Francisca Urio

Infobox musical artist
Name = Francisca Urio


Img_capt =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Franziska Urio
Alias = Francisca Urio
Born = Birth date and age|1981|2|6|mf=y
Died =
Origin = Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany
Genre = Rhythm and blues, Soul
Occupation = Singer-Songwriter, Radio presenter
Years_active = 1996 - present
Label =
URL = [http://www.francisca-urio.de/ www.francisca-urio.de]

Francisca Urio (born February 6, 1981 in Meiningen, Germany) is a German singer-songwriter and radio presenter of Afro-German heritage who lives in Berlin.

Personal life

Francisca Urio was born in Meiningen, a small town in Thuringia but grew up in Berlin as the only child of her German mother Monica and her father Geoffrey from Tanzania, both architects who met while studying in Dresden. [Der Tagesspiegel (25.4.2007): [http://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/archiv/25.04.2007/3222066.asp Im echten Leben zurück] ] Her father's RnB, Soul and Pop music collection influenced her music taste from an early age. Her first stage experience was at pre-school age as an extra in a "Porgy and Bess" performance at the Berlin "Theater des Westens". She attended the Fläming-Grunschule in 12159 Berlin-Friedenau and the Paul-Natorp-Gymnasium in 12161 Berlin. After finishing school with the Abitur in 2000 she decided to pursue her singing career full time.

Music career

"Silvashado" band

In 1996 Francisca Urio founded together with Priscilla Harris, N'gone Thiam and Boussa Thiam the band "Silvashado" in Berlin. They performed regularly in clubs in Berlin and at festivals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. [ [http://www.priscilla-harris.de/referenzen/index.html Tourlist, Priscilla Harris webpage] ] In 2002 the band took part at a performance in Dresden in front of the "Sempera Opera House" for eighty-thousand helpers in the 2002 100-year flood. The band toured and performed with singers like O-Town, Mary J. Blige [ [http://francisca-urio.de/index.php?id=5 Francisca Urio - offizielle Homepage ] ] , BenBen "Hörproben Live" ( [http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0000AN345 ASIN] )] , SealSeal "One Night to Remember" ( [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000E97ZZA ASIN] )] , Mousse T.Bild Online (6.2.2007): [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/02/06/superstars-profi-saenger/dsds-betrug-kandidaten.html Was haben Profis bei den Superstars zu suchen?] ] , Shakira and Wyclef Jean [http://www.rtl.de/musik/superstar_932772.php RTLmusik biography] ] and featured on concert DVDs with Ben and Seal ("One Night to Remember", recorded live in Düsseldorf).After first Boussa and later N'gone Thiam left the band, Urio and Harris continued as duo until their last concert in October 2006 when they started to concentrate on their solo careers.

"Deutschland sucht den Superstar"

Francisca Urio gained national recognition as contestant and 'Top 10' finalist in the 2007 German "Idol" version "Deutschland sucht den Superstar" (DSDS) broadcasted by RTL. She was considered a unique talent [Süddeutsche Zeitung (11.3.2007): [http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/artikel/177/105072/ "Licence to kill" - ein Star namens Francisca] ] , having the best voice [Bild Online (1.4.2007): [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/01/dsds-voting/francisca-schock.html Wer wird jetzt Superstar?] ] and being the favorite [Bild Online (3.4.2007): [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/03/francisca-superstars/lauren-zuneigung-zuschauer.html Warum Deutschland Lauren mehr liebt als Francisca?] ] [laut.de: [http://www.laut.de/vorlaut/news/2007/04/01/14871/index.htm DSDS: Beste Stimme ausgeschieden] ] in this competition, not only by the jury but also gaining acclamation by professional singers like the bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff.

On 6. February 2007 the German newspaper "Bild" appeared with an article accusing Francisca Urion and her friend Priscilla Harris (who was also a contestant at the casting show) to be professional singers, having already recorded CDs and are therefore not entitled to take part in the competition. However the accusations where quickly dismissed as the rules of the DSDS show only prohibit participants to have a current recording contract but not to have previous professional experience. [RTL Online: [http://www.rtl.de/musik/superstar_931377.php?set_id=8244 DSDS-Kandidaten wehren sich gegen Profivorwürfe] ]

Despite the praise her performances received from the jury [Die Welt (1.4.2007): [http://www.welt.de/fernsehen/article788330/Francisca_Urio_hat_es_nicht_geschafft.html Francisca Urio hat es nicht geschafft] ] Francisca Urio was unexpectedly eliminated in the 4th motto show, which equally surprised the jury [Bild Online (2.4.2007): [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/02/dsds-francisca/superstar-schock.html Flog die Beste raus, weil sie zu schön ist?] ] , the other candidates [VIVIANO Magazin: [http://www.viviano.de/ak/News-Musik/deutschland-sucht-den-superstar-11527.shtml DSDS: Kandidaten noch immer fassungslos] ] and the viewers [Der Tagesspiegel (3.4.2007): [http://www.tagesspiegel.de/weltspiegel/archiv/03.04.2007/3181277.asp Warum flog Francisca raus?] ] [Bild Online (2.4.2007): [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/04/02/dsds-francisca-aus/fan-wut.html Fan-Wut nach Franciscas Aus] ] . However, in an online voting with over hundred thousand votes organized by the newspaper "Bild" after the casting show was finished, Francisca Urio won the voting by a small margin ahead of the DSDS winner Mark Medlock. [Bild Online: [http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/leute/2007/05/06/dsds-voting-zusammenfassung/bilder-voting/superstars.html Superstar online voting] ]

Solo career

In 2006 Francisca Urio toured through Germany with the musical show "The Magic Night of Dancing Musicals" in which she presented 5 songs as solo singer. Since 2003 she is a presenter at the Berlin radio station "Jazz Radio".

The radio station "Spreeradio 105.5" arranged for Francisca Urio to perform and record with the "Filmorchester Babelsberg" in May 2007. [Die Welt (4.4.2007): [http://www.welt.de/fernsehen/article793396/Zweite_Chance_fuer_Francisca_Urio.html Zweite Chance für Francisca Urio] ]

Urio was invited to take part on 22 and 23 May 2007 in the semi finals of the "International Competition Of Young Singers of Popular Music" "New Wave 2007" in Moscow and qualified for the finals which took place in Jurmala, Latvia from 25 to 30 July 2007. She reached the 5th place in the competition. [ [http://www.newwavestars.com/en/singers.html New Wave Competition] ]

On 7 July 2007 Urio sung the American national anthem before the fight between IBF/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and challenger Lamon Brewster in Cologne in front of an audience of 19500 spectators and millions of television viewers.

In 2008 she started recording her debut album with producer Dieter Falk.

Discography

Singles

* 2001 Silvashado: "Die Reise durch mein ich" (Sony Music Entertainment/BERLIN RECORDS)

Sampler

* 2007 "Power of Love" (joined release of all finale participants of "Deutschland sucht den Superstar")
** "If I Ain't Got You"
** "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (Francisca Urio and the DSDS-Top-10)

DVD appearances

* 2003 Ben "Hörproben Live"
* 2005 Seal "One Night to Remember"

External links

* [http://francisca-urio.de/ Official homepage] (in German)
*
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* [http://musik.geschenkkorb.com/ Fanlisting approved by The Fanlistings Network]
* [http://www.rtl.de/musik/superstar_932772.php Profil at RTLmusik.de] (in German)
* [http://www.boese.biz/acts.php?action=details&cat=&actid=99&lang=en Biography on agency webpage]
* [http://www.news-on-tour.de/?p=599 Article with photos of the singer]

References