Sascha Schmitz
| Sasha | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sascha Schmitz |
| Also known as | Sasha, Dick Brave |
| Born | 5 January 1972 |
| Origin | Soest, Germany |
| Genres | Pop, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, actor |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels | Warner Music |
| Website | www |
Sascha Schmitz (born 5 January 1972), better known under his stage name Sasha or Sasha Alexander and his alter ego Dick Brave, is a German singer-songwriter, musician and occasional actor.
Schmitz is the elder of two children born to Fritz Schmitz, a former Bundeswehr soldier, and his wife Ramona, a nursery nurse. Raised in a Christian home alongside his younger brother Norman (born 1976), Schmitz spent his childhood in Soest, North Rhine-Westphalia, following his parents' divorce.
His early musical interest grew when he started his first school band, called Bad to the Bone, which "was exactly as bad as the name suggests", he later stated. Schmitz's first professional band was called Junk Food and modelled on bands such as Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Although the band was never offered a recording contract, they played live all over their area, resulting in occasional busking sessions with his friend Benedict, with whom he also performed as the Hin und Hair Schmitz duo. In 1992, Junk Food won a local talent contest which entitled them to record demo tapes at the Click Music Studios in Werl with producers Michael "Grant Michael B." Kersting and Stephan "Pomez Di Lorenzo" Baader. While the band broke up shortly thereafter, Grant and Di Lorenzo recognized his singing talents and hired Schmitz as a backing vocalist for several of their projects.
During the following years, Schmitz earned his money as a background singer for several artists, including virtual euro-dance projects H.I.M and Sir Prize, whose singles "Lookin' Out 4 Luv" and "Don't Go Away" were released in German-speaking Europe, but led to short promotional tours in Tunisia. His contribution to German rapper Der Wolfs debut single "Gibt's Doch Gar Nicht" however, scored him his first uncredited appearance on the German and Swiss Singles Charts in early 1997. Soon thereafter, Sasha was consulted to sing on "Walk on By", the début single of female rapper Young Deenay. The song became a top ten hit in Central Europe and resulted in a second collaboration, entitled "Wanna Be Your Lover", on which he received his first credited solo part and filmed a music video for.
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