Andromeda

**Andromeda Anastazia Braün** (born 12 November 1955), known professionally as simply **Andromeda**, is a Lungarian singer, songwriter, and musician. Born and raised in Elgerholme, Andromeda began her music career in 1975 as the lead singer of a number of Elgerholme-based punk rock bands, later moving to Munbach in 1980 to pursue a career in pop music.

After arriving in Munbach, Andromeda was signed to Mammoth Music Lungary and Start a Riot Records in 1982. Andromeda's debut single "Freitzer ist necht kochtauge" was released the following year and became a top ten single in Lungary. The song and its music video are credited as helping promote Andromeda as the "bad girl" of Lungarian popular music, a label which has been attached to her throughout her entire career. Her debut studio album *Gust dün öglisch* was released in 1983, and became Andromeda's first number-one album. Andromeda later went on to represent Lungary in the World Song Contest 1985, placing second with the song "Habbenflöcker", which launched her career internationally. She went on to release two other successful studio albums in the 1980s, and continued moderate success in the early-1990s before putting her career on hold to prioritize motherhood.

Andromeda has sold over 20 million albums and 40 million singles worldwide, making her one of the most successful Lungarian musicians of all-time. She is known for her tough girl persona and rock-influenced pop music, garnering her the nicknames the "Queen of Pop Rock" and the "Lungary's First Bad Girl" by the media.

## Early life

Andromeda was born on 12 November 1955 in Elgerholme as Andromeda Anastazia Braün to parents Arnold and Kristine Braün (née *Hidewinz*). Both of her parents were involved with music, with her father working as a guitarist in a number of folk bands, while her mother had previously attempted to pursue a career in pop music in Munbach during the 1940s. She has referred to her parents as "hippies" on a number of occasions, and in 2006 stated that her father grew and sold marijuana in the family's apartment. Andromeda has one younger brother, Kristoff, born in 1960, and she grew up in the Häggernäffer neighborhood of East Elgerholme.

Andromeda began primary school in 1962. At school, she frequently got in trouble due to not paying attention, but still performed well academically. She was later diagnosed with ADHD at age eight. Andromeda began performing at a young age, after being inspired by her parents. She performed with a community theatre, and wrote her first song with her father when she was nine years old. Andromeda eventually graduated from primary school in 1968, and began attending secondary school. Andromeda was severely bullied in secondary school because of how different she was from her peers; showing up to school in brightly colored outfits and heavy makeup, having little interest in traditionally feminine activities and classes, and being raised in a family of hippies. However, because of her thick skin she was largely unaffected by the bullying, and graduated from secondary school in 1972.

After graduating from secondary school, Andromeda began attending the Elgerholme School of the Performing Arts, where she studied vocal performance. While attending high school, Andromeda first began to realize that performing was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Unlike in secondary school, Andromeda was popular in high school and she credits this to being surrounded by likeminded individuals and people who were similar to her, something she had never experienced prior. She went on to graduated from high school in 1975.

## Awards and nominations

*Main article: Awards and nominations received by Andromeda.*