* En anglais uniquement
Australian pop singer
Samantha Sang is best known for her '70s albums recorded with
the Bee Gees, as well as singles she recorded under the name
Cheryl Gray in the late '60s. Born
Cheryl Lau Sang in Melbourne in 1951,
Sang was introduced to music by her father, Reg Sang, a singer and vocal coach who performed under the name Reg Gray. Initially,
Sang got her start by winning several vocal contests and in 1966 released the HMV single "The Real Thing" under the name
Cheryl Gray. The recording was followed by several more HMV singles, including "In a Woman's Eyes" and "You Made Me What I Am." Also during this time,
Sang began appearing regularly on Australian television shows.
In 1969, hoping to expand her career beyond Australia,
Sang relocated to England, where she caught the ear of
the Bee Gees'
Barry Gibb.
Gibb introduced her to his manager,
Robert Stigwood, who then signed
Sang to a record deal and encouraged her to change her professional name to
Samantha Sang. That same year,
Sang released the
Barry and
Maurice Gibb-penned single "Love of a Woman." She then followed up with the
Labi Siffre-penned "Nothing in the World Like Love," before her visa expired and she returned to Australia. By 1975,
Sang had signed to Polydor and released the album Samantha Sang and Rocked the World. She then recorded the single "When Love Is Gone" for the 1977 cult film Bilitis and starred in the stage musical The Magic Show.
In 1978
Sang traveled to France, where she reconnected with
the Bee Gees during the recording of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. It was during these sessions that
Barry and
Robin Gibb wrote the song "Emotion" for
Sang. Released in 1978 as a single and included as the title track on her album, "Emotion" became a worldwide hit single, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Several other
Bee Gees songs were also featured on the album, including "Charade." In 1979,
Sang returned with the album From Dance to Love. Aside from her solo work, over the years
Sang has also performed backing vocals on recordings by such artists as
David Wolfert,
Francis Lai,
Carole Bayer Sager, and
Eric Carmen. Although "Emotion" would remain her biggest success,
Sang has a loyal fan base and continues to perform and record around the world. ~ Matt Collar