German singer Xavier Naidoo began his music career in the early 1990s. His debut studio album, Seeing Is Believing, was released in 1994, consisting mostly of cover versions of traditional tracks and soul songs from the 1960s and 1970s. Released in the United States only, it failed to chart on the Billboard 200 and thus, was never released in Europe. Following a fall-out with main producer Nicole Dürr, he signed with Frankfurt am Main-based Pelham Power Productions (3P) and began appearing as a background vocalist on several of his label-mates' albums. Naidoo's second studio album Nicht von dieser Welt, produced unter the guidance of Moses Pelham and Martin Haas, was released in May 1998. The album peaked at number one on the German Albums Chart and sold more than a million copies. Its singles included his debut single "20.000 Meilen", the top twenty entries "Nicht von dieser Welt" and "Seine Straßen" as well as top five hit "Sie sieht mich nicht", which served as the theme song for the feature film Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar (1999). A gold-certified live album of his first concert tour, simply titled Live (1999), reached the top ten in Germany the following year.
His third effort, the double album Zwischenspiel – Alles für den Herrn, was released on his own label Naidoo Records in March 2002 after his departure from 3P. An instant success, it debuted atop the charts in both Austria and Germany and was certified double platinum by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI). Three of its four singles, including "Wo willst du hin?" and "Abschied nehmen", became top five hits on the singles charts. In 2003, he collaborated with American rapper RZA on his compilation album The World According to RZA; their single "Ich kenne nichts (das so schön ist wie du)" reached number-one on the German Singles Chart and the top three in Austria and Switzerland, becoming his highest-charting single up to that point. The same year, his second live album ...Alles Gute vor uns... was released to gold status and top ten success.
Naidoo's fourth album Telegramm für X was released in November 2005. It reached number-one in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland was certified quadruple platinum by the BVMI. The album produced the top three singles "Dieser Weg" and "Was wir alleine nicht schaffen", while his second number-one hit "Danke", a song about the 2006 FIFA World Cup, was included on a reissue of the album. Alles kann besser werden, his fifth studio album, was released in 2009. It became his fifth number-one album in Germany, and reached the three in Austria and Switzerland. "Alles kann besser werden", its lead single, reached number six on the German Singles Chart though subsequent singles were less successful.
Gespaltene Persönlichkeit, a collaboration album with rapper Kool Savas, was released in 2012. It debuted at number atop the charts in Germany and Switzerland and was certified platinum by the BVMI. Single "Schau nicht mehr zurück" entered the top three in both countries. The same year, Naidoo's first compilation album Danke fürs Zuhören – Liedersammlung 1998–2012 was released to number-one success throughout German-speaking Europe. Mordsmusik, a dubstep album produced under his pseudonym Der Xer, and Bei meiner Seele were both released the following year. The latter album peaked at number one in Austria and Germany and featured the same-titled top two hit.
A highly demanded producer, songwriter and guest vocalist, Naidoo has collaborated with several musicians and musical projects, including all-male vocal group Söhne Mannheims, the Christian music project Zeichen der Zeit, the transnational anti-racism project Brothers Keepers, and the cast of the television series Sing meinen Song – Das Tauschkonzert, the German version of The Best Singers series. Among his most successful appearances rank Brothers Keepers's "Adriano (Letzte Warnung)".
Albums
Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications GERPeak positions in Germany: As Xavier Naidoo: As Der Xer: As Xavas: AUT SWI Seeing Is Believing Released: 7 September 1993 Format: CD (United States only) Label: Megaphon Music — — — Nicht von dieser Welt Released: 30 August 1998 Format: CD Label: 3P, Epic Records 1 5 12 AUT: Platinum GER: 2× Platinum SWI: Platinum Zwischenspiel – Alles für den Herrn Released: 25 March 2002 Format: CD Label: Naidoo Records 1 1 3 AUT: Platinum GER: 2× Platinum SWI: 2× Platinum Telegramm für X Released: 25 November 2005 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo Records 1 1 1 GER: 4× Platinum SWI: 3× Platinum Alles kann besser werden Released: 9 October 2009 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo Records 1 3 2 GER: 2× Platinum SWI: Gold Mordsmusik(as Der Xer) Released: 8 March 2013 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo Records 62 44 — Bei meiner Seele Released: 31 May 2013 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo Records 1 1 3 GER: Platinum AUT: Gold Tanzmusik (Xavier lebt hier nicht mehr)(as Der Xer) Released: 12 December 2014 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo Records — — — Nicht von dieser Welt 2 Released: 1 April 2016 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo Records 1 1 1 GER: Gold Für dich. Released: 24 November 2017 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo Records 3 6 5 Hin und weg Released: 19 July 2019 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo Records 3 8 4 "—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Collaborative albums as Xavas (Xavas being Xavier Naidoo and Kool Savas) Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications GER AUT SWI Gespaltene Persönlichkeit Released: 21 September 2012 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo Records,Essah Entertainment 1 3 1 GER: Platinum
