Michelle Leonard

Not to be confused with Michelle Leonardo.

Michelle Leonard
Born	(1973-06-05) 5 June 1973 England
Origin	Germany
Genres	Pop, Rock, Punk, Electro
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	singing
Years active	1990–present
Labels	Universal Music Publishing
Associated acts	Joachim Witt, Cinema Bizarre, Aurora (singer), Mike Leon Grosch, Tarja Turunen, Sarah Connor, Thomas Godoj, Stanfour, Sarah Brightman, Popstars, Zoë Badwi, Hanna Pakarinen, Gregorian, Zweiohrküken, Robin Schulz, Paul van Dyk, Moguai, F(x) (band), Sistanova, Eisbrecher
Website	Official website

Michelle Leonard (born 5 June 1973) is a British singer and songwriter, now based in Berlin. Since 2006, Leonard has co-written multiple songs for singles and albums that charted in Europe, chiefly Germany. As a songwriter she is signed to BMG Rights Management.

Biography

Leonard grew up in Germany and attended British schools there. EMI Music Publishing signed her when she was 17. As an artist, Leonard released her first single with 16 which was a cover version of Twin Peak´s "Are we falling". Leonard's first songs included "Feel So Perfect". The song was used for a pan-European C&A advertising campaign that went on for three years, with different films around the song. "Feel So Perfect" was released by Cape featuring Michelle Leonard and became a radio hit. Many of her Co-written songs we´re used in Advertisements such as Axe, RMS (Radio marketing services), FORD KA and Vodafone (Germany) with AURORA´s single "Running with the wolves"

She was the Performance and music director for the German theatre abroad project in New York / Public Theater. She directed the musical "Electric Society", which was staged on 12 November 2005 in Cologne, Germany. Leonard has written songs for several advertisement campaigns, films, TV-productions and many artists world wide. She was a judge in 2009 in a German casting television show named Popstars and released her Album Fragile in December 2009 (Universal music Germany).

Since 2007, Leonard is a lecturer at the Popakademie (University of Popular Music and Music Business) in Germany for Songwriting. In 2011, Leonard started the co-publishing company "DOLSIRA" with Universal Music Publishing, Germany. In 2013, she initiated the organisation 'WAM' for 'We Are Music'. WAM calls for healthy competition and the promotion of alternative ways to achieve fair compensation for musicians as well as a positive future for the industry. In 2015, she started her Pop project "Solamay" Where she chiefly Works with DJ"s.

Discography

Her co-writes include: Hanna Pakarinen's "Save My Life Tonight" (on 2004's album When I Become Me, Finnish No. 1, Platinum), Hanna Pakarinen's "Out of Tears" (on Gold album Stronger), Nu Pagadi's "Virus" (on the album Your Dark Side, which made No. 6 in Switzerland and No. 1 in Germany) and Nico Weidemann's "Sag Mir Wann" (Perfekte Welle Compilation). She did translation work for the Busted single "Hurra Hurra Die Schule Brennt".

2006

Co-written songs released in 2006 include:

• Tracks on Mike Leon Grosch's Absolute album, released 26 May: "This Ride" & "Don't Let It Get You Down": #2 DE
• Single Mike Leon Grosch "Don't Let It Get You Down" #1 DE, #2 CH, #6 AT
• Tracks on Vanilla Ninja: Love is War: "Kingdom Burning Down", "Dangerzone", "The Band That Never Existed", "Rockstarz", "Battlefield", "Insane in Vain", "Silence", "Love is Just a War" (int. album track), "My Name" (int. album track). Leonard also did vocal coaching for the band.: #16 DE, #1 in EE
• Single "Dangerzone" by Vanilla Ninja": #17 DE and was released 21 April
• "Der Turm" on Joachim Witt's Bayreuth 3 (limited edition), US release, 27 January.
• Tracks on Valentine's album Blue Merry-Go-Round (on EMI Germany): "You and Me" (single released in August 2006), "Cruel to Myself", "Hell Yeah".
• "Celebrity Queen" on Alexander Klaws' Attention! album (released on Sony BMG). The album reached #20 DE
• Tracks on Frame of Mind from No Angels member, Sandy Mölling. The album made the top 20 in Germany: "It's Over", "Venom", "Occupied", "Tattooed On Me""Living Without You".

