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Sarah Connor (musician)
Encyclopedia
Sarah Marianne Corina Lewe (born June 13, 1980), better known by her stage name Sarah Connor, is a German
singer, songwriter and television personality. Connor debuted in 2001 under the guidance of artist manager George Glueck
and became the first solo act to ever have four consecutive chart-topping hits on the German Singles Chart
. Following success in mainland Europe with her single "From Sarah with Love
" and her R&B-oriented debut album Green Eyed Soul, a series of hit records established her position as the most successful German pop
female vocalists to emerge in the 2000s with sales in excess of 15 million copies worldwide. Her latest effort, seventh studio album Real Love
, was released in October 2010, amid her engagement as judge on the German reality television show X Factor
.
Awarded with several prizes and accolades, Connor has received four Comet
s, a Top of the Pops Award
, a Goldene Kamera, a Goldene Europa
, a World Music Award, and an Echo. married American pop-rock musician Marc Terenzi
in 2004, with whom she appeared in two reality shows, Sarah & Marc in Love
(2007) and Crazy and Sexy: Sarah Connor
(2008). They ended their relationship with divorce in 2008.
, Irish
and German
heritage, in Hamburg
. She has four sisters: Anna Maria, Marisa, Sophia-Luisa, and Valentina; and one brother, Robin. Her maternal half-brothers Mick and Lex were born in 2008.
Connor grew up listening to soul music
, mostly influenced by her paternal grandfather who was born in New Orleans
. A church choir became her first experience in the gospel music
field at a very young age. In her teen years Connor tried out and was accepted to a performing arts school. Although all students were required to choose an instrument, Connor was the only one allowed to study voice. She took vocal lessons once a week and worked as a waitress in a hotel to pay for them.
In 1997, Connor was picked to sing with the backing choir during the performance of "Heal the World
" at Michael Jackson
's HIStory
concert tour in Bremen, Germany. Overwhelmed by a personal meeting with Jackson at the end of the show, she signed a contract with her first management the following year, that resulted in her pseudonym
Sarah Gray and the recording of a number of demo
tapes, including cover version
s such as "Silent Night
" and "This Christmas" and the local radio success "Ula la Ula." In 1999, she provided the leading vocals for producer Marc van Linden's dance remix of the 1982 record "Last Unicorn," which reached number 86 on the German Singles Chart. Unhappy with her management though, Connor teamed up with manager Carlo Vista, who got her signed as Sarah Connor with producer George Glueck's label X-Cell Records a short time after. As a direct consequence, she decided to quit school and leave home at the age of 19.
, Hannover and Berlin to work on her debut album, involving producers such as Bülent Aris, Toni Cottura
, Diane Warren
, and the production duo Rob Tyger and Kay Denar. Green Eyed Soul
, which was eventually released on November 26, 2001 in German-speaking Europe, yielded her first two singles "Let's Get Back to Bed – Boy!," a collaboration with American rapper TQ, and "French Kissing
," a song based on BLACKstreet
’s "No Diggity
." However, it was the album’s third single "From Sarah with Love
" which reached the top position in Germany, Poland, Portugal and Switzerland and raised Connor’s fame all over Europe. The song garnered the singer a Comet
and an ECHO Award. Album reviews were generally positive, with laut.de especially praising Connor’s vocal strengths.
Only ten months later, her second album Unbelievable
(2002) was released in Europe. Wyclef Jean
wrote, produced and rapped on the album’s lead single
, "One Nite Stand (of Wolves and Sheep)
," which once again entered the top 5. Unbelievable simultaneously achieved gold
status in Germany within 48 hours and spawned another three singles, including Diane Warren
-penned "Skin on Skin
," "He's Unbelievable
" and "Bounce
" (which would be released as a single on 3 different occasions and countries including the United States.)
In October 2003, Connor released a live DVD
branded Sarah Connor Live – A Night to Remember: Pop Meets Classic
, whose performance had been recorded at the Alten Kasselhaus in Düsseldorf
on January 24, including individual performances of own songs with a classical
orchestra
backing her up. In November 2003, in spite of being heavily pregnant with her first child, Connor released her third album called, Key to My Soul
. The album’s first single, "Music Is the Key
" featuring New York a cappella
singers Naturally 7
, became her second number-one hit in Germany. "Just One Last Dance
", the album's second and final single, was a re-recorded edition of the album’s original version, including new vocals by Marc Terenzi’s band Natural. The duet once again reached number-one in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland and the top 20 on a composite World Top 40.
The album "Sarah Connor" featured the first single, "Bounce". It was released in many countries. including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. In Germany, the single made it to #14 on the charts. In England and Ireland it peaked at number 14 and was certified gold in Australia. In America, the song only managed a #54 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album made it to number 106 and took off in the U.S., selling almost 100.000 copies.
