Sandra at the age of 3	Sandra with brother Gaston

Sandra is a vegetarian and she loves animals very much. She grew up in protestant family but since 1986 she stopped going to a church. Shopping and clothes designing is one of her favourite hobbies. She is also interested in fashion, astronomy and dancing. During winter season she loves skiing, in the summer - water skiing and riding a horse. She is naturally a homebody, she likes luxurious furnitures and cars.

Sandra with her cat Johnny

She likes eating in the small and cosy Italian and Japanese restaurants. She drinks milk and cappucino most. Her favourite book is "Neverending Story" and favourite artists are Phil Collins and Kate Bush (she likes also listening to Art of Noise and Elton John music).

     In the half of seventies Sandra was a schoolgirl at the girl's primary school. After classes, while ironing father's shirts, she used to dream to become a famous music star and sing for thousands of fans. Her dream finally came true, but the way to realize it was difficult and full of sacrifices. Her homtown Saarbrucken was not a gate which leads to the wonderfull world of show-business, rather it was a herald of uninteresting future in colourless world of normality.

Sandra's parents - Robert and Karin

Besides, financial possibilities of her family were limited. Their parents had an ordinary life - they lived in the row house and once
a year they went on a trip to France or other country in Europe. Even so Sandra did not give up and was ready to make her dream come true at any price. She used to lock in her room to listen to her favourite CDs like "Everlasting Love" of Love Affair. She used to sing and dance in front of the mirror. She was training as long as she reliazed, that what she is doing, doing good. Her parents could not resist her requests and were paying for ballet and guitar lessons. Sandra used to dance while walking to the shop or in the playground. She had contiued dance lessons for 10 years.

Sandra - teenager	Arabesque

Sudenlly she got a great chance in her life. She knew how to take advantage of this. In the age of only 13 she took a part in the young talented stars competition. Thanks to the participation she was invited to record a single "Andy Mein Freund". The CD turned out to be a complite flop, but Sandra got noticed. After graduating from school, 16 years old Sandra joined the Arabesque trio. Together with Michaela Rose and Jasmin Vetter - a novice Sandra won a fame in Japan. Later her hits became also famous in Germany. The price of fame was very high. Sandra had to leave her family she was close to, and move to Frankfurt. She lived in her pink flat feeling very lonely. All her concert tours, live performances in the huge stadiums, new stage clothes were organized by herself. It was a hard "school of life". It turned out to be very useful in her future career, because she became resourceful and confident. In 1984 Arabesque band fell apart and each of girls went their own way. Sandra was not discougaged by failure of her solo single "Japan Ist Weit" (produced by M. Cretu) and she kept working. She had 22 years old, having already 9 years experince in singing and significantly surpass her peers in life experience. While her friends were going to the clubs, Sandra was working very hard and at the same time, fathom out the finance tricks of show-business. Thanks to the happy lot and her attitude towards career she could achieve longed for success.

Michael Cretu (in the 80s)	Michael Cretu (now)

     While recording in the studio in Frankfurt Sandra met Michael Cretu, who incredibly made impression on her. Michael Cretu - producer, sound director, composer and musician in one person is very important and significant in German show-business. He was a founder and a member of Wild River and Moti Special bands. He sang under "Cat Cretu" alias and had some influence on Boney M. band career. He was born on 18th of May in 1957 in Bukarest in Romania. He has got German citizenship. Michael worked in studio, earning money to pay for music school. While Arabesque tour in Japan he joined the band playing keyboards. Exotic beauty, sexy figure, subtle voice and romantic personality made enormous impression on him. They became couple during their stay in Prince Hotel in Tokyo. Before it happened they met each other at work - they had the same goal: achieve sucees.
After Arabesque breakdown Sandra and Michael moved to Munich, where he created his own record studio called "Data - Alpha". He started working on Sandra's voice, searched the best composers for her like: Hubert Kemmler, Markus Löhr and song writer Klaus Hirschburger. Their long period cooperation bore fruit in many hits. Their names are in almost all Sandra's CDs which contributed to her sucees. Fryderyk Gabowicz took care of Sandra's visual setting. As it is shown the whole panel of experts worked on Sandra's image and it happen ... SUCCESS !!!