2007

Co-written songs released in 2007 include:

• Single: "Lovesongs (They Kill Me)" by Cinema Bizarre: #9 DE
• Album:"Final Attraction" by Cinema Bizarre: Lovesongs, "Get Off" and "Heaven Sent": #9 DE
• Several tracks on the My Winter Storm album from Tarja Turunen ("Lost Northern Star", "Ciárans Well" and "Calling Grace"): #3 DE, #11 AT, #1 FI, #37 NO, #15 CH, #41 SE. It reached Platinum in Finland and 2x Platinum in Russia as well as gold in the Czech Republic
• "Superstar" and "I Am Not Afraid" for Orange Blue's album Superstar
• "Atomic Love" and "Another Day" for Swedish band Nouveau Riche
• "Grossstadtkinder" and "Jenny" for Peilomat
• Several songs for the debut album by German girl group Sistanova, released September 2007
• "If I Lose You" on Lisa Bund's 2007 album Born Again (Sony BMG)
• No Angels theme song "Life is a miracle" for the Warner Bros. animated feature Kleiner Dodo

2008

• Michelle Leonard was in the Jury for the "Landeswettbewerb" Jugend musiziert in Pop vocals
• Cinema Bizarre's album "Final Attraction" is released in 17 different countries

Co-written songs released in 2008 include:

• Single: "Love is You" by the "DSDS" (Part of the Idol franchise) winner Thomas Godoj: #1 DE, #1 AT, #1 CH
• Album "Plan A'" by the "DSDS" winner Thomas Godoj: "Love is you", "Too young to grow old", "Summer breeze", "Brand new start": #1DE (Platinum status),#3 CH, #1 AT
• Single: "Jesus on Extasy" with the track "Stay with me": #1 alternative charts / DE
• Single release in France "Lovesongs (They Kill Me)" by Cinema Bizarre: # 24

2009

• Cinema Bizarre: release "Lovesongs (They Kill Me)" in the US and join Lady Gaga on her US tour as supporting act. The album Final Attraction received gold status in Russia.
• Co-written: Sarah Brightman performs the "Little riding hood rap" song on her "Symphony" world tour.
• Leonard is one of the Popstars judges in Germany. A TV-Show on Pro7.
• Leonard sings the German advert song for Ford Ka "Schau mal genauer hin"

Co-written songs released in 2009 include:

• Album: My Winter Storm [Limited Fan Edition] by Tarja Turunen: bonus track "Enough"
• Single: "Love in a million shades" by Hanna Pakarinen (Album Love in a million shades: #7 FI: Gold status)
• Single: "Blown Away" by the "Starmania" winner Oliver Wimmer (#1 AT and #1 Airplay charts)
• Single: "No More Days To Waste" by Aloha from Hell (Single #8 international airplay charts in Japan & #1 international video charts in Japan) Album No more days to waste, #21 Album charts in Germany, Gold status, #10 in Japan, platinum status ). They win an echo award for best newcomer in Germany.
• Album Toyz (released in the US under the album name: "BANG") Cinema Bizarre: "Touching and kissing", "My Obsession", "Je Ne Regrette Rien", "In your Cage", "Heaven is wrapped in Chains", "I Don't Wanna Know (If U Got Laid)", "Out of Love", "Sad day (For Happiness)", "Tears in Vegas": # 44 AT, # 24 DE
• Film music for the German film Zweiohrküken (Gold status) and album track Tired again by Stanfour #6 DE
• Film music for the German film Zweiohrküken (Gold status) and album track Where did we go wrong by Michelle Leonard #6 DE
• Album "Fragile" by Michelle Leonard: "Where did we go wrong", "All I am", "Merry-go-round", "Fragile", "Out of ammunition", "The truth lies", "Did you feel me", "Golden rider", " Love is you"

2010

• Leonard is pop act of the year in the VW-Soundfoundation
• Leonard was in the Jury for the "Bundesswettbewerb": Jugend musiziert" in Pop vocals

Co-written songs released in 2010 include:

• Album: "What lies beneath" by Tarja Turunen (former Nightwish singer): "Anteroom of death" (It charted in 18 countries including: FI #7, AT #11, # 13 EU, #4 DE)
• Single: "I can´t dance alone" by Giovanni Zarella feat. Ross Anthony (#26 DE)
• Album: Jesus on Extasy "Beloved Enemy" (US-Release): Stay with me
• Album: Gary Cheng releases a Cantonese version of "I´m a big girl now": "An Le Chang Zan"
• Album: "Dark Side of the Chant" by the group Gregorian: "Born to feel alive" (#22 AT, #27 CH, #7 DE, ) which is the first English version of the song "Geboren um zu Leben" by The German artist Unheilig
• Album: "Real Love" by Sarah Conner: Carry me home (#15 AT, #22 CH, #8 DE)
• EP: "Until my last breath" by Tarja Turunen: Crying moon
• EP: "I feel immortal" by Tarja Turunen: Crying moon

2011

• Leonard opens a co-publishing company "DOLSIRA" with Universal Music Publishing, Germany

Co-written songs released in 2011 include:

