Andromeda

**Andromeda Anastazia Horenberger** (born 27 January 1955), known professionally as simply **Andromeda**, is a Lungarian singer, songwriter, philanthropist, activist, and musician. Widely known for her eccentric sense of style, thick Plettenbrück accent, and comical sense of humor, Horenberger achieved widespread success throughout the Lungarian-speaking world and beyond in the 1980s, and is credited with popularizing the Lungarian new wave and synth-pop movements.

Born to a working-class family in Plettenbrück, Horenberger originally was on an academic path, and did not consider a career in music. After graduating from secondary school in 1974, Horenberger enrolled in the University of Plettenbrück to study sociology. While at the university, Horenberger formed the punk rock band Blue Lips, and became a well-known fixture on campus. After working the underground punk circuit throughout Plettenbrück, the band was signed to independent rock label Corasneft Records in 1976, and Horenberger dropped out of university two semesters shy of graduating. The band released their first album *Eckz* in March 1977, which became widely successful in the punk circuit. With subsequent releases, the band adopted a more mainstream sound and less offensive style, releasing the single "Garten," which became their first top ten hit in Lungary. After releasing their second studio album *Die Blue Lips* in January 1979, Horenberger became courted by labels to begin a solo career. While initially dispelling the claims as just rumors, Horenberger signed solo recording contracts with Lionheart Music and Mammoth Music Lungary in February 1980, later announcing the breakup of Blue Lips that June.

Beginning her solo career, Horenberger planned to transition from punk rock to a more marketable genre of pop music. Aligning herself with the emerging new wave and synth-pop movement, Horenberger released her debut single "Gelder werchselt allesich," which peaked within the top twenty in Lungary. It was followed by the single "Mädcher wöllend häb spas," which became a number-one hit in eight countries. Her debut solo album *Ungüweichscheit* (1981) ultimately debuted at number-one, won Album of the Year at the 1982 Lungarian Music Awards, and produced three other top five singles, including the worldwide number-one "Nocht efter nocht." *Ungüweichscheit* has since been described as one of the best albums of the decade, and one of the most quintessential 1980s releases. She released the single "Ein werscheherze" in June 1983, which became her third number-one hit. Her second solo album *Ein werscheherze* (1983) became her second chart-topping album, also producing two other top ten singles. Horenberger followed *Ein werscheherze* with a supporting role in the widely successful adventure-comedy film *Dooni* (1984), in addition to recording the film's theme song "De sind gödt," which became her fourth number-one hit.

With the release of the single "Währ farber" in August 1986, Horenberger began to retreat from new wave and synth-pop, instead beginning to experiment genres such as soft rock and adult contemporary. "Währ farber" still became one of the most successful singles of her career, becoming her fifth number-one hit, winning Song of the Year at the 1987 Lungarian Music Awards, and becoming the third best-selling single of the year in Lungary. Her third studio album *Währ farber* (1986) saw a similar influence from soft rock and adult contemporary, peaking at number-two in Lungary. Due to the success of *Währ farber*, Horenberger began to drift away from pop music in favor of adult contemporary. Her fourth studio album *Vöger* (1989) saw no pop single releases, but still peaked within the top five in Lungary. Horenberger released two commercially successful adult contemporary albums in the 1990s, *Eckenhäbber* (1993) and *Klarker und heitlitz* (1997), before slowing down her career in the 2000s.

Throughout her career, Horenberger has released six solo studio albums, two of which peaked at number-one in Lungary, and five number-one singles. Horenberger has sold more than 55 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 the Lungarian new wave and synth-pop scenes of the early-1980s. Outside of music, Horenberger is a philanthropist who works with her Währ Farber Foundation to provide assistance to homeless and LGBT youth. She is also a political activist, who has advocated for the advancement of LGBT and women's rights in Lungary and abroad.

## Early life and education

Horenberger was born on 27 January 1955 in Plettenbrück to parents Filip (1928–1979) and Elisabeth Horenberger (née *Vögl*; 1930–2017) as an only child. The family was working-class, with Filip working as a custodian, while Elisabeth was an assistant at a local pastry shop; Filip suffered greatly with alcohol addiction, and was often physically and verbally abusive. Horenberger's father's abuse led her to form a close bond with her mother. When she was twelve years old, her father left the family and Horenberger had no contact with him since then; he later died of a heroin overdose in 1979, aged 51.

Horenberger grew up in the rough Plettenbrück neighborhood of Zierenstadt, describing most of her neighbors as drug addicts or criminals. She began her education in 1961, attending a local, public primary school in Zierenstadt. Horenberger ultimately graduated in 1971, enrolling in Zierenstadt Gymnasium to study a social sciences program, graduating in 1974. Horenberger has stated that she was ostracized in school for her unconventional sense of style and behavior, and wished that she could have dropped out but she "didn't know what else [she] could do." After graduating, Horenberger enrolled in the Faculty of Psychology and Social Sciences at the University of Plettenbrück, where she studied sociology. Horenberger dropped out of university in 1976, two semesters shy of graduating.

