About
Biography
Tie Break was an Austrian vocal group (boyband) that represented Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004. The group consisted of three singers: Tommy Pegram, Stefan di Bernardo, and Thomas Elzenbaumer. They formed in 2003 with the specific goal of competing in Eurovision. The band’s name, “Tie Break,” comes from a tennis term for a decisive final game, reflecting their competitive spirit.
Road to Eurovision 2004
In early 2004, Tie Break entered Austria’s national song contest called Song.Null.Vier. They competed against nine other acts in the final selection and won with their German-language ballad “Du bist”. Their victory was somewhat controversial. The veteran duo Waterloo & Robinson, who finished second, claimed that “Du bist” was longer than the 3-minute limit allowed in Eurovision. However, the complaint was dismissed, and Tie Break kept their win. The song “Du bist” (which means “You are” in English) became their debut single in 2004.
At the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 held in Istanbul, Tie Break performed in the grand final. In the end, Austria’s entry finished 21st out of 24 contestants in the final. The song earned a total of 9 points, making it one of the lower-scoring entries that year. Despite the low placement, “Du bist” reached No. 44 on the Austrian singles chart.
After Eurovision and Later Activities
After the contest, Tie Break continued their musical efforts. They released a follow-up single in 2005 titled “Heute wieder damals” (“Today Again Back Then”). This release kept their pop style and included different versions of the song. Heute wieder damals received some airplay, but it did not chart significantly. The group’s popularity started to fade. Eventually, the band split up not long after these releases.
The members of Tie Break moved on to new paths. In 2012, band member Tommy Pegram (also known as Thomas Pegram) auditioned for the TV talent show Deutschland sucht den Superstar (DSDS), the German version of Idol. He succeeded in reaching the live show rounds, showcasing his voice to a new audience. The other members, Stefan di Bernardo and Thomas Elzenbaumer, stepped out of the spotlight after Tie Break dissolved. They pursued personal careers away from big media, including work in local music projects and other professional fields.
