Stassi Schucher

**Nastassja Miriam** "**Stassi**" **Schucher** (born 28 June 1950) is a Lungarian-South Tarfican singer, songwriter, actress, and musician. Nicknamed the "Lungarian Queen of Disco," Schucher achieved widespread success throughout the Lungarian-speaking world and beyond during the 1970s and early-1980s.

Born to a middle-class family in Vecker, Veckerland, Schucher and her parents moved to Tohereng in South Tarfica when she was four years old. At age sixteen, the family returned to Lungary, settling in Munbach. Schucher studied at the Royal Lungarian Academy of Music, graduating with her secondary school diploma in 1969. After finishing her education, Schucher decided to begin a career in acting. After several small roles on television, Schucher was cast in her breakout role as Dorotea in the romantic-musical film *Living Young* (1973), which became the highest-grossing film of the year in Lungary. After the success of the film, Schucher signed recording contracts with Metamorphosis Music and Mammoth Music Lungary to begin a music career. Her debut single "Alein," was released in 1974, becoming a top forty hit. It was followed by her debut album *Ein nocht mit Stassi* (1975), which peaked within the top ten.

After her debut studio album received modest responses from critics and audiences, Schucher returned to primarily acting. She appeared in films such as *Nine Tall Tales* (1975) and *Dougie* (1976), until starring as Stefania in the comedy-musical *Disco Love* (1976), which became a widespread success throughout all of Eurea. Its soundtrack became the best-selling film soundtrack in Lungarian history, peaking at number-one. Schucher used the film as a successful springboard back into her music career, this time performing disco music. She later released the single "Nochtklubber," which became her first solo number-one single, additionally becoming the best-performing single of 1977 in Lungary. Schucher's second solo album *Nochtklubber* (1977), debuted at number-one, and additionally produced three other number-one singles while also being declared the best-performing album of 1977 in Lungary. Schucher went on to amass three other number-one singles in the 1970s, off of her ensuing studio albums *Beten* (1978) and *Lauter* (1979).

The 1980s saw a stylistic change to Schucher's music. Following disappointing sales of her album *Superfrause* (1981), credited to the declining popularity of disco music, Schucher adopted a synth-pop sound, becoming a pioneering artist of 1980s pop. She released the single "Physikal" in 1982, which became the second best-selling single of 1982 in Lungary, and her fifth solo number-one. "Physikal" was later included on her album *Physikal* (1982), which became the best-selling album of 1982 in Lungary and won Album of the Year at the 1983 Lungarian Music Awards. After completing promotion for *Physikal*, Schucher took a hiatus from music in order to prioritize motherhood. She returned in 1986, with the release of the single "Webrenne et," although it solely peaked in the top forty and did not reach the levels of success Schucher had previously received. The song's parent album *Am leben* (1986) additionally only peaked in the top ten, and Schucher subsequently took another hiatus from music, releasing no further albums in the 1980s and only one in the following decade.

Throughout her career, Schucher has released eight solo studio albums, four of which peaked at number-one in Lungary, and five solo number-one singles – two additional duets with Viktor Garaldsen peaked at number-one as well, amounting to seven total number-one singles. Schucher has sold more than 75 million records, making her one of the best-selling Lungarian musicians of all-time. She is credited with being one of the pioneering artists in both the Lungarian disco scene of the late-1970s, and the Lungarian synth-pop scene of the early-1980s.

## Early life and education

Schucher was born on 28 June 1950 in Vecker, Veckerland to parents Wilhelm (1918–2003) and Josefine Schucher (née *Bähr*; 1921–2005). Her father was Lungarian and worked in importing and exporting, while her mother was an South Tarfican national from Tohereng who was a homemaker. Her parents had met in the 1940s, while Wilhelm's job had him working out of South Tarfica. Schucher is the elder of two daughters; her younger sister is Michelina, born  (1953-04-30) 30 April 1953 (age 70). She has described her mother as being "quite bohemian" and "eccentric," with an unconventional style of dress and self-expression.

When Schucher was four years old, the family moved to Tohereng, where they lived in Josefine's childhood home in order to care for her mother following the death of her father. Schucher began her education in 1956, attending a local, public primary school in Tohereng. While in primary school, Schucher was a quiet but popular student, and wished to become an actress. She frequently took part in musical theatre productions at both her school and at a local community theatre. In 1966, shortly before graduating from primary school, Schucher's grandmother died, so the family later returned to Lungary and settled in Munbach. While in Munbach, the family lived in the Upper Munbach neighborhood of Essholz. Schucher enrolled in the Royal Lungarian Academy of Music, where she studied vocal performance, and graduated with her secondary school diploma in 1969.

## Career

### Early career

After graduating from school in 1969, Schucher opted to pursue a career in acting. Initially struggling to be cast in roles, Schucher began modeling in both print campaigns and on runways in order to support herself, after having been signed to a small Munbach-based modeling agency.