." The ballad reached number-one in Germany and Switzerland, becoming her third consecutive chart-topper, and preceded her fourth album Naughty But Nice (2005). Connor re-teamed with longtime contributors Booya, Kay Denar und Rob Tyger to work on the album, whose release coincided with the
broadcast of her ProSieben reality series Sarah & Marc in Love
. Her highest-charting effort yet, Naughty But Nice debuted on top of the German Albums Chart and reached the top three in Austria and Switzerland, selling 100,000 copies within the first two days of its release. Critical reaction towards the album was generally mixed, with Allmusic rating it three starts out of five, and laut.de summing it as "underclass music for the disco around the corner." Spawning just one another single, "From Zero to Hero
" was picked to be used as the theme song to the computer-animated movie Robots
(2005), for which Connor voiced the character of Cappy. The song became her fifth chart-topping single in Germany and the fourth number-one hit single in a row.
In fall 2005, Connor embarked on the Naughty but Nice concert tour. Compiling twenty-three dates in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, the tour concluded a month later. In December 2005, she released a holiday album named Christmas in My Heart
. Containing a mix of traditional but contemporary English standards and re-written German songs in English language, both the album and its same-titled lead single
reached number four on the charts. Eventually certified platinum by the IFPI
, the album was re-released the following year, including the previously unreleased single "The Best Side of Life
," another top four success.
Returning from yet another hiatus after the birth of her daughter Summer in 2006, Connor released her sixth studio album Soulicious
in March 2007. Mainly made up of 1960s and 70s Motown covers, but also including two original songs, recording for the entire album took place at the former main building of the Berliner Rundfunk
, where Connor was backed by a symphonic orchestra of forty-eight musicians. Upon its release, the album reached the top ten in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, where it each reached gold status. Critics, again, gave Soulicious a mixed response, with CDStarts.de calling it "a sterile soul adaption for The Dome
stage." Leading single "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)
," which was featured in a publicity campaign for the comeback fight of German boxer
Henry Maske
, and "Sexual Healing," a duet with American singer Ne-Yo
, reached the top ten and top twenty of the singles charts respectively.
Heading into a new musical direction, Connor intensified work on her next original album with producers such as Remee
, Thomas Troelsen
and J. R. Rotem
. In May 2008, it was announced Connor and her family would once again participate in an eight-part reality show titled Sarah and Marc: Still Crazy in Love" on ProSieben. The special began airing on July 3, 2008, and followed the recording and promotional events for the new album, branded Sexy as Hell
. Its first single, "Under My Skin
," co-written by Troelsen, was released on August 1, 2008, in German-speaking Europe
, with the album following on August 22, 2008. Subsequently, she was nominated for an ECHO.
' duet "Takin' Back My Love
," replacing American singer Ciara
's original vocals on the song. Released as the second single from Iglesias' 2008 Greatest Hits
album in German-speaking Europe
, Poland
and the Czech Republic
, it reached the top ten of the German Singles Chart.
In April 2010, it was announced that Connor would appear alongside mentor George Glueck and musician Till Brönner
as a judge on the debut series of X Factor
, aired on the German VOX network. Connor's eighth studio album, titled Real Love
, was released on October 22, 2010. "Cold as Ice
" was released as the album's first single. It peaked at number 27 on the Austrian Singles Chart as well as the German Singles Chart at number 16. Connor performed "Cold as Ice" at the 2010 MTV European Music Awards
. Real Love peaked at number 8 on the German Albums Chart.
and thus, shared the same management with her. Their three-year relationship ended in early 2000. Connor later met Marc Terenzi
, lead singer of American boy band Natural
, at the Bravo Happy Holidays festival in Rust
, Germany in July 2002. The pair began dating and in June 2003, it was announced they were engaged and expecting their first child, Tyler Marc Terenzi, who was born on February 2, 2004 in Orlando, Florida
. On February 29, 2004 the couple invited their friends to a dinner supposedly to celebrate the birth of their son; however they announced that they in fact had elope
d. The couple renewed their vows this time with a wedding ceremony on August 18, 2005 in Altafulla, Tarragonès
, near Barcelona, Spain. The wedding was the subject of their ProSieben reality show Sarah and Marc in Love. On June 23, 2006, Connor gave birth to their second child, a girl, named Summer Antonia Soraya. In November 2008, Connor announced her separation from Terenzi.
