Sasha

At the 1999 MTV Europe Awards, the world watched as Will Smith, Ricky Martin, George Michael and Robbie Williams went head-to-head in the category of Best International Male Artist. The last nominee Sasha Alexander, a superstar in Europe where he is known only as Sasha, was a mystery to U.S. viewers. Virtually unknown in America, this 28 year-old singer and songwriter has burned up airwaves across Europe with his soulful ballads, funky pop tunes and compelling vocal skills.

With Top 10 hits in dozens of countries, Sasha is a platinum-seller around the world and his global accolades include an Echo 2000 Award (the German equivalent of the Grammy) and the Comet Award from VIVA (Germany’s top music video channel) for Best Newcomer of 1999. In addition, he’s received several major European public & media awards like “Bravo Otto”, “Bambi” and “The Golden Camera 2001.”

Sasha’s success is hardly of the overnight variety. He has always been fascinated with American culture and music. Both he and his little brother were raised in a tiny West German town by their mother after their parents went through a painful divorce. The family was forced to go on public assistance and long before reaching legal working age, Sasha helped make ends meet working as a bakery delivery boy. “I had to carry wheat and sugar sacks on my back,” he remembers. “That was a hard job for a fourteen-year-old, but I was really strong after three weeks!” By the time Sasha was sixteen he was dreaming of something bigger-much bigger than his small town-and he spent all of his spare time practicing Elvis moves in front of the mirror or practicing on his uncle’s old organ. Disinterested in school, music was where his heart led him.

Influenced by the sounds of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana, Sasha put together his first band, “Junk Food” at age sixteen. The group won a series of local talent contests and was awarded studio time to record a demo. It was at Click Studios in Germany that Sasha met his future producers, Grant Michael B. and Pomez di Lorenzo, who encouraged him to pursue a solo career. The singer’s big break came when he teamed up with a hot new rapper named Young Deenay, and together their 1997 debut single “Walk On By” became a smash hit and went straight to No.1 on European charts. Their collaboration was a pivotal moment in Sasha’s career, enabling him to break out on his own with a receptive European audience.

Packed with 12 of Sasha’s original creations, Dedicated to… promises an American success to mirror that of his overseas following. Produced by Grant Michael B. and Pomez di Lorenzo, the album is a fusion of pop, R&B and soulful stylings. According to the artist, recording has been a grueling but ultimately satisfying experience. “It was very clear from the beginning that ‘Let Me Be The One’ would be the first single,” Sasha explains. “It took us so long to record because we wanted it to be perfect. It was like giving birth.” Co-writer and multi-Grammy winner Pete Smith, whose credits include production for Sting and Joe Cocker, helped Sasha translate his thoughts into words. “The first records I had were albums by Elvis and the Beatles,” Sasha recounts. Pete helped me to draw on those influences and put my thoughts together.”

The result is Dedicated to… a persuasive mix of ballads, fast and funky tracks and pure pop magic. From the mega-smash Euro single “If You Believe” to the sultry R&B flavor of “Let Me Have You Girl,” Sasha displays a distinctive vocal versatility. He says it’s the broad nature of pop music that allows him great freedom to experiment musically: “What I like about making pop music is that you can blend a lot of different styles and sounds. There aren’t any limitations. I can explore the sounds and feelings that are inside me.” A perfect example of Sasha’s eclectic taste is the heavily reggae-flavored track “Chemical Reaction” that sits comfortably alongside the string-orchestrated ballad “Reach Inside.”

Sasha is looking forward to gaining an American audience. “It’s thrilling…it’s a big complement that I got this chance. The opportunity to be heard as an outsider in America, especially with the kind of music that I make, is incredible,” he says. “The most important thing for me is to play live. It’s unusual for pop singers to go onstage with a nine-piece band and deliver a performance that moves people. When I’m on stage and my fans sing along with me-that’s the best experience you can have as an artist.” If his legions of fans overseas are any indication, Sasha Alexander is well on his way to becoming a trans-global phenomenon.