Sandra is celebrated not only in Germany, she is known too in Turkey, South Africa, Venezuela, and even in Egypt.

     In that kind of music it happens rarely that a performer kept being on the top charts for many years. Usually it is only one season artists. Sandra broke the rule. For quite a while she is one of the most known artists in Germany and other countries. Sandra had been creating her own stage image for the past five years. She is not a puppet in producer's hands, she knows what she wants - and consistently realize music conception outlined by Michael. She was surrounded by professionals and learnt from them a lot. But the sucees did not go to her head. She was still working on her own: she lernt singing and English. In a free time she sewed and tried on costumes for photo session and video clips. The sucees did not come easy - she worked hard on it.
     The good strat was a single "Maria Magdalena"- it became a huge hit and was played in the all clubs in Europe through the last months of 1985 and carnival.

Gold record for "Maria Magdalena"

She was afraid of her second single. Fans had very high expectations of the next song. They wanted hit like "Maria Magdalena". They put a lot of effort and time into the next project. As it was done, with an anxiety they had waited for accepting new single "In The Heat Of The Night" in Germany. Fortunatelly, fears turned out to be unnecessary. This song was definitely going to be a smash hit and that it happened. And this time the business stayed at home because Michael Cretu was a producer of all Sandra's albums which were made in record studio in Munich and Ibiza.

During work in recording studio

     The first album called "THE LONG PLAY" and it was published in the end of 1985 by Virgin. It was very popular. In Sandra's songs they put emphasis on arrangement and strong sound. Apart from synthesizers, they used guitars. Markus Lohr played on guitar in most of Sandra's songs. The album had 3 mega hits: "Maria Magdalena", "In The Heat Of The Night" and "Little Girl".
In the last months of 1985 Sandra had a big European tour. Her visit ticket was a videoclip "In The Heat Of The Night". She visited Italy, France, Spain, Benelux and Scandinavia countries. After Christmas break, which she spent in Munich, Sandra went to USA and Japan.
In February 1986 Sandra had moved to London for 6 months, where she had taken singing lessons for 6 hours a day. She also took English lessons in London Berlitz School and played the drums. During weekends she was coming back to Munich, where she continued working in studio and creating new songs.

Sandra by her house in London	Sandra during drums lessons

Her second album "MIRRORS" came out in October 1986 and was not good musical enough. There were too much electronic music, none of the songs stand out from the album. Even though, her commercial value found pop music followers. She got some smash hits like: "Innocent Love", "Hi! Hi! Hi!", "Midnight Man" and "Loreen". If it comes about the lyrics it is worth pay attention on two songs: "Don't Cry (The Breakup Of The World)" inspired of Tcharnobyl trategy and ballad "Loreen" - about moral support, which needed close friend.
Then Sandra had two years holiday, which she spent with Michael in Great Britain. During their stayed in England she published another album and video cassette called " TEN ON ONE (The Singles)". On this album she added two new songs which were not published ealier: old and refreshed hit "Everlasting Love" and "Stop For A Minute" - a soundtrack to not interesting crime movie Tatort called "Salü Palü".
     This two years break bore fruit with a new album called "INTO A SECRET LAND".

For sure, everyone knows those club songs: "Heaven Can Wait", "Secret Land", "We'll Be Together" or "Around My Heart". This album differs so much from the previous album. It is more subtle, balanced, soft and reflective. Michael had no fears to have on the album his original arrangement like: "La Vista De Luna" and some interesing music solutions - "Around my Heart". There were also slow and moody songs like: "Just Like Diamonds" or "Children Of England". Sandra promoted her new album on Europe and USA tour. She performed in Budapest, Scandinavia countries and ahe had five concerts in Germany and Russia.

