Lucerne, Switzerland

August 31, 1982

Swiss pop artist and model Patrick Nuo claimed fame in Switzerland and Germany with breezy alt-rock songs reminiscent of those put out by American artists like Train and Maroon 5. Nuo grew up in Lucerne, Switzerland, where he aspired to become a professional tennis player. He gave up the game when he was 14, though, and eventually moved to Hamburg, where he worked as a professional model and occasionally filled in as a backup singer for various studio recordings. Nuo went on to befriend David Jost, who helped the young singer get a record deal with Warner Bros. Welcome, Nuo's debut, hit stores in 2003; the album peaked at number 13 on the German charts and yielded the hit song "5 Days." His sophomore effort, Superglue, arrived two years later and spawned a Top Ten hit, "Beautiful." ~ Margaret Reges