Deutschland sucht den Superstar (season 5)
The fifth season of Deutschland sucht den Superstar live shows began March 8, 2008. It is currently hosted by Marco Schreyl and jury panel, Dieter Bohlen, Anja Lukaseder, and Andreas "Bär" Läsker also star. This season, instead of making Top 20 Shows, the producers decided to make Top 15 Live-show "Now or never" and chose the top 10 live to premier in the mottoshows for the upcoming season.
Episode summaries
"Die Top 15 – Jetzt oder nie" (The Top 15 – Now or Never) (Contestants not in order)
| Contestant | Song | Audience Vote/ Jury Vote |
| Benjamin Herd | Let Me Love You | 4,65% |
| Collins Owusu | Amazing | 2,5% |
| Felix Gaisberger | Hero | 1,1% |
| Simon Gincberg | Right Here Waiting | 0,96% |
| Christopher Schnell | Mandy | 3,73% |
| Fady Maalouf | Home | 8,55% |
| Jermaine Alford | I Swear | 2,06% |
| Thomas Godoj | Chasing Cars | 47,5% |
| Juna Manaj | Come On Over Baby | 2,08% |
| Monika Ivkic | Hurt | 7,25% |
| Sahra Drone | Bleeding Love | 5,54% |
| Viviana Stengel | Bubbly | 1,06% |
| Linda Teodosiu | Soulmate | 6,03% |
| Rania Zeriri | Get Here | 4,82% |
| Stella Salato | Unbreak My Heart | 2,17% |
Advancing to Top 10 : Monika, Linda, Fady, Sahra, Thomas
Advancing to Top 10 : Jermaine, Rania, Stella, Collins, Benjamin
Finals
Contestants
Rania Zeriri, born on January 6, 1986, in Enschede, is of Algerian-Dutch ethnicity. Zeriri was born with holes in her vocal cords. In spite of this vocal handicap she reached a high position.Benjamin Herd was born in Worms and is the youngest male contestant of this season. He was early disputed, due to both his extravagant behavior and his enduring back-talking disrespect especially to the jury, which eventually led to his voluntary leaving. Jury member Dieter Bohlen then talked Herd back into the competition, where he was finally voted off by the audience on April 19, 2008, just reaching the 6th show.
Thomas Godoj was the winner of the fifth season. He was born in southern Poland, but raised in Recklinghausen.
Fady Maalouf was runner-up of the season. He was born in Zahlé, Lebanon. His song in the finals entitled "Blessed" went straight to number 2 in the German charts upon release, followed by Blessed that also charted at number 2 in the German albums chart.
"Top 10 – Aktuelle Hits" (Greatest Current Hits)
| Contestant | Song | Percentage of calls |
| Fady Maalouf | Helpless When She Smiles | 7,08% |
| Benjamin Herd | LoveStoned | 5,88% |
| Jermaine Alford | Apologize | 2,37% |
| Rania Zeriri | Rehab | 4,67% |
| Linda Teodosiu | Oh Mother | 8,9% |
| Stella Salato | Big Girls Don't Cry | 2,78% |
| Collins Owusu | I'll Be Waiting | 3,7% |
| Sahra Drone | Listen | 2,85% |
| Thomas Godoj | Stark | 52,75% |
| Monika Ivkic | Nobody Knows | 9,02% |
Bottom 5: Linda, Fady, Jermaine, Collins, Benjamin
Jury Elimination Forecast: Jermaine, Collins
Jury Best Performance Forecast: Monika or Sahra or Thomas
Eliminated: Jermaine
"Top 9 – Die grössten Filmhits" (Film Hits)
| Contestant | Song | Percentage of calls |
| Collins Owusu | Everybody Needs Somebody | 3,15% |
| Sahra Drone | Too Lost In You | 1,24% |
| Benjamin Herd | Stand By Me | 7,08% |
| Stella Salato | Run to You | 3,01% |
| Monika Ivkic | I'm Every Woman | 7,28% |
| Rania Zeriri | Colors of the Wind | 7,69% |
| Thomas Godoj | Same Mistake | 39,88% |
| Linda Teodosiu | GoldenEye | 9,58% |
| Fady Maalouf | She's Like The Wind | 21,09% |
Bottom 5: Linda, Collins, Benjamin, Rania, Sahra
Jury Elimination Forecast: Benjamin, Collins, Collins, Rania, Benjamin
Jury Best Performance Forecast: Fady, Monika, Fady
Eliminated: Sahra
"Top 8 – Mariah Carey / Take That Songs"
| Contestant | Song | Percentage of calls |
| Linda Teodosiu | Hero | 9,21% |
| Benjamin Herd | Relight My Fire | 5,82% |
| Rania Zeriri | Against All Odds | 7,27% |
| Collins Owusu | Love Ain't Here Anymore | 5,91% |
| Monika Ivkic | Without You | 6,12% |
| Stella Salato | Dreamlover | 5,03% |
| Fady Maalouf | Back for Good | 8,54% |
| Thomas Godoj | Rule the World | 52,1% |
Bottom 4: Monika, Benjamin, Rania, Stella
Jury Elimination Forecast: Benjamin
Jury Best Performance Forecast: Thomas
Eliminated: Stella
Guest star, Mariah Carey performed her new hit single "Touch My Body" and worked with the contestants backstage. This is the first time that the host spoke English and had an English interview live on the show. As well, casting contestant Mario Teusch sang "Supermario", a techno song of his experience at his audition with the jury.