After her separation from Terenzi, Connor was linked with Brazilian footballer Diego Ribas da Cunha
, although the couple claimed only to be good friends. In April 2010, Connor announced that she is in a relationship with her manager, Florian Fischer, singer of the 1990s pop trio The Boyz. In February 2011, the two confirmed that they were expecting a child. Their daughter Delphine Malou was born in September 2011.
mocked and parodied Connor’s reality show Sarah and Marc in Love on his show Rent a Pocher
. Not liking having her family mocked, Connor brought legal action against him. The outcome is unknown but he did eventually apologize.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
singer, songwriter and television personality. Connor debuted in 2001 under the guidance of artist manager George Glueck
George Glueck
George Glueck is a music producer and artist manager. He is also a judge in German X Factor in its first season.George Glueck grew up in New York City...
and became the first solo act to ever have four consecutive chart-topping hits on the German Singles Chart
Media Control Charts
The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
. Following success in mainland Europe with her single "From Sarah with Love
From Sarah with Love
"From Sarah with Love" is a song by German singer-songwriter Sarah Connor from her debut album, Green Eyed Soul . Written by Rob Tyger, Kay Denar and Connor and produced by Denar and Tyger, it was released as the album's third single on 5 November 2001 in Central Europe.The single peaked at number...
" and her R&B-oriented debut album Green Eyed Soul, a series of hit records established her position as the most successful German pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
female vocalists to emerge in the 2000s with sales in excess of 15 million copies worldwide. Her latest effort, seventh studio album Real Love
Real Love (Sarah Connor album)
Real Love is the seventh studio album by German pop singer Sarah Connor, released by Epic on October 22, 2010 in German-speaking Europe. Connor's first album in two years, it features production by Alexander Geringas, Robin Grubert, Michelle Leonard, and Erik Lewander as well as her frequent...
, was released in October 2010, amid her engagement as judge on the German reality television show X Factor
X Factor (Germany)
X Factor is the German version of The X Factor, a show originating from the United Kingdom. It is a television music talent show contested by aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions....
.
Awarded with several prizes and accolades, Connor has received four Comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
s, a Top of the Pops Award
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
, a Goldene Kamera, a Goldene Europa
Goldene Europa
The Goldene Europa award is the oldest German Television award for artists and entertainers. It was awarded from 1968 to 2003. In the years 1989 and 2001, there were no ceremonies...
, a World Music Award, and an Echo. married American pop-rock musician Marc Terenzi
Marc Terenzi
Marc Eric Terenzi is an American pop singer formerly of the boy band Natural. He was married to German pop/soul singer Sarah Connor from 2005-2008. They have a son named Tyler and a daughter named Summer.-Early life:...
in 2004, with whom she appeared in two reality shows, Sarah & Marc in Love
Sarah & Marc in Love
"Sarah and Marc in Love" was a German reality show following German popstar Sarah Connor and her American former boy band member husband Marc Terenzi as they tried to set up their wedding ceremony.-Origin:...
(2007) and Crazy and Sexy: Sarah Connor
Sarah & Marc in Love
"Sarah and Marc in Love" was a German reality show following German popstar Sarah Connor and her American former boy band member husband Marc Terenzi as they tried to set up their wedding ceremony.-Origin:...
(2008). They ended their relationship with divorce in 2008.
Early life
Connor is the eldest of six siblings born to Michael Lewe, an advertising writer of American descent, and his wife Soraya Lewe-Tacke (née Gray), a former fashion model and homemaker of ScottishScottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
, Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
heritage, in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. She has four sisters: Anna Maria, Marisa, Sophia-Luisa, and Valentina; and one brother, Robin. Her maternal half-brothers Mick and Lex were born in 2008.
Connor grew up listening to soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, mostly influenced by her paternal grandfather who was born in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. A church choir became her first experience in the gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
field at a very young age. In her teen years Connor tried out and was accepted to a performing arts school. Although all students were required to choose an instrument, Connor was the only one allowed to study voice. She took vocal lessons once a week and worked as a waitress in a hotel to pay for them.
In 1997, Connor was picked to sing with the backing choir during the performance of "Heal the World
Heal the World
"Heal the World" is a song from Michael Jackson's hit album, Dangerous, released in 1991. The music video features children living in countries suffering from unrest, especially Burundi. It is also one of only a handful of Michael Jackson's videos not to feature Jackson himself, the others being...
" at Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's HIStory
HIStory
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I is the ninth studio album by American songwriter and recording artist Michael Jackson, released on June 16, 1995 by Epic Records. The majority of the album's tracks were written and produced by Jackson...
concert tour in Bremen, Germany. Overwhelmed by a personal meeting with Jackson at the end of the show, she signed a contract with her first management the following year, that resulted in her pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Sarah Gray and the recording of a number of demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
tapes, including cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s such as "Silent Night
Silent Night
"Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber...
" and "This Christmas" and the local radio success "Ula la Ula." In 1999, she provided the leading vocals for producer Marc van Linden's dance remix of the 1982 record "Last Unicorn," which reached number 86 on the German Singles Chart. Unhappy with her management though, Connor teamed up with manager Carlo Vista, who got her signed as Sarah Connor with producer George Glueck's label X-Cell Records a short time after. As a direct consequence, she decided to quit school and leave home at the age of 19.