Stay in Moscow was the biggest experience of Sandra

Then she went to Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, eight times performed in France. Next she was in Italy, Austria, Sweeden, Prague and USA in New Jork.

Information about Sandra's concert in New York in "Palladium"	Sandra on Manhattan in New York

In the mean time in Sandra's life was a change. From her home town - Munich she moved to Ibiza - Baleares island.

Sandra at home in Ibiza

Sandra and Michael settled down in a modernized, 500 years old rural house, with swimming pool and record studio called "A.R.T. Studio". Sandra's parents also moved to Ibiza and took care of her house, when Sandra was away from home. In the new house there are: ballet room with dressing room and big mirrors - in front of them Sandra exercises her choreography.
On the 7th of June in 1988 Sandra and Michael got married and Miss Lauer became Mrs Cretu.

Wedding of Mrs and Mr Cretu

     In home studio in Ibiza another - fifth album in Sandra's discography came out. It called "PAINTINGS IN YELLOW" - Sandra with her family liveliness and naturalness created some beautiful paintings by singing her velvety voice. It is the most quiet album she recorded with mind about American commercial market too, intended for a wide circle of pop music audience. All the songs were written by Michael Cretu and some support of his friend Frank Peterson - Michael resigned from his old co-workers.
This album was more ambitious and lyrics more serious: antiwar song "Hiroshima" - it was a guide single, then "Johnny Wanna Live" - says about animals protection. Love songs like "One More Night", "Lovelight In Your Eyes" are more poetic and sensual.
First single "Hiroshima" - a great cover of Wishful Thinking band - it lets us to watch a real gallery of art on this album and it became the greatest hit since 1985. The dance song "(Life May Be) A Big Insanity" and beautiful ballad "One More Night" are stunning works of very impressive exhibition and ingenious combinations in this music journey - they became a smash hits, too.

Promotion of "Paintings In Yellow" in press

Album "PAINTINGS IN YELLOW" once again showed the subtlety, elegancy and style created by singer and a producer of these songs. It is full of feelings, emotions, soul, sound which can be compared not only to international pop music, but also to a new standard's group.

While Sandra celebrated success of her next album, Michael hidded in his record studio and in 1990 created "cathedral-pop" - sombre, singing in Latin gregorian choral church songs, in which you can hear hollow rythm of disco music. Finally he decided to name his project Enigma but he assure his wife part in his new created sound.

Michael during work in studio

His first single "Sadeness- part one" achieved an incredible success - 50 000 singles were sold in one day in Germany, even though nobody knew what was hidden under the word "Enigma". Then the new album "MCMXC a.D." was sold fom the CD shops.

     Phenomenal Enigma by Michael Cretu only just established its position in charts and Michael's wife makes him think of her solo ambitions and she demands some new songs to the next album. And nobody resist beautiful Sandra. It came time for Sandra and the new album came into being in secluded spot of home garden. Fans had to wait for it two years. So in February 1992 new album called "CLOSE TO SEVEN" came out. It was created with a huge attention and concentration. It can be clearly heard some echos of Enigma. The album consist of 10 songs, from ballads (like "Mirrored In Your Eyes"), jazz and blues (like "Steady Me") to melancholy, soft hip-hop and techno songs. On this album Cretu conjured up new tones in his factory of sounds of course thanks to Sandra's voice.

Sandra has a huge experience in live performances

First single "Don't Be Aggressive" achieved success and it stayed four weeks in Top 20 of German chart list. Thanks to this Sandra was shown many times in TV and press. Next single "I Need Love" was after her first single "Japan Ist Weit" a complete flop.

Advertisement of "18 Gretaest Hits" and "Close To Seven" in press

But Sandra did not become discouraged to the next work. In 1992 she had another surprise for her fans. She published her famous hits from "Maria Magdalena" to "Don't Be Aggressive" in the album and video cassette called "18 GREATEST HITS". Single from this album is "Johnny Wanna Live" - Sandra's protest against animals torment. Version of this song is different from version in "PAINTINGS IN YELLOW" album, it is in rock style.

