Thomas Anders facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Anders
Anders in 2023
Background information
Birth name	Bernd Weidung
Born	(1963-03-01) 1 March 1963 (age 62) Koblenz, West Germany
Genres	Europop Eurodance Euro disco dance-pop house schlager
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter record producer
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	1980–present
Labels	Teldec East West Polydor BMG Edel

Bernd Weidung (born March 1, 1963), known as Thomas Anders, is a German singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is most famous as the lead singer of the pop duo Modern Talking.

Thomas Anders began his music career while still in school. He later formed the Eurodisco duo Modern Talking with Dieter Bohlen in 1983. They quickly became famous worldwide with their hit song "You're My Heart, You're My Soul". They had many other popular songs like "You Can Win If You Want", "Cheri, Cheri Lady", and "Brother Louie". Modern Talking sold 120 million records around the world.

After Modern Talking first split up, Anders started a solo career in the 1990s. His Spanish album Barcos de Cristal (1994) was very popular in Argentina. When Modern Talking broke up for the second time in 2003, Anders had more solo success. His album This Time (2004) did well in Germany. His 2010 album Strong sold over 650,000 copies in Russia, earning Platinum status.

Thomas Anders is especially popular in Eastern Europe. In 2006, the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv made him an honorary professor. This was for "shaping the musical taste of a generation." He is also the best-selling foreign artist of all time in Russia.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Thomas Anders was born in Koblenz, West Germany. He grew up in a small village called Mörz. He has an older brother and a younger sister. His father worked for the government, and his mother ran a small shop.

Anders showed interest in music from a young age. He took piano and singing lessons. At six years old, he performed on stage for the first time. When he was ten, he won a singing contest. This led to him performing many times at a music hall in Koblenz. As a child, he was known as "Bernie von der Mosel."

He studied music and German at the University of Mainz. He wanted to become a music journalist. But he stopped his studies when Modern Talking became a big success.

Music Career Highlights

Early Solo Attempts

In 1979, Anders took part in a music contest. Soon after, he signed his first record deal with CBS. He chose the stage name Thomas Anders. In 1980, at age 17, he released his first song, "Judy". It was a Schlager ballad, a popular German music style. This song and his next few songs were not very successful.

In 1983, he met producer Dieter Bohlen. They recorded German cover songs together. These songs also did not become hits.

Modern Talking: Becoming a Global Sensation

Since their solo efforts weren't working, Bohlen and Anders decided to form a Eurodisco duo. They sang in English with simple, catchy tunes. This style was very popular then. Modern Talking became famous overnight in 1985. Their music video for "You're My Heart, You're My Soul" was shown on a popular German TV show.

• The song reached the top ten in 35 countries.
• It stayed at number one in Germany for six weeks.
• It sold eight million copies worldwide.

They followed this with another number-one hit, "You Can Win If You Want". This song sold over 250,000 copies in Germany. Their next single, "Cheri, Cheri Lady", also topped the charts in Germany and other countries.

Modern Talking continued their success with "Brother Louie" and "Atlantis Is Calling (S.O.S. for Love)". These songs gave them five number-one hits in Germany in a row. "Brother Louie" was also a hit in the UK, reaching number four. The duo sold over 60 million records worldwide in the 1980s. They were one of the first Western bands allowed to sell records in the Soviet Union.

After their sixth album didn't sell well, Dieter Bohlen ended the group. This caused disagreements between them. They did not speak for over 10 years.

Solo Career in the 1990s

After Modern Talking split, Anders moved to the United States. He went on a world tour, singing Modern Talking's hits. Then he focused on his solo career. His first solo album, Different (1989), was pop music. It did not chart high, but the song "Love of My Own" reached number 24 in Germany.

His next albums, Whispers (1991), Down on Sunset (1992), and When Will I See You Again (1993), also did not chart well. He tried new music styles, including a Spanish album, Barcos de Cristal (1994). This album was successful in Argentina. In 1995, he released Souled, a soul music album. None of these albums were big commercial hits.

Modern Talking: The Big Comeback

In late 1997, Bohlen and Anders decided to reunite. They re-recorded and remixed their old songs with a new Eurodance sound. They officially reunited on a TV show in 1998. They performed an updated version of "You're My Heart, You're My Soul."

• The song reached the top 5 in many countries.
• It sold over 500,000 copies in Germany.
• Their comeback album, Back For Good, went to number one in Germany for five weeks.
• It sold over three million copies in Europe.

Their next albums, like Alone (1999) and Year of the Dragon (2000), were also very successful. The song "No Face, No Name, No Number" was a big hit in Romania and Moldavia.

Their 2001 album, America, included the hit "Win the Race". This song became the anthem for Formula One racing in Germany. Their final albums, Victory (2002) and Universe (2003), also achieved Gold status in Germany.

In 2003, Modern Talking broke up again. Dieter Bohlen announced the end of the band during a concert. This was a surprise to Thomas Anders and the public. Their final release was a greatest hits album called The Final Album.

Solo Success After Modern Talking

After Modern Talking ended, Thomas Anders started his solo career again. His eighth solo album, This Time (2004), was very successful. It reached number 14 in Germany. The songs "Independent Girl" and "King of Love" became number one hits in Russia and Turkey.

He also composed and performed "Just Dream" for the show Holiday on Ice. In 2006, he released Songs Forever, an album of swing cover songs. It reached number 43 in Germany.

Anders is very popular in Eastern Europe. He still performs in large stadiums there. He is the most successful foreign artist in Russia.

In 2010, he released Strong. This album returned to electronic pop music. It sold over 650,000 copies in Russia, making him the best-selling international artist there that year. In 2011, he released Two with German producer Jörn-Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen. This album reached number 11 in Germany. In 2012, he released a Christmas album called Christmas for You. His 2016 album History featured new versions of Modern Talking songs.

Return to German Language Music

In April 2017, Anders released his first German song in almost 35 years, "Der beste Tag meines Lebens" ("The best day of my life"). His album Pures Leben ("Pure Life") reached number 14 in Germany. He was surprised by its success, as he thought people in Germany might not be interested in a German album from him.

In 2018, he became a judge on the German TV show X Factor. Later that year, he released his second German album, Ewig mit dir ("Forever with you"). It reached number 12 on the German charts. It included the song "Sie sagte doch sie liebt mich" ("But she said she loved me"), a duet with Florian Silbereisen.

Personal Life

Thomas Anders's parents are Helga and Peter Weidung. He has a brother named Achim and a sister named Tania. He was married to Nora Balling from 1984 to 1999. On July 15, 2000, he married Claudia Hess. They have one son, Alexander Mick Weidung, who was born on June 27, 2002.

Discography

Studio Albums

Holiday Albums

Collaboration Albums

Singles

As Lead Artist

As Featured Artist

Collaboration Singles

Images for kids

• 

  Anders performing at a charity concert in Cologne in November 2007

• 

  Anders performing with Juliette Schoppmann in 2007

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  Anders (right) and Dieter Bohlen perform as Modern Talking in 2003.