Sugar on the Snow
English Version · 3:53Vienna in winter, beautiful façades, and the question of what the snow conceals.
Fictional Character · Noir-Pop · A Mind of My Own
Mascha Sonnenburg
Black Hair. A Mind of My Own.
An AI-assisted fictional artist from the world of Torsten Schönberg's novels.
I'm Mascha Sonnenburg. I listen closely, prefer to think for myself, and get suspicious when someone decides they know what I'm like after two sentences. My music is dark. That doesn't mean I scowl all day. You have to surprise people once in a while.
Grebendorf. This Is Where It Starts.
I'm twenty, and I'm from Grebendorf in Hesse, Germany. In my family, I'm considered the black sheep. With black hair, at least I'm consistent. What matters more to me is deciding for myself how I want to live. Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean I have to do it again.
The hare sculpture called Sandhase belongs in this picture from Grebendorf. Next to him, even I look as if I could keep still for a moment.
My Brother Juri. Unfortunately, We Often Disagree.
Juri is ten years older than I am. He likes having a plan. I like asking whether the plan makes sense. That leads to conversations that probably look like arguments from the outside. Sometimes they are.
Still, he's my brother. I don't have to understand every decision he makes to stand by him. You can usually tell that someone matters to me by what I do, rather than by how long I talk about it.
Small Forms. My Own Choices.
Designing intimate jewelry is part of my life. What interests me is the small, personal, self-chosen nature of it. Not all jewelry is meant for an audience. I find that remarkably sensible.
I like people who say what they mean and listen to me. Closeness matters to me. It just doesn't need a ready-made plan.
My Music. Quiet Doesn't Mean Voiceless.
My songs move between dark trip-hop and noir-pop: deep bass, an intimate voice, and melodies meant to linger even after everything goes quiet again. I sing in English and Slovak.
In “Sugar on the Snow,” Vienna looks beautiful and innocent. I'm not so sure. A beautiful surface is no proof that everything underneath is all right.
Cukor na snehu
Slovak Version · 3:40The Slovak version of “Sugar on the Snow”—with the same question beneath the surface.
Both singles are scheduled for release on music platforms on .
“Sugar on the Snow” and “Cukor na snehu” are scheduled to be available there for streaming and, where offered, download from that date. You can follow Mascha on Spotify now.
The albums will be released in December 2026. Look forward to “Velvet Has a Voice” and its Slovak companion, “Zamat má hlas”.
Not Every Day Needs a Soundtrack.
There's more to me than dark song covers. Among half-timbered houses, rocks, and grand settings, I'm allowed to smile once in a while. I don't always have to look as though I know something other people would rather not find out.
This image series portrays Mascha against real locations. These are AI photomontages, not documented travels or life events. Individual image details may differ from the original photographs.
France. Black Works in the Sunshine, Too.
Between château walls and the coast, there's room for a wider view; at Mont-Saint-Michel, the seagull gets its own moment. And in the dragon boat, for once, I don't have to keep anything under control. It moves along without my opinion.
Levoča (Slovakia). Plenty of Room for My Own Thoughts.
In the square, I can let my gaze wander. After all, being able to see me doesn't mean you've figured me out.
Cake Needs No Explanation.
A small cake, candles, and a moment that's mine. What I wish for is my secret.
Before She Sang, She Was a Character in a Novel.
Mascha Sonnenburg is based on Máša Sonnenburg from Torsten Schönberg's “Wiener Schmarrn” stories. In “Der Piefkemörder,” she is one of the central characters alongside her brother Juri. The music project gives her perspective an artistic form of its own. The songs can be enjoyed independently of the novel; readers who know the stories will discover additional nuances.
The novel is available in German and English; there is no Slovak edition.