Live albums Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications GER AUT SWI Live Released: 1 November 1999 Format: CD Label: 3p, Epic Records 9 18 33 GER: Gold ...Alles Gute vor uns... Released: 2 June 2003 Format: CD Label: Naidoo Records 8 2 11 AUT: Gold GER: Gold SWI: Gold Wettsingen in Schwetzingen - MTV Unplugged Released: 19 September 2008 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo 1 2 1 AUT: Gold GER: Platinum SWI: Gold Alles kann besser werden – Live Released: 12 November 2010 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo 1 15 2 GER: Gold Hört, Hört! Live von der Waldbühne Released: 28 November 2014 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo 10 19 28 Nicht von dieser Welt 2 – Allein mit Flügel live Released: 28 October 2016 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo 1 — — Danke fürs Zuhören 2 – Nicht von dieser Welt Tour – Die Zweite 2017 Released: 22 November 2019 Format: CD, digital download Label: Naidoo 35 57 —
Singles
As lead artist Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album GER AUT SWI "20.000 Meilen" 1998 32 — —Nicht von dieser Welt "Nicht von dieser Welt" 19 — — "Führ mich ans Licht" 27 35 40 "Sie sieht mich nicht" 1999 2 11 5 GER: Platinum "Eigentlich gut"(featuring Illmat!c & Bruda Sven) 32 — — "Bis an die Sterne (Live)" — — — "Seine Straßen" 2000 15 40 37 "Wo willst du hin?" 2002 3 13 11Zwischenspiel / Alles für den Herrn "Bevor du gehst" 5 14 49 "Wenn ich schon Kinder hätte"(featuring Curse) 47 49 — "Abschied nehmen" 5 6 43 "Ich kenne nichts (das so schön ist wie du)"(with RZA) 2003 1 2 3 AUT: Platinum GER: Gold SWI: Gold "Dieser Weg" 2005 2 2 3 GER: Gold Telegramm für X "Bist du am Leben interessiert"(featuring Tone) 2006 27 32 24 "Zeilen aus Gold" 32 49 66 "Danke" 1 34 100 GER: Gold "Was wir alleine nicht schaffen" 2 10 29 GER: Platinum "Wann"(featuring Cassandra Steen) 2008 35 29 — Wettsingen in Schwetzingen "Alles kann besser werden" 2009 6 16 28Alles kann besser werden "Halte durch" 2010 29 — — "Ich brauche dich" 30 40 — "Wild vor Wut"(featuring Naturally 7) 73 — — "Bitte hör nicht auf zu träumen"(featuring Naturally 7 & Cassandra Steen) 22 71 49 GER: Gold "Schau nicht mehr zurück"(with Kool Savas as XAVAS) 2012 2 14 3 GER: Gold Gespaltene Persöhnlichkeit "Wage es zu glauben"(with Kool Savas as XAVAS) 34 45 37 "Bei meiner Seele" 2013 2 19 23 GER: Gold Bei meiner Seele "Der letzte Blick" 37 51 70 "Hört, hört" 2014 49 61 48 "Frei" 2016 64 — —Nicht von dieser Welt 2 "Das lass' ich nicht zu" — — — "Der Fels" — — — "Nimm mich mit" 2017 — — —Für dich. "Für dich" 2018 — — — "Ich danke allen Menschen" 2019 32 47 18 Hin und weg "Welt"(featuring Kontra K) 73 — — "Gute Zeiten"(featuring MoTrip) — — — "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Other charted songs Title Year Peak chart positions Album GER AUT SWI "Lass nicht los"(with Kool Savas as XAVAS) 2012 — 45 —Gespaltene Persöhnlichkeit "Die Zukunft trägt meinen Namen"(with Kool Savas as XAVAS) — 47 — "Wenn es Nacht ist"(with Kool Savas as XAVAS) — 52 — "Amoi seg' ma uns wieder" 2014 12 3 5Sing meinen Song - Das Tauschkonzert (Sampler) "Du bist das Licht" 46 44 52 "Hallelujah" 27 20 36 Sing meinen Song - Das Weihnachtskonzert (Sampler) "Mitten unterm Jahr" 2015 31 15 34 Sing meinen Song – Das Tauschkonzert Vol. 2 (Sampler) "Weck mich auf 2016" 2016 69 75 — Sing meinen Song – Das Tauschkonzert, Vol. 3 (Sampler) "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
As a featured artist Title Year Peak chart positions Album GER AUT SWI "Freisein"(Sabrina Setlur introducing Xavier Naidoo) 1997 23 — — Die Neue S-Klasse "Skillz"(Illmat!c featuring Moses Pelham & Xavier Naidoo) 1999 75 — — Still Ill "3P (Licence 2 Kill)"(3P feat. Setlur, T. Hofmann, Pelham, Illmat!c & Naidoo) 2000 32 — — 3P: Revolution "Alles"(Sabrina Setlur featuring Xavier Naidoo) 16 — 86 Anatomy soundtrack "Way to Mars"(Sommersault featuring Xavier Naidoo) 2001 30 — — By Your Side "Gib mir Musik"(Edo Zanki & Friends) 44 — — Jetzt komm ich "Du, nur du"(Ben Becker & Xavier Naidoo) 54 — — Bis an alle Sterne (Sampler) "Jeanny"(Reamonn featuring Xavier Naidoo) 18 31 86 Dream No. 7 "Über sieben Brücken musst du gehen"(Erkan Aki & Xavier Naidoo) 40 51 58 Zeit der großen Gefühle "Tu me manques"(Stress featuring Xavier Naidoo) 2003 — — 20 Tu me manques "Tage und Stunden"(Bintia featuring Xavier Naidoo) 2004 24 49 71 B-Ständig "With You"(Majestic 12 featuring Xavier Naidoo) 2006 68 74 — Majestic "Sehnsucht"(Schiller featuring Xavier Naidoo) 2008 13 7 — Sehnsucht "Aura"(Kool Savas featuring Xavier Naidoo) 2011 14 33 13 Aura "Danke"(Nico Suave featuring Xavier Naidoo) 2014 20 — — Unvergesslich "Ich tue es aus Liebe"(Seven featuring Xavier Naidoo) 2016 — — 59 Best Of 2002-2016 (Limited 2CD 2nd Version International) "Nur mit dir"(Shirin David featuring Xavier Naidoo)2019 8 — 11 Supersize "Freisein"(Juju featuring Xavier Naidoo) 2019 91 — — Bling Bling "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Other appearances
Album