     The album "18 GREATEST HITS" closes her first stage in solo career. After this Sandra decided to have longer break. In a mean time she made one more single - new version of "Maria Magdalena". Videoclip was recorded in London. New version of "Maria Magdalena" differed so much from the original version. It was more techno style in this song. Unfortunately this single did not get to the chart list.
     

Sandra during shooting a clip to "Maria Magdalena '93"

     After dud of "Maria Magdalena" there was no news about Sandra. She did not record any new albums, but we could only hear her voice on Enigma's albums. The new Enigma album called "The Cross Of Changes" came out in 1993 and we could hear Sndra's voice in three songs: "Return To Innocence", "I Love You.. I'll Kill You" and "Age Of Loneliness". This last song was a soundtrack of "Sliver" with Sharon Stone in leading role. The title of this song changed to "Carly's Song" and even the videoclip was shooted in which Mrs Stone "said" Sandra's voice.
     

     In the end of 1994 there was a great news about Sandra. She is pregnant and gonna have twins! It explained why she was absent on the stage.

Again she surprised fans on 19th of 1995 with the new album "FADING SHADES". The single promoted her album was "Nights In White Satin", a cover of The Moody Blues band. The videoclip was shooted when Sandra was 7 months pregnant, durig one of not many days when she did not be in hospital. Clip was shooted in disco "Pascha" on Ibiza, by one afternoon. This time Sandra had 25 kg more weight than usually because of her advanced pregnancy. But in the videoclip it was hidden, so Sandra could look more slim.

Videoclip "Nights In White Satin"

It seemed that Sandra have been on a good way to come back on top of the chart lists. The single "Nights In White Satin" was showed in Viva, MTV, 3Sat and N3. But it did not succeed in German chart list. The highest position in Top 100 Media Control was 86. Also fans did not like the new album, it was not the same disco music as it used to be. It was only in 43rd position in chart list. As it shows, Sandra did not succeed on the music stage. However it was different in her private life.
3 weeks before twins birth, Sandra suffered from big tragedy - her brother Gaston who was her best and closest friend died. This gave her a very difficult time and she plunged in sadness for many long years.
On the 6th of June 1995 she gave birth to twins. Nikita and Sebastian were born in Munich. Sandra had her babies by caesarean section. Her biggest dream came true! Since that time the career was not so important as it used to be.

Babies of Sandra and Michael - twins Nikita and Sebastian

The second single "Won't Run Away" from "FADING SHADES" album never got a videoclip. It was also another Sandra's song which did not show up in Top 100.

     Again, there was a silence around Sandra. Even on the next Enigma album "Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi" published in 1996 we could hear her only in two songs: "Beyond The Invisible" and "T.N.T. For The Brain". Fans had to armed themself with patience. Nobody knew if Sandra could come back or not. In 1999 (exactly on the 7th of June) Sandra published new album "MY FAVOURITES" but without new songs. The new single was a remixed song of "Secret Land" (published on the 17th of May) which promoted new album. It reached the 6th place in German hit list on the 31st of May in 1999 and the album suceeded. On the 21th of June she debuted in German Top 100 on place 26th. Then it had positions: 16th (the highest position), 18th, 30th, 56th, 60th, 73rd, 86th, 87th. Last time it showed on the 23th of August on place 91st. This album consists 2 CDs. First CD contains remixes of Sandra's songs, second CD - her favourite original songs which she chose by herself.

New image of Sandra in clip "Secret Land - remix '99"

In Poland remix of "Secret Land" was broadcasted in TV and radio stations, this song was played in many local radio stations. Videoclip was broadcasted in Polsat2, Nasza TV and TV4. The song reached the 30th place of "30 Ton Lista Lista". Videoclip to "Secret Land" was shooted in Berlin. We could see Sandra's new image, especially her new short hair. "MY FAVOURITES" succeed, but the earlier planning (and never officially confirmed) second single "No Taboo" was annuled. And break again.

