 | Out Of Tears
Hanna Pakarinen – Stronger (Album) |
2
(7 weeks)[17] |
|||||||
Virus
Nu Pagadi – Your Dark Side (Album) |
1
(12 weeks)[18] |
5
(10 weeks)[18] |
6
(9 weeks)[18] |
||||||
Sag Mir Wann
Nikko Weidemann- Perfekte Welle Compilation (Album) |
|||||||||
2006 | Celebrity Queen
Alexander Klaws – Attention! (Album) |
20
(3 weeks)[19] |
19 | 48 | |||||
Der Turm
Joachim Witt – Bayreuth 3 [Limited Edition] (Album) |
35
(3 weeks)[20] |
||||||||
Don't Let It Get You Down
Mike Leon Grosch– Don't Let It Get You Down (Single) |
1
(11 weeks)[21] |
6
(10 weeks)[22] |
2
(14 weeks)[22] |
||||||
Don't Let It Get You Down This Ride
Mike Leon Grosch– Absolute (Album) |
2
(12 weeks)[23] |
12
(4 weeks)[23] |
6
(8 weeks)[23] |
||||||
Living Without You, It's Over, Venom, Occupied, Tattooed On Me
Sandy Mölling – Frame Of Mind (Album) |
36[24] | ||||||||
Dangerzone
Vanilla Ninja – Dangerzone (Single) |
21
(9 weeks)[25] |
23
(6 weeks)[25] |
18
(8 weeks)[25] |
||||||
Dangerzone, Kingdom Burning Down, The Band That Never, Existed Rockstarz, Battlefield, Insane in Vain, Silence, Love Is Just A War, My Name
Vanilla Ninja – Love Is War (Album) |
16
(5 weeks)[26] |
29
(3 weeks)[26] |
14
(9 weeks)[26] |
EE No. 1 | |||||
You And Me, Cruel To Myself
Hell Yeah Valentine – Blue Merry-Go-Round (Album) |
|||||||||
2007 | Lovesongs (They Kill Me)
Cinema Bizarre – Lovesongs (They Kill Me) (Single) |
9
(9 weeks)[27] |
32
(8 weeks)[27] |
FR No. 28 (19 weeks)[27] | |||||
Lovesongs (They Kill Me), Get Off, Heaven Sent
Cinema Bizarre – Final Attraction (Album) |
9
(1 week)[28] |
28
(2 weeks)[28] |
FR No. 24 (9 weeks)
IT No. 30 (9 weeks)[28] | ||||||
If I Lose You
Lisa Bund – Born Again (Album) |
27
(2 weeks)[29] |
66
(1 week)[29] |
88
(1 week)[29] |
||||||
Life Is A Miracle
No Angels – "Kleiner Dodo" Soundtrack (Album) |
Title track of the Warner Bros. Movie "Kleiner Dodo“ | ||||||||
Großstadtkinder, Jenny
Peilomat– Großstadtkinder |
|||||||||
Lost Northern Star, Ciárans Well, Calling Grace
Tarja Turunen – My Winter Storm (Album) |
3
(4 weeks)[30] |
11
(4 weeks)[30] |
15
(9 weeks)[30] |
1
(9 weeks)[30] |
41
(1 week)[30] |
NO No. 37 (1 week)
SP No. 77 (1 week) FR No. 88 (1 week)[30] | |||
Superstar, I Am Not Afraid
Orange Blue – Superstar (Album) |
88
(1 week)[31] |
||||||||
Atomic Love, Another Day
Nouveau Riche – Pink Trash (Album) |
|||||||||
Various Songs | |||||||||
2008 | Stay With Me
Jesus on Extasy – Stay With Me (Single) |
1 (Alternative Charts) | |||||||
Love Is You
Thomas Godoj – Love Is You (Single) |
1
(13 weeks)[32] |
1
(12 weeks)[32] |
1
(11 weeks)[32] |
||||||
Love Is You, Too Young To Grow Old, Summer Breeze, Brand New Start
Thomas Godoj – Plan A! (Album) |
1
(25 weeks)[33] |
1
(8 weeks)[33] |
3
(11 weeks)[33] |
||||||
2009 | No More Days To Waste
Aloha from Hell – No More Days To Waste (Single) |
59
(4 weeks)[34] |
