Often, bands with a female frontwoman receive attention for all the wrong reasons: but not so with Silbermond. The longtime German pop rock quartet have made a name for themselves with a sound that is power pop but not without an edge. It’s a formula that has made Silbermond a favorite among German speakers. So this month, let’s practice German with the music of Silbermond!
About Silbermond
The origins of Silbermond are a bit unexpected. Although not then called Silbermond, the group formed in 1998 after the members met at Christian youth singing program Ten Sing. At that time there were six members: Stefanie Kloß, Johannes Stolle, Thomas Stolle, Andreas Nowak, Juliane Katzer, and Maximilian Maneck. The group began as a cover band before transitioning to English language music.
During that time, Katzer and Maneck left the group which later adopted the name JAST, using the first initial of the first names of the remaining members. The line-up features Kloß on vocals, Johannes on bass, Thomas on guitar and piano, and Nowak on drums.
By 2001 the group began writing German language music and by the following June they had christened themselves Silbermond. The group really had momentum at this point. In July of that year, they performed before 10,000 people at a local radio show in Leipzig. Silbermond received a best newcomer award in 2003.
Deciding to strike it out and get serious about a future, the band moved from their hometown of Bautzen to the German capital of Berlin.
The band’s connections are deeper than simply music, too. In the spring of 2018, Kloß and Thomas welcomed a son together.
Music of Silbermond
To date, Silbermond have released an EP, five studio albums, a Best Of album as well as a pair of live albums. The band quickly became favorites with all of their albums heading towards the top of the chart.
Silbermond’s most recent studio album, 2015’s Leichtes Gepäck, is full of soaring melodies that, just like Kloß’s voice are strong yet delicate. These slow to mid-tempo pop tracks are the band’s trademark. They’re comforting, cozy and familiar. Take, for example, the title track from Leichtes Gepäck, a driving, insistent track that’s likable and memorable. A chorus of “oohs” accented by hand claps completes the sound. “Indigo,” off the same album, is a spinning pop rock track with an echoing chorus where the repetition of “indigo, indigo” draws you in.
There are, of course, exceptions to this mid-tempo pop calling card. “Gegen,” off 2012’s Himmel auf, is edgier with a racing beat while “Das Beste,” from 2006’s Laut gedacht, starts off as a stripped-down, unadulterated ballad that really lets Kloß’s vocals shine before the instrumentation builds up around her.
Looking for another Ohrwurm to help you learn German? Check out previously featured musicians and bands!
Photo by Harald Hoffmann, courtesy undercover. This post contains affiliate links.