     In the first half of 2001 started to appear rumours about Sandra's new album she still records. Fans were delighted. In the second half of 2001 finally Sandra came back with new album called "Wheels Of Time" (it is not a letter error, it is the first title of album). Virgin Records announced the publish of first single on 27th June in 2001, but the publish date was still rescheduled. The single came out finally on the 1st of October in 2001.     

Sandra's appearance in German programme "Courage"

Then there was a BIG event - Sandra performed in German programme "Courage" singing "Forever" song. It was her first performance in TV since 1993, when she had been with Michael on ECHO Awards. She made her fans very happy.
Again she was on the spotlight. In German TV there were many interviews, SAT1 station broadcasted a new hit "Forever" as "a hit of the week". On the 10th of October "Forever" single debuted on place 47th of German hit list Top 100. Then the videoclip was broadcasted in German VIVA. The interview with Sandra was also shown in Interaktiv programm in VIVA.

Commercial spot "Forever" in SAT 1

It is worth mention that videoclip "Forever" was recorded in Vienna and edited in Prague. Also in Poland "Forever" single was noticed -
it was played many times in local radio stations and chart lists. Unfortunatelly those biggest and valuable radio stations did not play this song. In spite of this "Forever" reached the 30th place in the "30 ton lista lista" in Poland.

     After first single suceed, everybody was waiting for a new album. It was suposed to be published at the beginning of 2002. As it turned out later, there were some delays because of Michael Cretu's sickness. Month before publish the WOT album, on 25th of March 2002 the second single "Such A Shame" appeared. Unfortunatelly it did not become as popular as the first single, it reached only to place 76th of Top 100. The video clip for "Such A Shame" was not recorded. As it was explained, the money were suposed to be intended for
a promotion campain of the new album.
     In February it was said that new album "THE WHEEL OF TIME" will be published on 22th of April. Again it had been rearranged. Finally on 29th of April 2002 it came out. It was a huge event.
     

The album "The Wheel Of Time"

A brand new album, fans had been waiting for 7 years!!! But it was worth! On the new album there were 11 great new songs! Among them, there were 4 (even 5, about this in moment) covers - "Motivation" of Inker and Hamilton, "Silent Running" of Mike and Mechanics, "Such A Shame" of Talk Talk and "Free Love" of Depeche Mode. Later there were rumours, that another 5 song "Perfect Touch" was a cover, too. It was a song which came out of Art group in 1988. But Sandra claims, that this song was written by Wolfgang Filz and Peter Ries (alias Marc Cassandra) especailly for her. Well, it is not so important whose song it is. It is important that Sandra performed this song wonderfully.
     Let's come back to the album. It debuted on the very high 8th place in Top 100. It was very nice surprise for everyone. What was mentioned ealier, promotion campain limited only to a some seconds spot in one German SAT1 station. It was also media patron of the album. There are many theories about Sandra's music company, about the actions, promotions, etc. But the fact is that new album came out very quick on the German chart list, as well as it disappeared quick. The third single "Forgive Me" was about to come out, but it was cancelled, even though all the commercial copies were sent to radio stations in Germany. Fans were very outraged at this situation, which were shown on the Sandra's forums. The Virgin company apparently felt guilty. On the 21th of August 2002 they announced another single "I Close My Eyes" to come out. Finally single came out on the 11th of October 2002 and it reached only the 93rd place in Top100. On the 15th of October 2002 Sandra performed in German local TV MDR in programme "Musik Für Sie", singing "I Close My Eyes" and mix of her 3 famous songs: "Secret Land '99", "Maria Magdalena '99" and "Jonny Wanna Live".

Sandra in MDR programme - "Music für Sie"

     On the 24th of March in 2002 the next album "THE ESSENTIAL" came out. There was only "18 GREATEST HITS" in a new package.

     On the 8th of September 2002 there was a nice surprise for fans. It came out the first DVD called "THE COMPLETE HISTORY", which contains all original videoclips from the past 18 years. This new DVD debuted on place 94th in Top 100.