JP No. 11 | ||||||
Blown Away
Oliver Wimmer – Blown Away (Single) |
1
(10 weeks)[35] |
CH Airplay Charts No. 1 | |||||||
Little Riding Hood Rap
Sarah Brightman – Little Riding Hood Rap (Single) |
|||||||||
Touching And Kissing, My Obsession, Je Ne Regrette Rien, In Your Cage, Heaven Is Wrapped in Chains, I Don't Wanna Know (If You Got Laid), Out Of Love, Sad Day (For Happiness), Tears in Vegas
Cinema Bizarre – ToyZ / BANG (Album) |
24
(1 week)[36] |
44
(1 week)[36] |
FR No. 79 (3 weeks)
IT No. 36 (3 weeks) NL No. 94 (1 week)[36] | ||||||
Love in a Million Shades
Hanna Pakarinen – Love in a Million Shades (Album) |
7
(5 weeks)[citation needed] |
||||||||
Enough
Tarja Turunen – My Winter Storm [Limited Fan Edition] (Album) |
|||||||||
Tired Again
Stanfour – Zweiohrküken(Soundtrack) |
6
(16 weeks)[37] |
15
(9 weeks)[37] |
56
(7 weeks)[37] |
||||||
2010 | I Can't Dance Alone
Giovanni feat. Ross Antony – I Can't Dance Alone (Single) |
26
(7 weeks)[38] |
49
(4 weeks)[38] |
||||||
Anteroom Of Death, I Feel Immortal, Until My Last Breath
Crying Moon Tarja Turunen – What Lies Beneath (Album) |
4
(5 weeks)[39] |
12
(6 weeks)[39] |
11
(4 weeks)[39] |
7
(7 weeks)[39] |
45 (Sweden Album Charts)
(1 week)[39] |
11 (UK Rock Chart)[39] | 24
(US Top Heatseekers)[39] |
Reached Chart positions in 18 countries (e.g. IT, CZ, HUN, RUS, PL, NL, BEL, MEX)[39] | |
Stay With Me
Jesus on Extasy – Beloved Enemy (Album) |
|||||||||
An Le Chang Zan
Gary Cheng |
Cantonese version of "I'm A Big Girl Now“ | ||||||||
Born To Feel Alive
Gregorian – The Dark Side of the Chant (Album) |
7
(13 weeks)[40] |
11
(16 weeks)[40] |
20
(14 weeks) |
First English version of the song "Geboren um zu leben" by the German group Unheilig,
DK No. 9 (6 weeks) | |||||
Carry Me Home
Sarah Connor – Real Love (Album) |
8
(8 weeks)[41] |
15
(4 weeks)[41] |
22
(4 weeks)[41] |
||||||
2011 | Undercover
Frida Gold – Juwel (Album) |
14
(38 weeks)[42] |
59
(2 weeks)[42] |
||||||
Daddy
Marla Glen – Humanology (Album) |
|||||||||
Down The Hole And Back 3D
Bertil Mark – Insight Outside (Earbook) |
|||||||||
Carry Me Home
Grant Smillie feat. Zoë Badwi – Carry Me Home (Single) |
ARIA Club Charts No. 16, Album "Zoë" hit No. 36 in AU Album Chart | ||||||||
Ich Sehe Dich
Uwe Ochsenknecht – Das Große Comeback (Soundtrack) |
Titelsong des ZDF TV Films "Das Große Comeback“ | ||||||||
Sam Na Sveta
Toma feat. Billy Hlapeto – Sam Na Sveta (Single) |
BG No. 7 | ||||||||
2012 | Du Fölier Väl Med
Lena Philipsson – Du Fölier Väl Med (Single) |
4 | |||||||
Du Fölier Väl Med
Lena Philipsson – Världen snurrar (Album) |
4 | ||||||||
Lost in Berlin
Love Ammunition Paul van Dyk (feat. Michelle Leonard) – Evolution (Album) |
|||||||||
Lost in Berlin (Giuseppe Ottaviani Remix)
Paul van Dyk (feat. Michelle Leonard) – Vonic Sessions 2012 (Album) |
22
(4 weeks) |
49
(2 weeks) |