## Career

### 1974–1979: Blue Lips and early career

Horenberger began her music career in 1974, shortly after beginning university. She befriended Jakob Manz in a class that they were both enrolled in, later befriending Manz's roommates Stefan Faymann and Jonas Öberlander as well. They began playing music together after being inspired by the punk rock clubs they had frequented, and formed Blue Lips officially in November 1974. That month, their friend Sebastian Grüber joined the band as well.

Never having considered a music career before, Horenberger did not consider herself a good vocalist, and saw punk's DIY-aesthetics comforting, as she would not have to worry about whether she sounded like a professional singer. Blue Lips began gaining popularity throughout the university, performing frequently in underground punk shows on campus. By 1975, they had begun performing at punk club shows throughout Plettenbrück. In November 1976, the band signed to independent rock label Corasneft Records, later releasing their debut album *Eckz* in March 1977, becoming a hit in the punk scene. Following the success of *Eckz*, Blue Lips began adopting a more conventional look and sound, shifting away from punk in favor of the emerging new wave genre, evolved from punk and the more popular disco. They released the single "Garten" in November 1978, which became their first top ten hit. It was followed by the release of their second album *Die Blue Lips* in January 1979, which peaked within the top five. They promoted the album with the Die Blue Lips Tour which performed shows in eight countries from March to July 1979.

Following the success of *Die Blue Lips*, Horenberger began to be courted by labels to begin a solo career. She initially dispelled these claims as rumors, although reports emerged in January 1980 that Horenberger was close to signing a contract with Mammoth Music Lungary. She ultimately signed to Mammoth Lungary and Lionheart Music the following month, despite publicly stating that Blue Lips was not breaking up. Her contract stipulated that her former bandmates would always be able to perform together as her backing band during live performances, and were also to be included on studio recordings. By June 1980, Faymann confirmed that Blue Lips had broken up, although reaffirming that there were no hard feelings and that the band had committed themselves to assisting Horenberger in her solo career.

### 1980–1982: Solo breakthrough and *Ungüweichscheit*

After signing solo recording contracts, Horenberger decided to transition completely away from punk, and instead completely adopt a new wave sound. Her debut single "Gelder werchselt allesich" was later released to great anticipation in May 1981. While it received good reviews from music critics, the song somewhat underperformed commercially, only peaking in the top twenty in Lungary. In an attempt to prevent her album from being shelved, Horenberger recorded a music video for the song "Mädcher wöllend häb spas," and her label decided to release the song as her second single along with its video in July 1981, becoming a smash hit. The song's video became one of the most requested videos on Muzicka X of the year, and featured a reunion with her former bandmates. "Mädcher wöllend häb spas" became a number-one hit in eight countries, and has been described as one of the most memorable releases of the decade.

Following the success of "Mädcher wöllend häb spas," Horenberger released her debut solo album *Ungüweichscheit* in October 1981. The album ultimately debuted at number-one, won Album of the Year at the 1982 Lungarian Music Awards, and produced three other top five singles, including the worldwide number-one hit "Nocht efter nocht." *Ungüweichscheit* has since been described as one of the best albums of the decade, and one of the most quintessential 1980s releases. Horenberger promoted the album with the Sche ist Ungüweichscheit Tour, which performed shows in eighteen countries from November 1981 to April 1982.

### 1983–1985: *Ein werscheherze* and acting

Horenberger began writing new music for her sophomore release while on the Sche ist Ungüweichscheit Tour. After arriving back in Munbach in April 1982, she continued writing, before beginning recording in July 1982. Horenberger released the single "Ein werscheherze" in February 1983, which saw a shift from new wave to more dance-oriented pop. Nevertheless, the song was still a massive success, becoming Horenberger's third number-one hit. Its music video featured Horenberger performing the song as a busker on the streets of Delmas with Blue Lips as her backing band, receiving notable attention and praise. Horenberger released the album *Ein werscheherze* in June 1983. Like its predecessor, *Ein werscheherze* debuted at number-one in Lungary, becoming her second chart-topping album. Unlike its lead single, the remainder of the album did not see a departure from new wave, but did incorporate other genres such as dance-pop and synth-pop. Horenberger promoted the album with the Werscheherze Tour, which performed shows in twenty-one countries from July 1983 to February 1984. In keeping in line with the album's lead single, Horenberger reunited her former band on the tour, hiring them as her permanent backing band.

In the midst of the peak of her career, Horenberger was courted to begin an acting career in various films and television series. Her personality in interviews and music videos led many film executives to believe she would become a star as an actress. Horenberger often declined the invitations, stating she was uninterested in pursuing acting. However, she agreed to appear as a supporting antagonist in the 1984 family adventure-comedy film *Dooni*, as she was good friends with its director Jon Aspelund. In addition to appearing in the film, Horenberger performed the film's theme song "De sind gödt," which became her fourth number-one hit in Lungary. She promoted the film and the single with a highly publicized music video, inspired by the plot of the film and featuring a number of Lungarian actors and musicians in comedic roles. *Dooni* was eventually released in August 1984, becoming a critical and commercial success.