Screenshots from DVD "The Complete History"

At the same day, the new Enigma album called "Voyageur" came out, too. As it was promised, Sandra's voice was also heard in the new Enigma's album, i.e. in promoting single "Voyageur". It was so nice to hear Mrs Cretu's whispers again.

     Since October 2002 there were no news about Sandra's music plans. However, from time to time we can heared or read some news about singer in the radio or magazines. And again Sandra's performance was a huge surprise for everyone. She appears in "Sound der 80er", broadcasted by German ZDF.

Sandra during appearance in programme "Sound der 80er"

There were rumours, that Sandra refused to perform in previous editions of this show. On the 22th of May 2004 she performed her mega hit "Maria Magdalena" (unfortunatelly from playback). As it was noticed, Sandra was incredibly happy being on the stage.
Soon, on the 2nd of October "Kult der 80er" concert was held in Dresden. Sandra was the core of the show, after other stars (The Twins, Ken Laszlo, Mike Maaren). Some minutes after midnight
(that is on the 3rd of October) Sandra started her performance singing "Maria Magdalena" and finished also the same song but in the new version from 1999.

Sandra on concert "Kult der 80er"

The press informed that it was her first concert after 9 years break. But those news are not true enough. In 1995 Sandra was not even in TV, because as everybody know it was a year when she was pregnant. Rather it was her first concert since 1992, when she performed her album "Close To Seven" and "18 Greatest Hits".

     January 2005 - another live show...

Sandra in programme "Best of Formel Eins - Die Show"

Sandra full of energy and sexapil appeared in TV programme called "Best of Formel Eins - Die Show" - fans already known about this programme in December last year. As usual the singer amazed us her new clothes, hair style and subtle make-up - almost like years ago. Then next months full of silence... seeming silence...
     In June the machine moved full blast. This month live concert in Güstrow was palned. But the life showed, fate sometimes is so cruel and this day Sandra due to illness could not appear and sing for hundreds of fans, who went from other countries to see her live on the stage.
     In August all fans learn about: Sandra has just recorded new song with DJ Bobo. Song is called "Secrets Of Love" and it will publish on DJ Bobo's new album in October/November 2005. Single of this song is also planning - unofficially was said that it will in shops in March next year. In November Sandra and DJ Bobo arrived to Disneyland in Paris, to shoot a videoclip in a beautiful and fabulous scenery.

Sandra will also accompany DJ Bobo in promotion of the new song, and this is mean, we will see her often on the stage and TV.
In September 2005 we could admire Sandra on the stage in programme "Die Ultimative Chart Show" - she sung "Everlasting Love" and she was interviewed.

Although 2005 is twentieth anniversary of first Sandra's big hit "Maria Magdalena", we did not wait any new album or a single.
Last events just go to show that the singer come out from her secluded spot for good and she come back to the music stage.

     Year 2005 full of events and promises announces more interesting year 2006, which we can easily call the year of Sandra.
A lot of TV and press interviews, concerts... they say often and often about Sandra and her name is on everybody's lips.
In February was a premiere of long expected videoclip "SECRETS OF LOVE" - on the 3rd of March the single was available in music shops in Europe. And what follows there were a big promotion of this song. First months of year were very rich in TV programmes with Sandra and DJ Bobo (TV Total, Verstehen Sie Spaß, Chartbreak Hotel), also the press wrote about them.

"Secrets Of Love" made its debut on high positions of European Charts, so this way it opened to Sandra her way to the another success. Thanks to this Sandra was invited to the other shows and concerts. And on the 4th of March during "Die 80er Kult-Party" concert in Schwerin, singer - as a lead guest of this party, said to fans that in three weeks will publish her new Remix Album. But contrary to Sandra's announcement, this album will publish only after summer.