2001–2003: Breakthrough with From Sarah With Love
Connor fluctuated between HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Hannover and Berlin to work on her debut album, involving producers such as Bülent Aris, Toni Cottura
Toni Cottura
Toni Cottura is a eurodance and hip-hop producer and rapper from Germany. He started his career in 1988 as a hip-hop producer with David Fascher and later worked with DJ Shahin....
, Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
, and the production duo Rob Tyger and Kay Denar. Green Eyed Soul
Green Eyed Soul (Sarah Connor album)
-Chart positions:-Certifications:...
, which was eventually released on November 26, 2001 in German-speaking Europe, yielded her first two singles "Let's Get Back to Bed – Boy!," a collaboration with American rapper TQ, and "French Kissing
French Kissing
"French Kissing" is a song by German singer-songwriter Sarah Connor from her debut album, Green Eyed Soul . Written and produced by Rob Tyger and Kay Denar, the track incorporates a sample of Blackstreet's 1996 hit song "No Diggity" featuring Dr...
," a song based on BLACKstreet
BLACKstreet
Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
’s "No Diggity
No Diggity
"No Diggity" is a song by American R&B group Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen in her first recorded appearance. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 in the UK. It ranked at #91 on . It sold 1.6 million copies in 1996, and won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a...
." However, it was the album’s third single "From Sarah with Love
From Sarah with Love
"From Sarah with Love" is a song by German singer-songwriter Sarah Connor from her debut album, Green Eyed Soul . Written by Rob Tyger, Kay Denar and Connor and produced by Denar and Tyger, it was released as the album's third single on 5 November 2001 in Central Europe.The single peaked at number...
" which reached the top position in Germany, Poland, Portugal and Switzerland and raised Connor’s fame all over Europe. The song garnered the singer a Comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
and an ECHO Award. Album reviews were generally positive, with laut.de especially praising Connor’s vocal strengths.
Only ten months later, her second album Unbelievable
Unbelievable (Sarah Connor album)
-Chart positions:...
(2002) was released in Europe. Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
wrote, produced and rapped on the album’s lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, "One Nite Stand (of Wolves and Sheep)
One Nite Stand (of Wolves and Sheep)
"One Nite Stand " is a song by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor featuring American rapper Wyclef Jean. Written by Jean, Jerry Duplessis, O.G. Fortuna, and Connor, the song was released in German-speaking Europe on 2 September 2002 as the lead single from Connor's second studio album,...
," which once again entered the top 5. Unbelievable simultaneously achieved gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
status in Germany within 48 hours and spawned another three singles, including Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
-penned "Skin on Skin
Skin on Skin
"Skin on Skin" is a song by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor from her second studio album, Unbelievable . Written and produced by Rob Tyger and Kay Denar, the ballad was released as the album's second single on 4 November 2002.-Track listings:...
," "He's Unbelievable
He's Unbelievable
"He's Unbelievable" is a song by German singer-songwriter Sarah Connor from her second studio album, Unbelievable . Written and produced by Rob Tyger and Kay Denar, it was released as the album's third single on 24 March 2003. The track contains elements of 2Pac's 1996 hit "California Love"...
" and "Bounce
Bounce (Sarah Connor song)
"Bounce" is a song by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor from her second studio album, Unbelievable . Written by Bülent Aris, Toni Cottura, and Anthony Freeman, it was released as the album's fourth and final single, as well as the lead single from her self-titled U.S. debut album, Sarah Connor...
" (which would be released as a single on 3 different occasions and countries including the United States.)
In October 2003, Connor released a live DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
branded Sarah Connor Live – A Night to Remember: Pop Meets Classic
A Night to Remember: Pop Meets Classic
Sarah Connor Live in Concert – A Night to Remember: Pop Meets Classic is the first live DVD released by German pop star Sarah Connor. It was recorded live on January 24, 2003 at Altes Kesselhaus in Düsseldorf, Germany....
, whose performance had been recorded at the Alten Kasselhaus in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
on January 24, including individual performances of own songs with a classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
backing her up. In November 2003, in spite of being heavily pregnant with her first child, Connor released her third album called, Key to My Soul
Key to My Soul
Key to My Soul is the third studio album by German singer-songwriter Sarah Connor, released in German-speaking Europe on 17 November 2003 by Epic...
. The album’s first single, "Music Is the Key
Music Is the Key
"Music Is the key" is a song by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor, featuring guest vocals by American a cappella group Naturally 7. Written and produced by Rob Tyger and Kay Denar, it was released on 3 November 2003 as the lead single from Connor's third studio album, Key to My Soul .The single...
" featuring New York a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
singers Naturally 7
Naturally 7
Naturally 7 is an American music group with a distinct a cappella style they call "Vocal Play". They sing primarily R&B with extensive beat-boxing. Band members are Garfield Buckley, Rod Eldridge, Warren Thomas, Napoleon Cummings, Roger "N'glish" Thomas, Dwight Stewart, and Armand "Hops" Hutton....