"Top 7 – Greatest Hits"
| Contestant | Song | Percentage of calls |
| Monika Ivkic | What a Feeling | 5,94% |
| Collins Owusu | End of the Road | 4,45% |
| Rania Zeriri | Smooth Operator | 10,4% |
| Thomas Godoj | I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For | 40,81% |
| Benjamin Herd | Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go | 6,54% |
| Fady Maalouf | Your Song | 13,91% |
| Linda Teodosiu | One Day in Your Life | 17,95% |
Bottom 4: Collins, Rania, Benjamin, Thomas
Jury Elimination Forecast: Rania, Benjamin or Rania
Jury Best Performance Forecast: Fady or Linda
Eliminated: Collins
"Top 6 – Judges' Choice"
| Contestant | Song | Percentage of calls |
| Fady Maalouf | We Have a Dream | 12,98% |
| Rania Zeriri | Valerie | 6,63% |
| Benjamin Herd | Señorita | 5,91% |
| Linda Teodosiu | Because of You | 15,15% |
| Monika Ivkic | Für dich | 8,95% |
| Thomas Godoj | Shadow of the Day | 50,38% |
Bottom 3: Rania, Benjamin, Monika
Jury Elimination Forecast: Benjamin or Rania
Jury Best Performance Forecast: Linda or Thomas
Eliminated: Benjamin
Top 5: Party Music and Ballads
| Contestant | Song | Percentage/ calls |
| Linda Teodosiu | I Will Survive | 15,37% |
| Linda Teodosiu | The Voice Within | 15,37% |
| Rania Zeriri | I'm So Excited | 8,12% |
| Rania Zeriri | Save the Best For Last | 8,12% |
| Monika Ivkic | Let's Get Loud | 9,78% |
| Monika Ivkic | Killing Me Softly | 9,78% |
| Thomas Godoj | You Get What You Give | 50,04% |
| Thomas Godoj | Behind Blue Eyes | 50,04% |
| Fady Maalouf | Never Gonna Give You Up | 16,69% |
| Fady Maalouf | All By Myself | 16,69% |
Bottom 3: Rania, Thomas, Monika
Jury Elimination Forecast: Rania or Monika, Rania
Jury Best Performance Forecast: Didn't say
Eliminated: Rania
Top 4: Germany Against England (Hits in Germany and England)
| Contestant | Song | Percentage/ calls |
| Monika Ivkic | You Might Need Somebody | 9,05% |
| Monika Ivkic | Liebe ist alles | 9,05% |
| Fady Maalouf | Und wenn ein Lied | 19,22% |
| Fady Maalouf | Breathe Easy | 19,22% |
| Thomas Godoj | Wonderwall | 46,83% |
| Thomas Godoj | Mensch | 46,83% |
| Linda Teodosiu | Durch die Nacht | 24,9% |
| Linda Teodosiu | Mercy | 24,9% |
Bottom: all candidates were in the Bottom Group
Jury Elimination Forecast: Monika
Jury Best Performance Forecast: Didn't say
Eliminated: Monika
Top 3: Number 1 Hits/ The Beatles/ Dedications
| Contestant | Song | Percentage/ calls |
| Thomas Godoj | In the Shadows | 46,34% |
| Thomas Godoj | Let it Be | 46,34% |
| Thomas Godoj | Easy | 46,34% |
| Linda Teodosiu | Don't Stop the Music | 23,34% |
| Linda Teodosiu | With a Little Help From My Friends | 23,34% |
| Linda Teodosiu | My All | 23,34% |
| Fady Maalouf | You Raise Me Up | 30,32% |
| Fady Maalouf | Yesterday | 30,32% |
| Fady Maalouf | Feeling Good | 30,32% |
Jury Elimination Forecast: Linda, Fady
Jury Best Performance Forecast: Thomas or Fady, Thomas or Linda
Eliminated: Linda
Top 2: Finale (Singer's choice, Highlight song & Winner's Single)
| Contestant | Song | Percentage/ calls |
| Fady Maalouf | Careless Whisper | 37,8% |
| Fady Maalouf | She's Like The Wind | 37,8% |
| Fady Maalouf | Blessed | 37,8% |
| Thomas Godoj | Fairytale Gone Bad | 62,2% |
| Thomas Godoj | Chasing Cars | 62,2% |
| Thomas Godoj | Love Is You | 62,2% |