NL No. 78 (1 weeks) | ||||||
Anteroom Of Death, Lost Northern Star, Ciarans Well
Taja Turunen – Tarja Act 1 (Live Album & DVD) |
5
(4 weeks)[43] |
36
(1 week)[43] |
48
(1 week)[44] |
12
(3 weeks)[43] |
FR No. 147, BE No. 99, FI No. 12[43] | ||||
The Knife, Beat The Winter
Mikko Sipola – Making A Sound |
5[45] | ||||||||
Shooting Stars
Kindervater – Future Trance Vol.61 (Compilation) |
3 (Compilation Charts) | 2
(12 weeks)[46] |
5
(8 weeks)[46] |
||||||
Shooting Stars
Kindervater – Dream Dance Vol.65 (Compilation) |
6 (Compilation Charts) | 12
(2 weeks) |
7
(6 weeks) |
||||||
Army Of Hope
Michael Schulte – Wide Awake (Album) |
54
(1 week)[47] |
||||||||
Gloria
Joachim Witt – Gloria (Single) |
74
(2 weeks)[48] |
||||||||
Gloria, Jetzt Geh, Tränen, Blut, Königreich, Beben, Licht Im Ozean, Komm Nie Wieder Zurück, Leichtsinn, Untergehen
Joachim Witt – DOM (Album) |
6
(6 weeks)[49] |
43
(1 week)[49] |
68
(1 week)[49] |
DE Alternative Charts No. 1 | |||||
Brave It Out
Generations – Brave It Out (Single) |
Title track of the Japanese NTV Drama "Sugarless", JP # 5 Hot 100 Official Billboard, No. 9 Top 100 Airplay No. 4 Adult Contemporary Airplay, No. 6 Hot Single Sales, No. 3 Oricon Single Charts | ||||||||
2013 | Carry Me
Michael Mind Project – State Of Mind (Album) |
53
(3 weeks)[50] |
43
(3 weeks) |
||||||
Kein Rausch
Betty Dittrich – Gute Jungs, böse Mädchen (Album) |
|||||||||
Lock U in a Rocket, Love Love Love
Zibbz – Ready? Go! (Album) |
14
(4 weeks)[51] |
||||||||
Gotta Remember To Forget You
Angy – Drama Queen (Album) |
SP No. 30 (1 week) | ||||||||
Recognise Me
Sofi de la Torre – Rubinrot (Soundtrack) |
|||||||||
Zu Ende
Mega Mega – Behalt Die Nerven (Album) |
|||||||||
Grüne Welle
MC Fitti feat. Bonnie Strange – Geilon (Album) |
2
(11 weeks)[52] |
||||||||
Snapshot
f(x) – Pink Tape (Album) |
21 (US Heatseekers Albums – Billboard) | Billboard World Album Charts No. 1, KR No. 1, JP No. 30 | |||||||
Gloria
Gregorian – Masters Of Chant 9 (Album) |
14
(13 weeks)[53] |
16
(4 weeks)[53] |
29
(8 weeks)[53] |
||||||
Brave It Out
Generations – Generations (Album) |
JP No. 1 | ||||||||
2014 | Spät, Hoping (feat. Lisa Gerrard)
Joachim Witt – Neumond (Album) |
8
(4 weeks)[54] |
|||||||
2015 | Schlachtbank
Eisbrecher – Schock (Album) |
2
(33 weeks)[55] |
11
(3 weeks)[55] |
16
(3 weeks)[55] |
|||||
Hearts Are Digital, Burn/fear, Electric, Angel, Just An Illusion, Lovers When It's Cold, Glory, The Matrix, Not My God, Metropolis, You Can't Save Me, (In Your) Waiting Room
Jack Strify – Illusion (Album) |
|||||||||
Gentle
Gregorian – Masters Of Chant X– The Final Chapter (Album) |
8
(11 weeks)[55] |
54
(2 weeks)[55] |
25
(5 weeks)[55] |
||||||
Let's Die Together, Radio Song, There Was A Time
Russkaja – Peace, Love & Russian Roll (Album) |
42
(1 week)[56] |
||||||||
Running with the Wolves
Aurora – Running with the Wolves (EP) |
