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ANGGUN AROUND THE WORLD
From Asia to the U.S. - via Paris!

Paris, November 9th - When Anggun touched down in France in 1995 no-one had any idea that the young unknown was a major star back home in Indonesia. Anggun found her feet in France in no time at all, however, making a name for herself with her debut album Au nom de la lune. The former smart child went on to sing a number of hits in the international charts and recorded several foreign-language versions of her album. Anggun's fame has now spread far beyond France and Indonesia, raising some interesting questions about her cultural identity. She releases her second CD album, Désirs contraires,
 

Born in Jakarta in 1974, Anggun Cipta Sasmi recorded her first single at the age of 7. Blossoming into a teenage prodigy, Anggun went on to launch a professional singing career. Managed by her father Darto Singo (a well-known singer and producer in Indonesia), the young girl recorded no less than five albums between the ages of 12 and 19. Anggun's sound - which owed more to Bon Jovi-style rock influences than traditional Javanese gamelans - scored an instant hit with Indonesian music fans. She went on to work with the country's leading music producer, Ian Antono and ended up rocketing to overnight fame, playing to capacity stadium audiences. 
In the early 90s Anggun took a new direction, abandoning her superstar status in Indonesia when she fell in love with a French man and headed off for Europe. The couple spent a short period in London, but finally settled in Paris where Anggun attempted to launch her singing career again from the beginning again. Taking a series of French lessons at the Alliance Française, the young singer was determined to conquer new fans in Europe. Within a few months of arriving in France Anggun had joined with influential musician and producer Erick Benzi (famous for his work with the likes of Johnny Hallyday and Jean-Jacques Goldman). The partnership proved to be a successful one and Anggun's debut album, Au nom de la lune, reached a phenomenal hit in 1997, selling a million copies in 33 different countries. 
Anggun's mix of soft, sensual melodies, and a sprinkling of traditional Indonesian instruments attracted music fans worldwide and her single La neige au Sahara soon rocketed up the international charts. French fans and music critics were quick to claim Anggun as one of their own, but although the Indonesian singer lives in Paris and sings in faultless French the success she is currently enjoying - all the way from Singapore to L.A. - has had a strong Anglophone influence.