Schritt für Schritt (English: Step by Step) is the debut solo album by German recording artist Nadja Benaissa. It was released by Universal Music Urban on February 24, 2006 in German-speaking Europe. Her first solo effort following the disbandment of her former band, No Angels, it signaled a breakaway from the group's Europop sound in favor of a more soul-influenced pop album with German lyrics. Benaissa co-wrote the whole album, which features production by Tino Oac and Giuseppe Porrello, with additional credits from DJ Release, Audiotreats and Fairtone. Upon its release, Schritt für Schritt underperformed, debuting and peaking at number 71 on the German Albums Chart.
CDStarts editor Matthias Reichel noted that "unfortunately, both – lyrics and melodies – don't have the quality to support an entire album. Because what works wonderfully [on "Es ist Liebe" and "Ich hab dich"] seems a bit monotonous when put into a running time of 60 minutes. With her deep timbre, Nadja Benaissa, as the German answer to Sage, tries to give the titles emotions and depth. But with its simple, biographically influenced lyrics and too few top songs, Schritt für Schritt cannot break free from the lower average range."[1] Michael Agricola, writing for Marburg extra, described the album as "slow soul with thoughtful lyrics, velvety ballads in the style of the "Mannheim School," somewhere between Edo Zanki and Xavier Naidoo, but without pathos and without "mission." The core phrase is the single's gentle refrain: "It's love, only love, that takes me further." With that, all has been said. Simply cozy."[2]
