Lemper, named ''
Billboard's'' Crossover Artist of the Year for 1993/1994, is a prolific recording artist, appearing on numerous
cast recordings and compilation concerts, including
Roger Waters'
The Wall concert in 1990. As a solo artist, her extensive discography includes ubiquitously well-reviewed interpretations of
Kurt Weill's compositions from the late 1980s, in addition to German cabaret songs, which were very political songs sung in underground locations in 1930s Berlin and elsewhere. She recorded
Illusions in 1992, devoted to the songs of Marlene Dietrich and
Édith Piaf. She has recorded numerous pop albums, variously in English, French, and German.
Punishing Kiss (2000) featured songs written especially for her by the likes of
Scott Walker,
Nick Cave,
Tom Waits,
Elvis Costello,
Philip Glass, and
Neil Hannon, the latter of whom performed with her on two of the album's tracks. Lemper is known for wild interpretations on discs like the Sondheim tribute
City of Strangers, containing a particularly mannered version of the
Elaine Stritch-popularized song "
The Ladies Who Lunch". In 1998, a Lemper compilation,
All That Jazz: The Best of Ute Lemper, was released. In 2003 and 2006, Lemper's songwriting talents were shown on her discs from those years as she moved from being an interpretive singer to a singer-songwriter. ==Discography==