Blue System

Blue System was a German music project founded in 1987 by Dieter Bohlen after the first breakup of the duo Modern Talking.

The project, which lasted until 1998, is essentially synonymous with Bohlen himself, although it involved numerous musicians and dancers for live performances. Notable members who performed with the group include Achim Vogel, Frank Otto, Michel Rollin, Wolfgang Fritsch, Fritz Graner, René Engelmann, Dirk Sauer, Feller, Lars Illmer, as well as Lutz Krüger and Stephan Slowik.
In the studio, the project also benefited from session musicians like Rolf Köhler, Detlef Wiedeke, or Michael Scholz.

Musically, Blue System shared characteristics with the early sound of Modern Talking, marked by a predominant use of synthesizers and drum machines, often in minor keys. The project achieved notable success in German-speaking countries and Russia.
Its most successful single was Under My Skin, which reached number six on the German charts. The project also explored more experimental avenues, such as the fully instrumental track Behind the Silence (1990), or duets like Love Is Such A Lonely Sword with Audrey Motaung (1990) and It’s All Over with Dionne Warwick (1991).

The album Backstreet Dreams reached number five on the album charts in 1993. However, facing declining sales in the mid-1990s, a notable musical shift occurred after the album 21st Century. Subsequent productions, like X-Ten (1994), heavily drew inspiration from the then-popular Eurodance sound, with stronger basslines and beats, and choruses predominantly sung by female vocalists.
The best-known single from this period is Laila (1995), which reached number 29. This new direction, however, did not allow the project to regain its initial success.

The Blue System project ended in 1998 with the single Love Will Drive Me Crazy and the comeback of Modern Talking that same year. Subsequently, former studio backing vocalists from the project, including Rolf Köhler, Detlef Wiedeke, and Michael Scholz, formed the group Systems in Blue in 2003, reviving the sonic and visual aesthetic of Blue System.

Blue System’s studio discography includes the albums Walking on a Rainbow (1987), Body Heat (1988), Twilight (1989), Obsession (1990), Seeds of Heaven (1991), Déjà vu (1991), Hello America (1992), Backstreet Dreams (1993), 21st Century (1994), X-Ten (1994), Forever Blue (1995), Body to Body (1996), and Here I Am (1997).