, became her second number-one hit in Germany. "Just One Last Dance
Just One Last Dance
"Just One Last Dance" is a song by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor, featuring guest vocals by husband Marc Terenzi's former band Natural. Written and produced by Rob Tyger and Kay Denar, it was released on 1 March 2004—one month after the birth of the couple's son Tyler—as the second single...
", the album's second and final single, was a re-recorded edition of the album’s original version, including new vocals by Marc Terenzi’s band Natural. The duet once again reached number-one in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland and the top 20 on a composite World Top 40.
The album "Sarah Connor" featured the first single, "Bounce". It was released in many countries. including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. In Germany, the single made it to #14 on the charts. In England and Ireland it peaked at number 14 and was certified gold in Australia. In America, the song only managed a #54 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album made it to number 106 and took off in the U.S., selling almost 100.000 copies.
2004–2008: International Success
After a lengthy hiatus that saw the birth of her son Tyler, Connor returned to music in fall 2004 with the release of her single "Living to Love YouLiving to Love You
"Living to Love You" is a song by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor from her fourth studio album, Naughty but Nice . Written and produced by Rob Tyger and Kay Denar, it was released as the album's lead single on 8 November 2004...
." The ballad reached number-one in Germany and Switzerland, becoming her third consecutive chart-topper, and preceded her fourth album Naughty But Nice (2005). Connor re-teamed with longtime contributors Booya, Kay Denar und Rob Tyger to work on the album, whose release coincided with the
broadcast of her ProSieben reality series Sarah & Marc in Love
Sarah & Marc in Love
"Sarah and Marc in Love" was a German reality show following German popstar Sarah Connor and her American former boy band member husband Marc Terenzi as they tried to set up their wedding ceremony.-Origin:...
. Her highest-charting effort yet, Naughty But Nice debuted on top of the German Albums Chart and reached the top three in Austria and Switzerland, selling 100,000 copies within the first two days of its release. Critical reaction towards the album was generally mixed, with Allmusic rating it three starts out of five, and laut.de summing it as "underclass music for the disco around the corner." Spawning just one another single, "From Zero to Hero
From Zero to Hero
"From Zero to Hero" is a song by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor from her fourth studio album, Naughty but Nice . Written and produced by Rob Tyger and Kay Denar, the song was released on 7 March 2005 as the album's second and final single...
" was picked to be used as the theme song to the computer-animated movie Robots
Robots (film)
Robots is a 2005 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios for 20th Century Fox, and was released theatrically on March 11, 2005. The story was created by Chris Wedge and William Joyce, a children's book author/illustrator. The two were trying to create a film version of...
(2005), for which Connor voiced the character of Cappy. The song became her fifth chart-topping single in Germany and the fourth number-one hit single in a row.
In fall 2005, Connor embarked on the Naughty but Nice concert tour. Compiling twenty-three dates in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, the tour concluded a month later. In December 2005, she released a holiday album named Christmas in My Heart
Christmas in My Heart
Christmas in My Heart is the fifth album by German pop singer Sarah Connor, released in 2005 and reissued in 2006 through Epic.-About:"Christmas in my heart" was the first album of Christmas music released by Sarah Connor...
. Containing a mix of traditional but contemporary English standards and re-written German songs in English language, both the album and its same-titled lead single
Christmas in My Heart (song)
"Christmas in My Heart" is a song by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor. It was her first Christmas single and the lead single from her first Christmas album, Christmas in My Heart...
reached number four on the charts. Eventually certified platinum by the IFPI
IFPI
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland...
, the album was re-released the following year, including the previously unreleased single "The Best Side of Life
The Best Side of Life
"The Best Side of Life" is a song by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor. It was her second Christmas single and the first single released from the 2006 re-release of her first Christmas album, Christmas in My Heart...
," another top four success.
Returning from yet another hiatus after the birth of her daughter Summer in 2006, Connor released her sixth studio album Soulicious
Soulicious
Soulicious is the fifth studio album by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor, released in German-speaking Europe on 30 March 2007 by Epic. Entirely produced by Kay Denar and Rob Tyger, the album consists of a collection of cover versions of Motown music from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, apart from...
in March 2007. Mainly made up of 1960s and 70s Motown covers, but also including two original songs, recording for the entire album took place at the former main building of the Berliner Rundfunk
Berliner Rundfunk
The Berliner Rundfunk was a radio program set in East Germany. It had a political focus and discussed events in East Berlin. Today it is a commercial radio station broadcast with the name "Berlin Rundfunk 91.4".- History :...
