Elisa Schmidt was born on 14 February 1990 in Koblenz, Germany, and later adopted the stage name Femme Schmidt. Growing up in a family with a businessman father and an older brother, she nurtured a strong desire to become a performer, participating in youth theatre and school choirs before enrolling at the Hurtwood House music academy in London at sixteen. A year spent in the United States followed, after which she completed her secondary education in Munich and eventually settled in Berlin and London. In June 2010, she signed with Warner Music, and in autumn 2010 met producer Guy Chambers, who would co‑write her debut album. The first release, the EP Above Sin City (2011), featured a cover of The Velvet Underground’s Venus in Furs and introduced her single "Heart Shaped Gun", which later appeared in the 2013 Tatort episode Scheinwelten and entered the German single charts. Her debut album, Femme Schmidt (2012), followed, receiving international attention through tours with Melanie C, Lionel Richie, and Elton John. In 2014 she focused on songwriting and pre‑production for her second album, Raw (2016), recorded in Kensaltown Studios with producers Glen Scott, James Bryan, and Martin Terefe. The title track "Shape Of Love" was featured in Karoline Herfurth’s film SMS für Dich (2016), reaching Number 1 on the German cinema charts. In 2017 she toured as a special guest with Coldplay during their German arena tour.