5
(Aqua Charts) |
Title track Vodafone Campaign Germany,
UK Mix Charts No. 5, NO Dance Charts No. 18 | |||||||
2016 | UFO
Alex Mattson feat. Solamay – UFO (Single) |
10
(6 weeks)[57] |
|||||||
Running with the Wolves, Warrior, Eyes of a Child, Wisdom Cries
Aurora – All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend (Album) |
24
(4 weeks) |
50 | 41 | 28 | 150 | NO No. 1
IE No. 66 NL No. 17 AU No. 67 | |||
Recognise Me
Sofi de la Torre – Smaragdgrün (Soundtrack) |
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "Emerald Green" (Film/DVD Charts DE #3) | ||||||||
2017 | Jealousy
Alice Merton – No Roots (EP) |
5 | 3 | 14 (Billboard Top Alternative Albums) | Billboard US Top Rock Albums No. 30 | ||||
My Girls, Bff, Vergiss Mein Nicht
Hanni & Nanni – Mehr Als Beste Freunde (Film Soundtrack) |
|||||||||
Charming Horses Remix Edit
Jam feat. Solamay – Invaded (EP) |
|||||||||
Hey Road, Send You An Angel, Still in Love, Volle Kraft Voraus
Russkja – Kosmopoliturbo (Album) |
27
(1 week)[58] |
||||||||
Krieger, Alle in Einem Boot, Wo Geht Der Teufel Hin, Herz Auf, Der Wahnsinn
Eisbrecher – Strumfahrt (Album) |
1
(9 weeks)[59] |
10[60] | 8[60] | ||||||
Killin‘ It
Laz Perkins feat. Mad Ice & Bang for the Buck – Killin’ It (Single) |
|||||||||
Rooftop
Nico Santos – Rooftop (Single) |
5
(32 weeks)[61] |
2
(24 weeks)[62] |
5
(29 weeks)[62] |
DE Airplay Charts No. 1 | |||||
Herzstreik
Alina – Die Einzige (Album) |
26
(12 weeks)[63] |
100
(1 week)[63] |
|||||||
Taboo
Moody – Taboo (Single) |
|||||||||
2018 | Liebe Ist Safe
Glasperlenspiel – Licht & Schatten (Album) |
5
(10 weeks)[64] |
|||||||
Dig Deep
Lxandra – Dig Deep (Single) |
|||||||||
Trick
Nicki & Freddi & The Sixties – Ku’damm 59 (Soundtrack) |
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "Ku’damm 59" | ||||||||
Never Let You Down
Michael Schulte – Never Let You Down (Single) |
|||||||||
Not Yours
Halie – Not Yours (Single) |
|||||||||
Rooftop, Heatwave
Nico Santos – Streets Of Gold (Album) |
25
(3 weeks)[65] |
69
(1 week)[65] |
29
(2 weeks)[65] |
||||||
2019 | Honeymoon Heartbreak
Alice Merton – Mint |
2
(7 weeks)[66] |
19
(1 week) |
21
(1 week) |
IT No. 62 (2 weeks)[66] | ||||
The Seed
Aurora - A Different Kind Of Human (Step 2) |
58
(1 week)[67] |
66
(1 week)[67] |
54
(1 week)[67] |
NO No. 4 (5 weeks),
BE No. 172 (1 week)[67] | |||||
Solitary Soul
Michael Leonardi – Solitary Soul (Album) |
Year | Title
Album |
Chart Position | Comment | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DE | AUT | CH | FIN | SWE | UK | US | |||
2009 | Fragile | Debut album |
Year | Title
Single |
Chart Position | Comment | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DE | AUT | CH | FIN | SWE | UK | US | |||
2009 | Where Did We Go Wrong | 6 (16 weeks)[68] | 15 (9 weeks)[68] | 56 (7 weeks)[68] | (Soundtrack "Zweiohrküken") |