, where Connor was backed by a symphonic orchestra of forty-eight musicians. Upon its release, the album reached the top ten in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, where it each reached gold status. Critics, again, gave Soulicious a mixed response, with CDStarts.de calling it "a sterile soul adaption for The Dome
The Dome (television program)
The Dome is a German television program and music event, produced and broadcast by RTL 2. Roughly every three months, a new show is recorded in an event hall in different cities in Germany and Austria. In each episode, several national, but also international bands and musicians perform their...
stage." Leading single "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)
The Impossible Dream (The Quest)
"The Impossible Dream " is a popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics written by Joe Darion. It was written for the 1965 musical Man of La Mancha...
," which was featured in a publicity campaign for the comeback fight of German boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Henry Maske
Henry Maske
Henry Maske is a German boxer, one of Germany's most popular sports figures.-Amateur career:Maske was an Olympic Gold Medalist 1988 in Seoul for East Germany...
, and "Sexual Healing," a duet with American singer Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
, reached the top ten and top twenty of the singles charts respectively.
Heading into a new musical direction, Connor intensified work on her next original album with producers such as Remee
Remee
Remee is a Danish producer, composer and song writer.-Career:Throughout his career Remee has written more than 60 hits around the world and has sold over 25 million records...
, Thomas Troelsen
Thomas Troelsen
Thomas Troelsen is a composer and producer from Denmark.- History :Thomas Troelsen is a singer, songwriter, and producer responsible for chart-topping hits, like Junior Senior's "Move Your Feet", Monrose's "Hot Summer", PRIVATE's "My Secret Lover", and BoA’s “Eat You Up." He was also the lead...
and J. R. Rotem
J. R. Rotem
- Early life :Rotem was born in South Africa to Israeli immigrant Jewish parents. He moved to Toronto at the age of two and finally to Moraga, California when he was twelve.Rotem's entry point into music was in receiving classical piano tuition at a young age...
. In May 2008, it was announced Connor and her family would once again participate in an eight-part reality show titled Sarah and Marc: Still Crazy in Love" on ProSieben. The special began airing on July 3, 2008, and followed the recording and promotional events for the new album, branded Sexy as Hell
Sexy as Hell
Sexy as Hell is the sixth studio album by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor, released in German-speaking Europe on 22 August 2008 by Epic...
. Its first single, "Under My Skin
Under My Skin (Sarah Connor song)
"Under My Skin" is a song by German singer-songwriter Sarah Connor from her sixth studio album, Sexy as Hell . Written by Remee, Thomas Troelsen, Lucas Secon, and produced by Remee and Troelsen, the song was released as the album's lead single on 1 August 2008 in German-speaking Europe...
," co-written by Troelsen, was released on August 1, 2008, in German-speaking Europe
German-speaking Europe
The German language is spoken in a number of countries and territories in West, Central and Eastern Europe...
, with the album following on August 22, 2008. Subsequently, she was nominated for an ECHO.
2009–present: X-Factor and Real Love
In 2009, Connor contributed to a re-recorded version of Enrique IglesiasEnrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...
' duet "Takin' Back My Love
Takin' Back My Love
"Takin' Back My Love" is a song by singers Enrique Iglesias and Ciara. It is the second single from his English greatest hits album Greatest Hits. The song was produced by RedOne who was a co-writer of the song alongside Iglesias and Frankie Storm....
," replacing American singer Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
's original vocals on the song. Released as the second single from Iglesias' 2008 Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Enrique Iglesias album)
-Special edition :# "Bailamos" – 3:31# "Rhythm Divine" – 3:30# "Hero" – 4:23# "Escape" – 3:32# "Love to See You Cry" – 3:52# "Addicted" – 4:42...
album in German-speaking Europe
German-speaking Europe
The German language is spoken in a number of countries and territories in West, Central and Eastern Europe...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, it reached the top ten of the German Singles Chart.
In April 2010, it was announced that Connor would appear alongside mentor George Glueck and musician Till Brönner
Till Brönner
Till Brönner is a German jazz musician, trumpet player, singer, composer, arranger and producer. He has a unique jazz approach influenced by bebop and fusion jazz, but also modern pop music, movie soundtracks , country music and even German pop songs...
as a judge on the debut series of X Factor
X Factor (Germany)
X Factor is the German version of The X Factor, a show originating from the United Kingdom. It is a television music talent show contested by aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions....
, aired on the German VOX network. Connor's eighth studio album, titled Real Love
Real Love (Sarah Connor album)
Real Love is the seventh studio album by German pop singer Sarah Connor, released by Epic on October 22, 2010 in German-speaking Europe. Connor's first album in two years, it features production by Alexander Geringas, Robin Grubert, Michelle Leonard, and Erik Lewander as well as her frequent...
, was released on October 22, 2010. "Cold as Ice
Cold as Ice (Sarah Connor song)
"Cold as Ice" is a dance-pop song by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor, written and produced by Kay Denar and Rob Tyger for her seventh studio album, Real Love...
