Clueso

Born in Erfurt in 1980, Thomas Hübner, known as Clueso, gradually established himself on the German music scene from the late 1990s — initially within hip hop and reggae contexts before moving toward a more pop- and acoustic-oriented songwriting approach. Clueso released his first album, Text und Ton, in 2001, and refined his blend of German rap, sung melodies and soul- and pop-influenced sounds on Gute Musik (2004) and Weit weg (2006). With So sehr dabei (2008) and An und für sich (2011), he developed an aesthetic centered on the song, where narrative and introspective lyrics play a significant role, supported by a solid live band. Stadtrandlichter (2014) and Neuanfang (2016) mark a period of renewal, alternating between occasionally more electronic production and stripped-down guitar-and-voice tracks. The Handgepäck I project (2018) highlights a more intimate side, based on compositions written while traveling, while the simply titled Album (2021) brings together different facets of Clueso’s work, from radio-friendly pop and touches of rap to ballads. Over the years Clueso has collaborated extensively with other German-speaking artists and remains associated with a scene where hip hop, chanson and alternative pop intersect.