Sandra live in Germany
Schwerin	Bietigheim	Güstrow
Dortmund                                   Ferdinandshof

     June and July were very happy months for fans, we could meet our favourite singer on many concerts in Germany: "Maniac 80er Party" in Bietigheim, "Sky Family Day" in Güstrow, "Das 80er Festival" in Dortmund and "NDR Sommertour 2006" in Ferdinandshof, and Polish fans had their big Sandra day - on the 3rd of June she was also in Poland during "Chemist Day". Sandra presented us with her shows, some of us had a chance to get her autograph, make some photo with Sandra and even talk to her.

     In one of press interview Sandra said the title her new studio album, about what we knew only this, that it will be in three languages and it will include "Love Is A Price" - the second song with DJ Bobo. Its title is "THE ART OF LOVE", and the release date will depend on success of "REFLECTIONS" - earlier announced and impatient waited by fans album, which include the remixes of Sandra's big hits. The album was available in shops on 29th of September and although there is only known Sandra's hits on this album, there is no traditional album with remixes, cause all music was reproduced anew, reached by unusual sound, maybe because they was reproduced by new producers. Except for "Everlasting Love" - the vocal to this song was recorded anew, as a beautiful and romatic ballad.

     Remix album met with average interest, on German Top 100 it reached to 44th place. There wasn't any single from this album, and the promotion only boiled down to two TV interviews. In Germany they chose new version of "Everlasting Love" as a radio single, but the song was lost with no response, but in Poland they chose "Around My Heart 2006" as a radio single and probably nobody expect this, what will follow. First this remix was played in local radiostations, but then the big radiostation ESKA also put it to its playlist. And this was the beginning, the song was played a few times a day. Suddenly, "Around My Heart 2006" also was played in radio RMF FM. This was a huge surprise, by the last album we could just dream to hear Sandra in such big and commercial radio like this. Remix was one of favourite songs, people liked listen to it, and it reached to 2nd place on RMF Poplist and it stayed on this place almost 2 months (44 quotations). After big success in RMF FM, also the rival radiostation Radio Zet was played this remix, which hit to medley albums of this two radiostations.

     For February 2007 they announced the premiere of the ninth in Sandra's career studio album called "THE ART OF LOVE", which (like Sandra said in some interviews) will be a peculiar accounting with the past, which will be very personal and it will open the new chapter in her career. Sandra wrote most of lyrics by herself, she exposed this from the pain and the childhood memories, she scratched a lot of wounds, but she also showed she matured and she is ready to forget about what was happend in the past and go to better tomorrow, full of hope and new challenges.
In November they announced, that the first single from this album will be song called "The Way I Am". Later soon the publish date of the single and album was changed to 19th and then 26th of January 2007. In awaiting for premiere the fans had a chance to see Sandra live in Russia (Discotheque '80 in Moscow and St. Petersburg) and in Romania (concert in Piatra-Neamt).

Sandra during concerts
Moscow	St. Petersburg	Piatra-Neamt

In the meantime the publish date of album and single was several times changed, and in December in German Radio Saw was the premiere of "The Way I Am" - Sandra surprised everybody the new sound, deeper timbre of voice and the energy beating from this song.

     New 2007 year the fans geeted the rebroadcast Moscow Sandra's appearance from Discotheque '80 on the 2nd of January. And on 26th of January was the premiere of the single "The Way I Am" - on this single additionally was published two (as it turned out later) new songs not published on the album - it was a big surprise for Sandra's fans. We didn't know Sandra like this - she changed herself, she isn't this sweet girl from the 80s. "The Way I Am" - it's a dynamic tone, and this all is so new and different from Sandra like she was before. The appetite achieved the apogee. The fans couldn't wait the new album "THE ART OF LOVE", they talk and talk about so much. The promotion of the single and album started from two TV interviews (in German programs Zibb and Das!) and radio interviews (in German Radio Berlin and Antenne Brandenburg).

February 2007 - the single made its debut on 50th place of German Top 100 (this was its highest position), and the French section of EMI Music announces the publish of special edition of album "REFLECTIONS" with additional remixes and the single (as it turned out later the digital single and in vinyl promo edition) "In The Heat Of The Night 2007".
On the 10th of February Sandra gave a concert in German Magdeburg, where she sung for the first time the song "The Way
I Am" and the bonus song from this single "Logical Love".