" was released as the album's first single. It peaked at number 27 on the Austrian Singles Chart as well as the German Singles Chart at number 16. Connor performed "Cold as Ice" at the 2010 MTV European Music Awards
X Factor (Germany)
X Factor is the German version of The X Factor, a show originating from the United Kingdom. It is a television music talent show contested by aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions....
. Real Love peaked at number 8 on the German Albums Chart.
Personal life
Connor dated singer Martin Scholz, who was a member of the German boy band TouchéTouché (band)
Touché were a German boyband famous from the mid to late 1990s.They split in 2001 after 5 years together and are best remembered for hits such as "This Goodbye Is Not Forever", "I'll Give You My Heart" and "I Can't Get No Sleep"....
and thus, shared the same management with her. Their three-year relationship ended in early 2000. Connor later met Marc Terenzi
Marc Terenzi
Marc Eric Terenzi is an American pop singer formerly of the boy band Natural. He was married to German pop/soul singer Sarah Connor from 2005-2008. They have a son named Tyler and a daughter named Summer.-Early life:...
, lead singer of American boy band Natural
Natural (band)
Natural was an American boy band who were best known for their debut single and signature song "Put Your Arms Around Me". They were very successful in Germany and the Philippines, releasing two albums and nine singles.-Formation:...
, at the Bravo Happy Holidays festival in Rust
Rust
Rust is a general term for a series of iron oxides. In colloquial usage, the term is applied to red oxides, formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture...
, Germany in July 2002. The pair began dating and in June 2003, it was announced they were engaged and expecting their first child, Tyler Marc Terenzi, who was born on February 2, 2004 in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. On February 29, 2004 the couple invited their friends to a dinner supposedly to celebrate the birth of their son; however they announced that they in fact had elope
Elope
To elope, most literally, merely means to run away with a girl and to not come back to the point of origination. More specifically, elopement is often used to refer to a marriage conducted in sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving hurried flight away from one's place of residence together...
d. The couple renewed their vows this time with a wedding ceremony on August 18, 2005 in Altafulla, Tarragonès
Tarragonès
Tarragonès is a comarca in Catalonia, Spain. It is one of the three comarques formed in the 1936 comarcal division of Camp de Tarragona. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, between the comarques of Baix Penedès to the northeast and Baix Camp to the south. Over 60% of the population live in the...
, near Barcelona, Spain. The wedding was the subject of their ProSieben reality show Sarah and Marc in Love. On June 23, 2006, Connor gave birth to their second child, a girl, named Summer Antonia Soraya. In November 2008, Connor announced her separation from Terenzi.
After her separation from Terenzi, Connor was linked with Brazilian footballer Diego Ribas da Cunha
Diego Ribas da Cunha
Diego Ribas da Cunha , commonly known as just Diego, is an international Brazilian footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid on loan from VfL Wolfsburg, as an attacking midfielder.-Santos:...
, although the couple claimed only to be good friends. In April 2010, Connor announced that she is in a relationship with her manager, Florian Fischer, singer of the 1990s pop trio The Boyz. In February 2011, the two confirmed that they were expecting a child. Their daughter Delphine Malou was born in September 2011.
Controversy
In 2005, German comedian Oliver PocherOliver Pocher
Oliver Pocher is a German actor, stand-up comedian and television host.- Early life and professional training :...
mocked and parodied Connor’s reality show Sarah and Marc in Love on his show Rent a Pocher
Rent a Pocher
Rent a Pocher was a German television show hosted by comedian Oliver Pocher. The weekly late-night show ran on Thursdays on the commercial television channel ProSieben and was produced by Brainpool. On the show, in addition to comedy bits and celebrity guests, Pocher offered to "rent" himself out...
. Not liking having her family mocked, Connor brought legal action against him. The outcome is unknown but he did eventually apologize.
Awards
- 1Live Krone
- 2005 - Best Female Artist
- Bravo Otto
- 2001 - Female Singer - Silver
- 2003 - Female Singer - Bronz
- 2004 - Female Singer - GOLD
- 2005 - Female Singer - GOLD
- 2006 - Female Singer - GOLD
- 2007 - Female Singer - Bronze
- 2008 - Female Singer - GOLD
- Comet
- 2001 - Best National Newcomer
- 2005 - Best Female Artist
- 2007 - Best Female Artist
- 2009 - Best Female Artist
- DIVA-AwardDivaA diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....
