Fragma

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Fragma
Also known as
  • Duderstadt
  • Inpetto
OriginCologne, Germany
Genres
Years active
  • 1998–2012
  • 2017–present
Labels
Members
Past members
  • Damae (vocalist) (2000–2012)

Fragma is a German vocal trance music group, originally comprising three producers.[1] The group was successful in the early 2000s when they released several singles that charted successfully across Europe, especially the United Kingdom and Ireland, but also found some success in the United States and Australia. They continued to produce music until 2012 following the departure of vocalist Damae. After several years of hiatus, Fragma recruited a new vocalist in 2017, Tess, to front the group.

Musical career[edit]

Founded in 1998 by brothers Dirk and Marco Duderstadt, they produced their first single "Toca Me" with record producer Ramon Zenker. When it was released the following year, it topped several dance charts around the world, and reached No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart.[2]

In 1999, a mash-up, "Toca's Miracle" was produced by DJ Vimto, taking the music of Fragma's "Toca Me" and placing the vocals from Coco Star's 1996 song "I Need a Miracle" (written for Coco Star by Rob Davis and Victor Imbres) over the instrumental. Originally released on Orbit Records in Germany, "Toca's Miracle" was licensed in the UK by Positiva Records.[3] It went straight to number one in the UK chart,[2] and was popular in Australia and Ireland. "Toca's Miracle" was described as a "song that was never really meant to be" by Billboard's Michael Paoletta.[4] An album was released in 2001; Toca, as well as two other singles; "Everytime You Need Me" (UK No. 3),[2] which featured vocals by Maria Rubia, and "You Are Alive" (UK No. 4)[2] with vocals by Damae.

2002 saw the Duderstadts set up their own studio, called Evergreen-Terrace. The same year saw Fragma still operating with vocalist Damae, release a second album; Embrace, with hit singles such as "Say That You're Here", "Embrace Me", "Man In The Moon" and "Time And Time Again". During this period, Fragma parted with their UK record label Positiva and released "Say That You're Here" in December 2001 on Illustrious Records. The song charted at No. 25 and a hiatus on the UK chart singles chart began which lasted for several years.

In 2003, a remix of their single "Embrace Me", was featured in the anime adaptation of Dear Boys.

Dirk and Marco also worked as a duo under their surname Duderstadt. The singles "Sunrise" and "Taking Over" were released on Gang Go Records. A third single, "Mahananda", was released in 2005 on Afterglow Records. This was followed by the fourth single "Muhanjala" in 2006, and another featuring Anita Kelsey called "Smile" in 2007. The two are also known to produce under the name Inpetto (originally written as In Petto around 1999–2000).

In 2006, Fragma released the single "Radio Waves" together with Kirsty Hawkshaw. The track was co-written by Judie Tzuke.

2008 saw the release of "Toca's Miracle 2008" with the vocals of Coco Star and the InPetto remix of the original song. "Toca's Miracle 2008" reached number 2 on the Australian ARIA Club Charts and number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.

Fragma commenced touring again with Damae throughout Europe, where they featured on the Dance Nation tour in the UK. "Memory" was released through Hard2Beat and Ultra Records, followed by "Forever and a Day", which was released in November 2009.

In October 2012, Fragma announced through their official Facebook page that they had separated from singer Damae on 1 September 2012. This was in the same year as the release of their track "Thousand Times" and their collaboration with Akil Wingate on "Where Do We Go", both of which feature her vocals. She no longer represents Fragma at their live shows, as they continued working on productions with a different singer.

In 2017, Fragma recruited the vocalist Tess, who began performing with the group on their tours.

On 2 July 2021, Fragma released their first new music in nine years, a melodic dance track entitled "I Want More" with Tess on vocals.

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

Title Details Chart positions Certification
AUS
[5]
DEN FIN GER NOR SWE UK
[2]
Toca
  • Released: 12 January 2001
81 39 21 53 15 54 19
Embrace
  • Released: 2002

Singles[edit]

Year Single Featured
vocals
Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
Album
AUS
[7][8]
AUT
[9]
DEN
[10]
GER
[11]
IRE
[12]
NED
[13]
NOR
[14]
SWE
[15]
SWI
[16]
UK
[2]
1999 "Toca Me" Eva Martinez 53 20 49 11 Toca
2000 "Toca's Miracle" Coco (uncredited) 8 46 4 63 2 18 55 1
2001 "Everytime You Need Me" Maria Rubia 17 42 11 19 5 51 4 19 42 3
"You Are Alive" Damae 37 13 16 23 20 13 45 67 4
"Say That You're Here" Damae 41 53 55 59 100 25 Embrace
2002 "Embrace Me" Damae 81
"Time and Time Again" Damae 74 44
2003 "Man in the Moon" Damae 56 Non-album singles
2005 "Born to Love" Damae
2006 "Radio Waves"
(with Kirsty Hawkshaw)
Kirsty Hawkshaw 71
2007 "Deeper" Damae
2008 "Toca's Miracle 2008" Coco (uncredited) 89 42 73 18 7 16
2008 "Memory" Damae 74 64 28 30
2009 "Forever and a Day" Damae
2010 "What Do You Want"
(with Jesus Luz)
Damae
2011 "Oops Sorry" Damae
"Everytime You Need Me 2011" Damae
"What Love Can Do"
(with Plastik Funk)
Damae
"Insane (In Da Brain)"
(with DJs from Mars)
Damae
2012 "Thousand Times" Damae
"Where Do We Go"
(with Akil Wingate)
Akil Wingate
Damae
2015 "Toca Me"
(Twoloud remix)
Eva Martinez
2021 "I Want More" Tess

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Positiva Records / Official Website". Archived from the original on 31 July 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 211. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ^ "Fragma – Toca's Miracle (2000, CD)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  4. ^ Michael Paoletta (2001-08-25). Beat Box: Alive with Love. Retrieved 2012-12-28.
  5. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 30 July 2001" (PDF) (596). Australian Web Archive. Australian Recording Industry Association. 30 July 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-08-24. Retrieved 14 March 2017. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ a b c "BPI Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2009. Enter "Fragma" in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Click Search.
  7. ^ "australian-charts.com - Australian charts portal". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  8. ^ a b c Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 107.
  9. ^ "Das österreichische Hitparaden- und Musik-Portal". Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  10. ^ "danishcharts.com - Danish charts portal". Danishcharts.dk. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Home - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  12. ^ "Irish Singles Chart – Search for song". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on June 2, 2009. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  13. ^ Top 40, Stichting Nederlandse. "Fragma". Top40.nl. Retrieved 2020-04-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  15. ^ "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  16. ^ "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2020-04-02.

External links[edit]