Queensberry (band)
| Company type | Girl group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Germany |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Number of employees | 4 (initial lineup) |
Queensberry emerged as a German female pop ensemble created in late 2008 through the seventh installment of the television talent competition Popstars – Just 4 Girls. The initial members comprised singers (Leo), (Gabby), Antonella Trapani (Anto), and Victoria Ulbrich (Vici). In July 2010, Antonella and Victoria departed, with and joining the group as replacements.
Their first album, Volume I, launched in December 2008, earned gold status in Germany by January 2009. It included two singles that reached the top thirty: "No Smoke" and "I Can't Stop Feeling". Early in 2009, Queensberry served as the opening act for the Pussycat Dolls during selected European dates of the Doll Domination Tour. Their sophomore album, On My Own, was released in November 2009. Furthermore, in December 2009, they collaborated with The Chipettes on "The Song" for the Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel soundtrack and provided voices for the German-language version of the film.
Creation on Popstars
Queensberry was assembled during ProSieben’s seventh season of Popstars, subtitled Popstars – Just 4 Girls, with the objective of forming a four-member girl group following the footsteps of earlier successful acts such as No Angels (2000) and Monrose (2006). Among the contestants was Leonore Bartsch from Cologne, who had previously competed for Monrose. In mid-2008, auditions were conducted in Dortmund, Dresden, Hamburg, and Rust, attracting over 2,300 hopefuls who were required to demonstrate both singing and dancing abilities. The judging panel featured dancer Detlef Soost, vocalist Loona, and rapper Sido. Danish singer Kate Hall took on vocal coaching duties.
Following multiple elimination stages, sixteen finalists underwent intensive training in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt. From these, twelve advanced to the band house near Munich; six were chosen to commence work on their debut album. Prior to the finale, the top eight released the single I Believe In X-Mas. Leonore, Gabriella De Almeida Rinne from Berlin, and Victoria Ulbrich secured their places before the live finale held in Hilversum, Netherlands. Victoria experienced a four-week break due to her mother’s passing. The fourth member, Antonella—of Swiss origin with German-Italian heritage—was announced on 18 December after winning public televoting determined by sales of her rendition of Volume I, which was issued in three editions spotlighting individual finalists.
Although all Queensberry members had performed alongside future bandmates at various points during the competition, none had appeared together as a complete group until the final lineup was confirmed. Occasionally, three members performed together without either Leonore or Antonella.
2008/2009: Volume I and On My Own
Following confirmation of the final quartet, they secured a contract with Warner Music Group’s Starwatch Music. By January 2009, their debut album Volume I had achieved gold certification from IFPI. In February, their first double A-side single was released featuring the ballad I Can't Stop Feeling alongside promotional track No Smoke, which is a cover of Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila’s 2008 hit. This single reached number 23 on Germany’s singles chart—the lowest entry position for any Popstars winner—while No Smoke entered Switzerland’s top thirty based on digital downloads. That same month, Queensberry supported The Pussycat Dolls during select European dates of their Doll Domination Tour. A deluxe edition of Volume I was issued in June including new songs such as the single Too Young plus remixes.
On 6 May 2009, Queensberry announced they were working on their second studio album which would include the previously released summer single Too Young, lead single Hello (Turn Your Radio On), as well as Scandalous, performed live by former Popstars contestant Patricia. This album was launched on 6 November 2009 with its promotional single debuting on 23 October. It was intended to serve as their initial release for the US market. On 18 June 2010, Queensberry contributed two tracks to the soundtrack of the film Hanni und Nanni; however, their contract with Warner Music in Germany was later terminated.
2010–2013: Line-up shifts, Chapter 3 release, and dissolution
On 7 July 2010, Queensberry revealed that Anto and Vici would be leaving the group. Their spots were filled by Selina Herrero, a German-Spanish vocalist who had achieved chart success in 2008, and Ronja Hilbig, previously part of Die Lollipops and a performer in the German staging of The Lion King. This refreshed formation made their first appearance on 15 July 2010 during VIVA Live. The band also intended to launch a US-based reality series titled A Day in the Life of Queensberry. In October 2010, they produced a Spanish rendition of I Can't Stop Feeling, named Yo No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti, which they performed on VIVA Live. On 3 December 2010, Queensberry disclosed a change in their record label and announced plans for an album release in 2011. Their Pink Chocolate Tour spanned various locations across Germany throughout spring and summer 2011.
Queensberry collaborated with German rapper Kitty Kat on the track "No Time for Suckers". In April 2012, Selina Herrero departed to resume her education. The trio that remained issued their third studio album, Chapter 3, on 22 June 2012. Its initial single, Timeless, was released earlier on 1 June; however, both the single and album underperformed on German charts, peaking at numbers 91 and 90 respectively. The second single, Girl Like Me, accompanied by a music video, came out on 31 August 2012 but did not reach the German Top 100.
During August 2012, Leo was absent from several concerts due to health complications; consequently, De Almeida Rinne and Hilbig carried out performances as a duo. Leo officially exited the group in October of that year. Following this, the two remaining members put group activities on hold to focus on individual projects. By mid-2013, it was confirmed that Queensberry had permanently disbanded.
Discography
Tours
- 2012: Candy Couture Tour (23 May – 28 July)
- 2011: Pink Chocolate Tour (17 June – 3 September)
- 2010: The Queensberry Show (4 September – 10 October)
- Opening act
- 2009: The Pussycat Dolls: Doll Domination Tour (9–23 February)
Outcomes
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Viva Comet | Best Newcomer | Themselves | rowspan=1 Template:Nominated |
| 2010 | Best Band | rowspan=1 Template:Nominated |
See also
External links
- Official website (archived - last updated for Summer 2012 tour)