- 2005 - Music Artist of the Year
- ECHO (including nominations)
- 2002 - Best National Newcomer (Green Eyed Soul) - nominated
- 2002 - Best National Female Pop/Rock Artist (Green Eyed Soul) - WON
- 2002 - Best National Single - From Sarah with Love - nominated
- 2003 - Best National Female Pop/Rock Artist (Unbelievable) - nominated
- 2004 - Best National Female Pop/Rock Artist (Key To My Soul) - nominated
- 2006 - Best National Female Pop/Rock Artist (Naughty But Nice) - nominated
- 2007 - Best National Female Pop/Rock Artist (Christmas in my Heart) - nominated
- 2008 - Best National Female Pop/Rock Artist (Soulicious) - nominated
- 2009 - Best National Female Pop/Rock Artist (Sexy as Hell) - nominated
- 2011 - Best National Female Pop/Rock Artist (Real Love) - nominated
- Goldene EuropaGoldene EuropaThe Goldene Europa award is the oldest German Television award for artists and entertainers. It was awarded from 1968 to 2003. In the years 1989 and 2001, there were no ceremonies...
- 2002 - Most Successful German Female Singer
- Goldene Kamera
- 2005 - Pop National
- MAXIM
- 2002 - Woman of the Year - Pop Star
- Neo Award
- 2004 - Most Downloaded Album - Key To My Soul
- Radio Regenbogen Award
- 2002 - Best Hit 2001 - From Sarah with Love
- Top of the PopsTop of the PopsTop of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
Award- 2001 Best German Newcomer
- World Music AwardWorld Music AwardsThe World Music Awards is an international awards show founded in 1989 that annually honors recording artists based on worldwide sales figures provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . John Martinotti is an executive producer and co-founder of the show...
- 2004 - Best Selling German Artist
- World Of Music Award
- 2008 - Best National Female Artist
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 2005 | Robots | Maria | Voice |
| 2006 | Ein Mädchen namens Rania | Rania Meyer | Film debut, main role |
| 2010 | Isch kandidiere | Herself | Cameo |
| Television guest appearances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2003 | Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten is a German television soap opera.In 1990, the first commercial channel in the Netherlands, RTL 4 had a spectacular ratings success with its soap Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden, a remake of the Australian soap-opera The Restless Years... |
Laura Werner | Guest star, 4 Episodes |
| 2005 | "Sarah & Marc in Love The Collection (The Twilight Zone) "The Collection" is the thirty-eighth episode of the science fiction television series 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone. The episode aired April 23, 2003 on UPN.-Opening Narration:-Plot summary:... " |
Herself | Reality Television Reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded... |
| "Christmas In Sarah's Heart" | Herself | Television special Television special A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular... , Promo for Christmas in My Heart Christmas in My Heart Christmas in My Heart is the fifth album by German pop singer Sarah Connor, released in 2005 and reissued in 2006 through Epic.-About:"Christmas in my heart" was the first album of Christmas music released by Sarah Connor... |
|
| 2007 | "Germany's Next Topmodel" | Herself | Guest joror, 1 Episode |
| 2008 | "Crazy and Sexy: Sarah Connor The Collection (The Twilight Zone) "The Collection" is the thirty-eighth episode of the science fiction television series 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone. The episode aired April 23, 2003 on UPN.-Opening Narration:-Plot summary:... " |
Herself | Reality Television, Promo for Sexy as Hell Sexy as Hell Sexy as Hell is the sixth studio album by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor, released in German-speaking Europe on 22 August 2008 by Epic... |
| 2010–2011 | "X-Factor The X Factor (UK) The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date... " |
Herself | Main joror |
| 2011 | "Doctor's Diary The Collection (The Twilight Zone) "The Collection" is the thirty-eighth episode of the science fiction television series 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone. The episode aired April 23, 2003 on UPN.-Opening Narration:-Plot summary:... " |
Sarah Lewe | Guest star, 1 Episode |
Studio albums
- Green Eyed Soul (2001)
- UnbelievableUnbelievable (Sarah Connor album)-Chart positions:...
(2002) - Key to My SoulKey to My SoulKey to My Soul is the third studio album by German singer-songwriter Sarah Connor, released in German-speaking Europe on 17 November 2003 by Epic...
(2003) - Naughty but Nice (2005)
- SouliciousSouliciousSoulicious is the fifth studio album by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor, released in German-speaking Europe on 30 March 2007 by Epic. Entirely produced by Kay Denar and Rob Tyger, the album consists of a collection of cover versions of Motown music from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, apart from...
(2007) - Sexy as HellSexy as HellSexy as Hell is the sixth studio album by German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor, released in German-speaking Europe on 22 August 2008 by Epic...
(2008) - Real LoveReal Love (Sarah Connor album)Real Love is the seventh studio album by German pop singer Sarah Connor, released by Epic on October 22, 2010 in German-speaking Europe. Connor's first album in two years, it features production by Alexander Geringas, Robin Grubert, Michelle Leonard, and Erik Lewander as well as her frequent...
(2010)
Tours
- Green Eyed Soul Tour (2002)
- Sarah Connor Live (2003–2004)
- Naughty but Nice Tour (2005)
- Sexy as Hell Tour (2009)