Modeling led Schucher to a number of connections within the acting world, and Schucher has credited her career to her initial success in the modeling industry. Schucher had her first role in a 1971 episode of the sitcom *Grübber* (1968–74), appearing as a girl in a bikini. She had several subsequent roles as an extra on television programs, until receiving her first guest starring role on a 1972 episode of the sitcom *Winter* (1970–75). She additionally portrayed Norma, a recurring character for four episodes in season one of the sitcom *House of Pleasure* (1972–74).

### 1973–1975: Film and musical breakthrough

Schucher received her breakout role after being cast as Dorotea Franzert in the romantic-musical film *Living Young*. The female lead, Schucher played opposite Lungarian actor Erik Häbbe. *Living Young* was released in June 1973, and became a breakout hit in Lungary, Austlungard, and Frankenland. For her performance, Schucher became a teen idol, and received a nomination for Best Actress at the 1974 Lungarian Movie Awards. Due to its popular soundtrack, Schucher amassed two top ten singles in Lungary: "Tiesel" (a duet with Häbbe), which peaked at number-six, and "Nein nein nein", which peaked at number-ten.

Following the success of the *Living Young* soundtrack, Schucher was courted by record labels to begin a music career of her own, as she was a classically trained vocalist. In 1973, she signed with Metamorphosis Music and Mammoth Music Lungary to begin a music career. The following November, she released the single "Alein." Stylistically, the song was similar to the music featured in *Living Young*, being an era-appropriate pop song marketed towards teenagers. The song received a moderate critical and commercial reception, peaking within the top forty in Lungary, despite becoming a top ten hit in Austlungard, Frankenland, and South Tarfica. Schucher followed the single with the release of her debut studio album *Ein nocht mit Stassi* in January 1975, which peaked at number-eight in Lungary and received modest reviews.

Following the lukewarm reception to her music career, Schucher opted to return to her acting career, starring in the commercially successful films *Nine Tall Tales* (1975), *Alexandrina* (1975), and *Dougie* (1976).

### 1976–1979: *Disco Love*, *Nochtklubber*, and widespread success

In 1976, Schucher starred as disco dancer Stefania Tschepäsch in the comedy-musical film *Disco Love*, starring opposite Austlungardian actor Viktor Garaldsen. *Disco Love* went on to become a major success and the highest-grossing film of the year in Austlungard and Frankenland, in addition to the second highest-grossing in Lungary. Its soundtrack additionally became the best-selling film soundtrack in Lungarian history, holding the number-one spot in Lungary for five consecutive weeks. Off of the film's soundtrack, Schucher amassed two number-one hits with Garaldsen: "Wie gödt ist dein lübe" and "Die wei ich strüt," becoming Schucher's first number-one hits on the chart. The film garnered Schucher her second nomination for Best Actress at the Lungarian Movie Awards, and is credited with popularizing the disco genre in Lungary. The film and soundtrack was promoted with the Disco Love: Concert Tour, where Schucher, Garaldsen, and the rest of the film's cast performed songs from the film in a musical-like setting, performing shows in twelve countries from July to December 1976.

Seeing the widespread success of the *Disco Love* soundtrack, Schucher decided to return to her music career in order to capitalize on the emerging popularity of disco music. In March 1977, Schucher released the single "Nochtklubber," to widespread critical and commercial success. Debuting at number-one on the charts, "Nochtklubber" became the best-selling single of 1977 in Lungary, and has additionally gone on to become one of the most defining singles of the Lungarian disco era. Schucher released the album *Nochtklubber* in June 1977, which debuted at number-one and produced an additional three number-one hits, becoming the best-selling album of the year. She promoted the album with the Nochtklubber Tour, which performed shows in ten countries from September 1977 to January 1978. Schucher released two other albums in the decade: *Beten* in July 1978, and *Lauter* in August 1979; both albums peaked at number-one in Lungary, and produced six top ten hits total. She promoted both albums with the Disco Dreams Tour, performing shows in eighteen countries from October 1979 to April 1980.

### 1980–1983: *Physikal* and reemergence

After completing the Disco Dreams Tour in April 1980, Schucher returned to the recording studio to begin recording a fifth studio album. At the time, disco music had begun declining in popularity, with many becoming tired of its nonstop airplay and perceived overrating. In December 1980, Schucher released the single "Superfrause" to relatively underwhelming sales. Its parent album *Superfrause* was later released in January 1981, underperforming both critically and commercially, and only reaching the top ten of the albums charts.

Schucher embarked on the Superfrause Tour, which was to perform shows in sixteen countries from March to July 1981, but the tour was embroiled in controversy. Initially selecting her label-mate and upcoming pop star Lana Nük as her opening act, Nük was fired from the tour after her sixth performance, with no explanation given; the media reported that Schucher was upset after the crowd in Ilsa began chanting "bring her back" after Nük's set ended and Schucher had begun performing, resulting in Nük's sacking. Neither Schucher nor Nük have ever commented on her firing. The label then secured Nük's own concert tour, with Nük performing on the Lana Nük Tour until August 1981, competing directly with Schucher's tour. Ultimately, Nük outsold Schucher 3-to-1, despite it being her first tour to Schucher's fourth. The eight final stops on the tour were abruptly canceled, citing mental exhaustion on Schucher's part.

