Snow On The Sahara

Snow on the Sahara is Anggun’s first international studio album. The French version was first released in France on 24 June 1997 by Columbia Records, while the English version was later released internationally by major label Sony Music Entertainment in 33 countries throughout Asia, Europe, and America between late 1997 to early 1999. Having various editions with different track listing and artwork, the album was also marketed as Anggun’s self-titled album in several countries, such as Indonesia and Japan. The album was a huge artistic departure to Anggun’s earlier rock style, experimenting with world music sounds.

Anggun promoted the album for three years, touring many countries around the world. Her most notable appearances include her televised performances on The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Sessions at West 54th, and Penn & Teller’s Sin City Spectacular. Several singles were released to promote the album, with “Snow on the Sahara” or “La neige au Sahara” being the most successful. It topped the charts in Italy, Spain, and several Asian countries, and became the most-played song of 1997 in France. The album received positive response from music critics, with American media The Southtown Star ranking it as one of Top 25 Albums of 1998. With sales of more than one million copies in the western territories, Snow on the Sahara became the best-selling album by Asian artist outside Asia.

Recording and development

In 1996, Anggun was introduced to French musician Erick Benzi, who previously had produced albums of well known artists such as Celine Dion, Jean-Jacques Goldman and Johnny Hallyday. Anggun called their professional relationship as “love at first sight”, saying that “Erick was the person I’ve always wanted to meet. It’s a kind of chemistry you find once in a lifetime.” Impressed by Anggun’s talent, Benzi immediately offered to produce her record. Later that year, Anggun was signed to Columbia France and Sony Music Entertainment, making her the first Indonesian citizen in history to join an international major label.

anggun_-_snow_on_the_sahara

The album was produced entirely by Erick Benzi who also arranged, engineered, mixed, and wrote majority of the songs. Other songwriters working for the album include Jacques Veneruso, Herve Teboul, and Nicolas Mingot, as well as Nikki Matheson who was responsible in translating all the original French songs from Au nom de la lune into English for Snow on the Sahara. Anggun herself co-wrote three tracks—the half-Indonesian “On the Breath of an Angel” (“À la plume de tes doigts”), and the full-Indonesian “Gita” and “Selamanya”.She also wrote “Kembali”, the Indonesian version of “A Rose in the Wind” (“La rose des vents”), which was released exclusively for Indonesia and Malaysia. Anggun explained her involvement during the album’s production:

I was there from A to Z. I told Eric my stories: about my life in Indonesia, about my travels to London and Paris. about my hopes and dreams. Every time he had an idea, he’d call me up and I’d tell him ‘okay, that part I like, that part I don’t like’—until the song was finished. So these songs are really reflections of my life, and this music is really my music in every sense.

 

Release and promotion

Au nom de la lune was released in France on 24 June 1997 by Columbia Records. The English version was released afterward in 33 countries worldwide under two title, Snow on the Sahara and Anggun, with various artworks and track listings. In Japan, the album was released in late 1997 with three additional tracks from the French version (“La Neige au Sahara”, “De Soleil et d’ombres” and “La Rose des vents”) while in Indonesia, the album was released with the song “A Rose in the Wind” was recorded in Indonesian, titled “Kembali” and “By the Moon” was replaced with its French original version, “Au nom de la lune”. The album was released in North America with “Memory of Your Shores” and interludes on the original version were omitted.

Anggun took about three years to release and promote the album across the globe. She toured the United States for about nine months. “On the Breath of an Angel” was used as the soundtrack of American television series Passions (1999) and television film The Princess and the Marine, both of which were broadcast on NBC.”A Rose in the Wind” also became the theme song of National Basketball Association (NBA) and was included on its 1999 compilation album I Still Love This Game!: NBA Commemorative Collection.”Snow on the Sahara” was also used as the soundtrack for an international marketing campaign launched by the Swiss watchmaker Swatch.

Singles

“La neige au Sahara” was released as the lead single from the French version. It quickly became a hit in France, peaking at number one on the French Airplay Chart and number 16 on the French Singles Chart. It become the most-played song in France of 1997, with a total of 7,900 radio airplays, and was certified gold for shipment of 250,000 copies. It was followed with the release of two moderately charting singles, “La rose des vents” and “Au nom de la lune”, which peaked at number 49 and 60 respectively on the French Singles Chart. “La ligne des sense” was released as the final single from the French version, but failed to enter the chart.

“Snow on the Sahara” was released as the first single from the English version for international market. The single was a commercial success, reaching number one in Italy, Spain and several countries in Asia, and the top five on the UK Club Chart. It was also used as the soundtrack for an international marketing campaign launched by the Swiss watchmaker Swatch. The second single from the album, “A Rose in the Wind”, became her second top 20 hit in Italy, peaking at number 17 on the FIMI Singles Chart. Its Indonesian version, “Kembali”, was also released for Southeast Asian market and became number-one radio hit in Indonesia and Malaysia. The album also spawned three promotional single for certain territories—”Dream of Me” in Japan, “Life on Mars” in the United States and “Memory of Your Shores” in Europe.

Track Listing

English version

Snow on the Sahara / Anggun – International standard edition
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. “Snow on the Sahara” Erick Benzi, Nikki Matheson 4:18
2. “Le départ” Erick Benzi 0:29
3. “Over Their Walls” Erick Benzi, Nikki Matheson 3:12
4. “On the Breath of an Angel” Nikki Matheson, Jacques Veneruso, Anggun 3:31
5. “A Rose in the Wind” Erick Benzi, Nikki Matheson 4:24
6. “Gita” Anggun, Erick Benzi 0:28
7. “Memory of Your Shores” Erick Benzi, Nikki Matheson, Nicolas Mingot 3:59
8. “My Sensual Mind” Erick Benzi, Nikki Matheson 4:32
9. “Blanca” Erick Benzi 0:41
10. “Valparaíso” Erick Benzi, Nikki Matheson 3:56
11. “Selamanya” Anggun, Erick Benzi 2:21
12. “By the Moon” Erick Benzi, Nikki Matheson 4:09
13. “Pluies” Jacques Veneruso 0:55
14. “Dream of Me” Jacques Veneruso, Nikki Matheson 4:01
15. “Secret of the Sea” Erick Benzi, Nikki Matheson 4:16
16. “Life on Mars” David Bowie 4:10
Total length:
 49:22