### 1986–1990: *Währ farber* and adult contemporary shift

Following the success of *Ein werscheherze* and *Dooni*, Horenberger became active in the fight for LGBT and women's rights in Lungary. She founded the Währ Farber Foundation in 1985, dedicating it to giving assistance to homeless and LGBT youth in Lungary and abroad. She began lobbying Lungarian parliament to adopt anti-discrimination legislation for LGBT individuals in 1985, succeeding within a year of lobbying. Following the election of Michalina Porizowska as the first female Prime Minister of Lungary in the 1986 federal election, Horenberger hosted a concert celebrating her victory in Munbach.

In August 1986, Horenberger released the single "Währ farber." She stated that she had written the song during her time in Blue Lips, but knew it was not the band's style. She named her foundation after the song because it was the "most important song [she] ever wrote," and she had been waiting years to feel ready to release it as a single. Stylistically, the song saw a great departure from the new wave music she had become known for, instead incorporating soft rock and adult contemporary. Despite the change in sound, it was still a widespread success, becoming her fifth number-one hit, winning Song of the Year at the 1987 Lungarian Music Awards, and becoming the third best-selling single of the year in Lungary. Her third studio album *Währ farber* was later released in October 1986, and saw a similar influence from soft rock and adult contemporary, peaking at number-two in Lungary. She promoted the album with the Währ Farber Tour, which saw Horenberger performing more intimate shows in sixteen countries, from December 1986 to May 1987. Inspired by the success of *Währ farber* and her switch to adult contemporary, Horenberger later released the album *Vöger* in May 1989, also featuring a similar adult contemporary sound. *Vöger* saw no pop commercial single releases, but still managed to peak within the top five in Lungary. Horenberger embarked on a small concert tour to promote *Vöger*, performing on the Vöger Tour from September to December 1989, only performing shows in four countries.

### 1991–present: Career slowdown

After experimenting with adult contemporary in the late-1980s, Horenberger completely shifted her sound to the style in the 1990s. No longer considering herself to be a pop artist, she released the adult contemporary and soft rock album *Eckenhäbber* in February 1993, peaking in the top five in Lungary. After its release, Horenberger opted not to tour to promote it, instead wishing to prioritize activism and philanthropy with her foundation. Throughout the mid-1990s, Horenberger hosted fundraisers for her foundation, while also touring Tarfica and Helonesia to speak with LGBT youth who have faced discrimination by their peers and the government. She also began to lobby parliament regarding the legalization of same-sex civil unions and adoption, with same-sex civil unions ultimately passing due to her influence in 1998.

In July 1997, Horenberger released her final studio album *Klarker und heitlitz*. Like its predecessors, *Klarker und heitlitz* was an adult contemporary and soft rock album, peaking within the top ten in Lungary. She later announced a reunion tour with Blue Lips and their first compilation album in 1999, releasing *Die Blue Lips: 100%* in August 1999. Their reunion tour performed shows throughout Lungary, Austlungard, and Frankenland from October to December 1999. Horenberger released her first solo compilation album *Sche ist gödt* in March 2003, later releasing a second compilation album *35* in May 2015, before embarking on the 35 Tour from June to September 2015.

## Personal life

Horenberger began a relationship with Lungarian banker Konstantin Manninger in 1986; they first met several years prior, as Manninger's mother was Horenberger's lawyer. She has referred to her and Manninger as "the odd couple," due to Horenberger's extravagant wardrobe and personality, while Manninger is more mild-mannered and avoids the spotlight. They became engaged in 1989, and married later that year during a live performance on the Vöger Tour; Horenberger and Manninger later married in a proper ceremony in December 1989. They have one child together, Paul, born  (1991-07-18) 18 July 1991 (age 32). The family resides in the rural Walennacht neighborhood of East Munbach, with Horenberger stating that she and Manninger prefer their family life to be kept out of the spotlight.

Horenberger has been politically active since a child, with her mother being a diehard supporter of the Social Democrats. Horenberger has been a registered Social Democrat since turning 18, and has voted in every election she's been eligible for. She has described herself as aligning with the left-wing of the party, and has called herself "highly supportive" of the Left Party. Horenberger has publicly supported Social Democratic politicians such as Michalina Porizowska, Heinrich Russel, and Lara Münd. With her foundation the Währ Farber Foundation, Horenberger raises funds for homeless and LGBT youth in Lungary and abroad, while also lobbying on behalf of LGBT and women's rights. After the legalization of same-sex marriage in Lungary in 2014, it was said that Horenberger was "instrumental" in the passing of every pro-LGBT piece of legislation since 1985.

## Discography

*See also: Blue Lips discography*

*Main article: Andromeda discography*

* *Ungüweichscheit* (1981)
* *Ein werscheherze* (1983)
* *Währ farber* (1986)
* *Vöger* (1989)
* *Eckenhäbber* (1993)
* *Klarker und heitlitz* (1997)

## Concert tours

* Sche ist Ungüweichscheit Tour (1981–82)
* Werscheherze Tour (1983–84)
* Währ Farber Tour (1986–87)
* Vöger Tour (1989)
* 35 Tour (2015)

## Awards and nominations

*Main article: Awards and nominations received by Andromeda*