Preluders
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Tertia Botha, Miriam Cani, Anh-Thu Doan, Rebecca Miro, Anne Ross |
| Defunct | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Germany |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Preluders were a German pop girl group created through the ProSieben talent competition Popstars – Das Duell in 2003, which featured a contest between male and female ensembles. The founding members were Tertia Botha, Miriam Cani, Anh-Thu Doan, Rebecca Miro, and Anne Ross. Although they were defeated by the boy band Overground in the public voting, their debut single "Everyday Girl" reached number one on the German charts, and their album Girls in the House (2003) secured a top-five position in both Germany and Switzerland.
In 2004, their follow-up album of covers, Prelude to History, did not meet commercial expectations, leading to their departure from Cheyenne Records and the exit of members Botha, Miro, and Ross. After signing with Edel Records, Patricia Sadowski joined the group; however, their only release as a trio was the single "I Want Your T.I.M.E." Due to limited success in sales, the group disbanded quietly in autumn 2006.
Formation
The Preluders came together in September 2003 during the ProSieben program Popstars – Das Duell, a show designed to form competing male and female bands vying for recognition. From an initial pool of 12,000 applicants throughout Germany, judges rapper Sabrina Setlur, choreographer Detlef "D!" Soost, and producer Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen shortlisted 27 finalists who then attended training sessions in Orlando, Florida.
Initially, Anh-Thu Doan, Miriam Cani, Rebecca Miro, and Tertia Botha were selected as members of the Preluders. To enhance the group's vocal strength after some unsuccessful studio sessions, judges brought in strong singer Anne Ross, who had been a semi-finalist. Their first promotional release was a cover of R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion."
Despite extensive touring and promotional activities across Germany, the group finished second in the season finale on 3 November 2003 with 48% of the public vote, losing to Overground.
Recording career
On 17 November 2003, the Preluders launched their debut single "Everyday Girl," taken from their album Girls in the House. Produced by Fahrenkrog-Petersen, this pop song debuted at number one on the German singles chart and also reached top-five positions in Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It received gold certification after selling more than 150,000 copies. The album was released on 24 November 2003 and entered at number two in Germany and number three in Switzerland but failed to enter Austria’s top ten. Early 2004 saw two further singles—"Bal Privé" and "Hotter Than You Know"—both of which failed to break into the top 20.
During summer 2004, they recorded their sophomore album Prelude to History, comprising cover versions alongside original songs. The lead single was a double A-side featuring a reimagining of Katrina and the Waves' "Walking on Sunshine" paired with a new recording of Christina Milian's Kim Possible theme "Call Me, Beep Me." This single did not enter the top 50 charts in Austria or Switzerland and peaked at number 24 in Germany. Its follow-up "Do You Love Me" charted even lower at number 50.
The band maintained an active presence touring throughout Germany and made appearances at festivals and television programs. Plans for a third album were derailed when Tertia Botha left mid-2005 to recover from injuries sustained in a car accident; shortly after, Rebecca Miro also departed. Remaining members Miriam Cani, Anh-Thu Doan, and Anne Ross signed with Edel Records preparing to release "Never Before," but Ross exited in December 2005 to pursue a new project with Milk & Honey, causing cancellation of that single.
In March 2006, Patricia "Trish" Sadowski joined Cani and Doan as a trio. They released "I Want Your T.I.M.E." in July 2006; however, it only reached number 92 on the German singles chart. After several months of inactivity and speculation about their status, the Preluders disbanded quietly during autumn 2006.
Members
| Members | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tertia Botha | 2003–2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebecca Miro | 2003–2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Anne Ross | 2003–2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Miriam Cani | 2003–2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Anh-Thu Doan | 2003–2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Patricia Sadowski | 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Rankings | Awards and Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GER |
AUT |
SWI | |||
| Girls in the House |
|
2 | 12 | 3 |
|
| Prelude to History |
|
40 | – | – | |
Singles
| Song Title | Release Year | Chart Peak Positions | Certifications | Corresponding Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GER | AUT | SWI | ||||
| "Losing My Religion" | 2003 | — | — | — | Girls in the House | |
| "Everyday Girl" | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| ||
| "Bal privé" | 2004 | 28 | 37 | 60 | ||
| "Hotter than You Know" | 21 | 49 | 53 | Non-album single release | ||
| "Walking on Sunshine" | 24 | 54 | 68 | Prelude to History | ||
| "Do You Love Me" | 50 | — | — | |||
| "I Want Your T.I.M.E." | 2006 | 91 | — | — | Non-album single release | |
- Featured appearances
| Song Title | Release Year | Chart Peak Positions | Certifications and Awards | Album Name | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GER | AUT | SWI | ||||
| "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (with TV All Stars) |
2003 | 3 | 28 | 32 |
|
Ultimate Christmas Album |