Concert in German Magdeburg

     On 23rd of February in shops showed the ninth Sandra's album "THE ART OF LOVE". For the first time this album under the name SANDRA was recorded without her husband Michael Cretu. This time the producer, co-author, arranger and musician was Jens Gad, the man, who works with Cretu family for several years. Sandra revealed her talent for the first time and she wrote most of her album lyrics, and Jens recorded the new sound, new - it's mean completely differnet from this, we knew for years thank to Sandra. Innovation ideas, like exotic instruments (koto), or children choirs (sung among other things by Sandra's sons Nikita and Sebastian), surprised probably everybody. But the biggest surprised was extremely private, full of emotions lyrics wrote by Sandra, saying how she is... sensitive, honest, full of unpleasant memories, but now she has more power and she is ready say about it, she had some bad moments in her life. This album is her baby, at night she worked very hard in the studio, in the day she take care of her children and family. But it was woth, she is happy and proud of herself. "THE ART OF LOVE" it's the 13 calm songs, nice to hear sounds and emotion tones, it's a very honest and open album about fascinating climate with the beautiful music.

     The promotion of "THE ART OF LOVE" didn't go round Poland. On the 24th of February in the Polish radio RMF FM in program "Top Ten" we could hear the interview with Sandra. We could learn about what memories she took away after concert in Plock/Poland, that the album "THE WHEEL OF TIME" got the status of gold record and some interesting facts about new album "THE ART OF LOVE". Considerable increase of Sandra's popularity in Poland ("Around My Heart 2006" was played in radiostations a long time after new album published) caused, that Pomaton/EMI Music Poland gave a lot of album copies "THE ART OF LOVE" for numerous contests. The effort was worth this, the album put the official sale list OLIS in Poland to the highest position 26th. In Germany the album made its debut on high 16th place of Top 100, and it goodbyed with the list after three weeks. About promotion - to fans' despair there wasn't any videoclip to single "THE WAY I AM". As a consolation fans got the bonus songs on single, but they didn't expect, that is not only one surprise like this.

     On 26th of March in France was published "REFLECTIONS - Special Edition", which includes additional 3 remixes: two "In The Heat Of The Night" and one "Maria Magdalena", in which they used not published ealier another vocal lines. In Germany this edition was limited 3000 strong copies.

     April it's an announcement of the second single. The premiere of "What Is It About Me" was on 18th of May, the day of Cretu birthdays. The fans couldn't dream the better surprise, cause there are also two bonus songs on this single. They are known songs in another versions - "What's Left To Say" was changed to French "Les Qu'est-Ce Que C'est", and "Silence Beside Me" put form of Spanish "Silencio A Mi Lado". This time there wasn't any clip, too.

Sandra on concert in Kazakhstan

May it's also Sandra's concert in Kazakhstan, in city of Alma-Ata. Sandra sung two new songs, in defiance of her announcements.
On the 3rd of June finally fans lived to the first Sandra's with a new single.

On German channel ZDF, in live program called "Fernsehgarten" Sandra sung "What Is It About Me", and its ending she sung "Maria Magdalena". In Poland radiostations gave "What Is It About Me" single up and the digital single of "All You Zombies" went to Polish radiostations, i.e. we could hear it in RMF FM - the song reached on 13th place of RMF Poplist. And the Radio Zet is still advertising "THE ART OF LOVE" album on its banner on the main website.

     In the future there are some plans for next concerts: in June in Chemnitz, in July in Cottbus and in August in Koblenz - all in Germany. We could say, that German fans are pampering; we hoped, Sandra also will come to Poland maybe even this year :)   

Biography was wrote by Cathy, Piotr and Inula on the basis of: report from Bravo magazine, article by P.Wozniak, fragments of "Stationen einer Karriere" - and own knowledge, observations and thinks.

Translation to English by Agnieszka Gorczyca (Big Thanks Aga!!!) and Cathy.