• Album:" Juwel" by "Frida Gold": "Undercover" (#18 DE: Gold status)
• Album: "Humanology" by Marla Glen: "Daddy"
• Earbook "Insight Outside" by Bertil Mark: "Down the hole and back 3D"
• Single: "Carry me home" by Grant Smillie featuring Zoë Badwi (#16 ARIA Club Charts & Album "Zoë" reached #36 AUS Album charts)
• ZDF TV Film "Das grosse Comeback" title track "ich sehe dich" by Uwe Ochsenknecht
• Single: "Sam Na Sveta" by Toma feat. Billy HIapeto (BUL #7)

2012

Co-written songs released in 2012 include:

• Single: "Du Fölier Väl Med?" by Lena Philipsson (Sweden) (#4 SWE)
• Album "Världen snurrar" by Lena Philipsson (Sweden) (#4 SWE): "Du Fölier Väl Med?"
• Album: "Evolution" by Paul van Dyk featuring Michelle Leonard: "Lost in Berlin" & "Love Ammunition"
• Live Album & DVD: "Tarja Act 1" by Tarja Turunen: "Anteroom of death", "Lost northern star", "Ciarans well" (#5 DE, No. 12 FIN)
• Album: "Making a sound" by Mikko Sipola (Finland): "The knife", "Beat the winter" (#5 FIN)
• Compilation: "Future Trance Vol.61" by Kindervater, "Shooting stars" (#3 DE Compilation charts)
• Compilation: "Dream Dance Vol.65" by Kindervater, "Shooting stars" (#6 DE Compilation charts)
• Album: "Wide Awake" by Michael Schulte: "Army of hope" (#54 DE)
• Single: "Gloria" by Joachim Witt
• Album: "DOM" by Joachim Witt: "Gloria", "Jetzt Geh", "Tränen", "Blut", "Königreich", "Beben", "Licht im Ozean", "Komm nie wieder zurück", "Leichtsinn", "Untergehen" (#6 DE & #1 DE Alternative)
• Single: "Brave it out" by Generations. J-POP (Japan: # 5 Hot 100 official Billboard, # 9 Top 100 Airplay #4 Adult Contemporary Airplay, # 6 hot single sales, # 3 Oricon Single charts)
• Theme Song "Brave it out" by Generations for the Japanese NTV Drama "Sugarless"
• Album: "Vonic Sessions 2012" by Paul van Dyk featuring Michelle Leonard: "Lost in Berlin" (Giuseppe Ottaviani Remix)

2013

Co-written songs released in 2013 include:

• Album: "State of mind" by Michael Mind Project: "Carry me"
• Album: "Gute Jungs, böse Mädchen" by Betty Dittrich: "Kein Rausch"
• Album: "Ready? Go!" by ZIBBZ: "Lock U In a Rocket" & "Love Love Love"
• Album: "Drama Queen" by Angy: "Gotta Remember To Forget You"
• Soundtrack: "Rubinrot" Film: Sofi de la Torre: "Recognise me" (#14 Film/ DVD Charts DE)
• Album: "Behalt die Nerven" by Mega Mega: "Zu Ende"
• Album: "Geilon" by MC Fitti feat. Bonnie Strange "Grüne Welle" (#2 DE)
• Album: "Pink Tape" by South Korean girl group f(x): Snapshot (#1 Billboard world albums charts, #30 J, #1 KOR)
• Album: "Masters of Chant 9" by "Gregorian": Gloria (#14 DE)
• Album: "Generations" by "Generations": Brave it out (#1 J)

2014

Co-written songs released in 2014 include:

• Album: "Neumond" by Joachim Witt: "Spät" & "Hoping" Duet with Lisa Gerrard from Dead Can Dance (#8 DE)

2015

• Michelle Leonard starts her artist pop project "Solamay" The cover version of "Save tonight" is released September 2015 on the album "Sugar" by Robin Schulz / Moguai (#173 US, #1 CH, #4 AT, #3 DE Gold status)

Co-written songs released in 2015 include:

• Album: "Schock" by Eisbrecher: "Schlachtbank" (#2 DE, Gold status)
• Album: "Illusion" by Jack Strify ex Cinema Bizarre: "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".
• Album: "Masters of Chant - the final chapter" by Gregorian: "Gentle" (#8 DE)
• Single: "Running with the wolves" by Aurora (singer) (Vodafone Campaign Germany)

2016

• Leonard releases various songs under her artist name"Solamay"

Co-written songs released in 2016 include:

• Single: "UFO" by Alex Mattson featuring Solamay: #10 FIN (Gold status)
• Album: "All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend" by Aurora (singer):"Running with the wolves", "Warrior", "Eyes of a child", "Wisdom cries": #1 NO, #24 DE, #50 AT, #41 CH, #66 IE #150 US, #17 NL, #67 AU, #28 UK

External links

• Michelle Leonard at Universal Music