Sandra
Biography
Sandra (born Sandra Ann Lauer; 18 May 1962, Saarbrücken) is a German singer who rose to major popularity in the 1980s and early 1990s with a string of European hits. She is among the best-selling German singers in history, with more than 33 million records sold worldwide.
She began her career at seventeen as the lead vocalist of the female disco trio DJ Arabesque, which achieved huge success in Japan and the Soviet Union. During a tour in 1982, she met keyboardist and producer Michael Cretu, who would become her musical partner and husband.
She launched her solo career in 1984. Produced by Michael Cretu, her debut album *The Long Play* was released in January 1985 and sparked a run of international hits. Her best-known songs include (I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena, In the Heat of the Night, Everlasting Love, Secret Land, Hiroshima and Don't Be Aggressive.
The albums *Into a Secret Land* (1988) and *Close to Seven* (1992) earned her broad critical acclaim. Her repertoire, largely produced by Michael Cretu, sits between pop and euro disco.
Alongside her solo work, Sandra contributed her voice to albums by the musical project Enigma, founded by Michael Cretu in 1990, helping drive the project’s global success until 2001.
Based in Ibiza, she married Michael Cretu in 1988. The couple, parents of twins born in 1995, divorced in 2008. Sandra was married to Olaf Menges from 2010 to 2014. She continues to live in Ibiza.
A cult artist with a devoted audience, Sandra remains a major figure in 1980s European pop, even outselling Madonna in several countries at the peak of her popularity.