After the failure of *Superfrause*, Schucher decided that she needed to reinvent her sound. After consulting her younger cousins and frequenting Munbach nightclubs associated with young partiers, Schucher began experimenting with synth-pop, an emerging genre evolved from disco. In July 1982, she released the single "Physikal," which debuted at number-one and became her fifth solo number-one hit. "Physikal" reestablished Schucher as one of the most dominant names in pop music, and it later was nominated for Song of the Year at the 1982 Lungarian Music Awards. Schucher released the album *Physikal* in September 1982, which became a widespread success, becoming the best-selling album of the year and winning Album of the Year at the Lungarian Music Awards. Schucher then embarked on the Physikal World Tour, which performed shows in thirty-two countries from November 1982 to August 1983, becoming the longest and highest-grossing tour of her career.

### 1984–1986: Hiatus and *Am leben*

After completing promotion for *Physikal* in August 1983, Schucher took a hiatus from performing in order to prioritize her private life and beginning a family. She discovered that she was two months pregnant shortly before the end of the Physikal World Tour, and experienced immense difficulties in performing due to morning sickness and muscle aches. After giving birth to her daughter in March 1984, Schucher decided to continue taking time off, as she enjoyed spending time with her husband and being a homemaker.

In a February 1986 interview, Schucher stated that she was eager to return to music and had begun work on another album. She released the single "Webrenne et" in October 1986, although it solely peaked in the top forty and did not reach the levels of success Schucher had previously received. Disappointed with the single's sales, Schucher ended work on perfecting the album *Am leben*, releasing it in an imperfect state in November 1986; the album also saw disappointing sales and critical reviews, peaking only at number-ten. Following the poor reception of her new work, Schucher opted to take another hiatus from music, and chose not to tour to promote *Am leben*.

### 1986–present: Career slowdown

After the disappointment of *Am leben*, Schucher took a long hiatus from the music industry, deciding to prioritize her family life and raising her daughter. In a 1986 interview, Schucher stated, "I'm friendly with a lot of other people in the music industry, and many of them rarely have time to see their children. I also know a few people who grew up in the industry and have distant relationships with their moms and dads because of it. I'm not going to let that be my family's story."

In 1995, reports began to arise that Schucher was planning a musical comeback. She released the single "Offenschitlich" in August 1995, her first in nine years; the song peaked within the top eighty in Lungary. She followed the single with the release of the album *Gebrochene herzer* in October 1995, which peaked at number-six, becoming her best-selling album since *Physikal*. Schucher opted not to promote the album with a tour, as she did not wish to spend too much time away from her family. In 1999, she released the compilation album *100 nochtklubber, 100 hitter*, and supported it with Stassi niuw a small, residency show in Munbach that performed six shows in July 1999. She released a second compilation album *Stassi: Die hitter* in April 2010, which also included digitally remastered versions of her former singles and several music videos in its box set.

## Personal life

Schucher began a relationship with Regian cinematographer and videographer Valerio Lozaro in 1978, after they met at the 1978 Colnesse Film Festival in Draconia. Schucher and Lozaro became engaged in 1981, and married the following year in a lavish ceremony in Cape Granite, South Tarfica. Schucher and Lozaro have one child together: Claudia, born  (1984-03-12) 12 March 1984 (age 39). The family resided in the Aürbach neighborhood of Inner Munbach until 1992, when Schucher and Lozaro separated. Schucher filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences, in 1994, and the divorce was finalized in 1995. After divorcing, Schucher sold their Aürbach home and purchased a six-bedroom house in Vöcklaten, Vilbrück, a suburb just to the west of Munbach. Schucher also owns homes in Cape Granite and Tohereng in South Tarfica; her total real estate acquisitions amount to $12.7 million.

Schucher is a practicing member of the Church of Lungary, who attends church weekly. She has discussed abandoning the faith as a young adult, but reconnected with the church in the early-1980s. Schucher is a native speaker of the South Tarfican dialect of the Lungarian language, and is also fluent in English and Draconian; however, due to the many years of living in Lungary, she has called her dialect "warped," identifying the numerous occurrences where she dialect blends between the South Tarfican dialect and standard Lungarian. She holds dual citizenship to Lungary and South Tarfica, and has identified herself as having an equal sense of pride to both nations.

## Discography

*Main article: Stassi Schucher discography*

* *Ein nocht mit Stassi* (1975)
* *Nochtklubber* (1977)
* *Beten* (1978)
* *Lauter* (1979)
* *Superfrause* (1981)
* *Physikal* (1982)
* *Am leben* (1986)
* *Gebrochene herzer* (1995)

## Concert tours

* Disco Love: Concert Tour (1976)
* Nochtklubber Tour (1977–78)
* Disco Dreams Tour (1979–80)
* Superfrause Tour (1981)
* Physikal World Tour (1982–83)
* Stassi niuw (1999)

## Filmography

*Main article: Stassi Schucher filmography*

## Awards and nominations

*Main article: Awards and nominations received by Stassi Schucher*