After many years of composing, recording, producing, and performing under his own name and as Curley M.C., Romanian born Michael Cretu, German Frank Peterson, and David Fairstein founded Enigma in 1990. Although the idea was conceived in Germany, Enigma’s recording base was at Cretu’s studio in Ibiza, Spain,

Enigma – International New Age

“One of the aims of Enigma was to present music that has never been heard before and is not being produced anywhere”

When Michael Cretu fused the non-traditional chants and folk style music with the rock music of the West that no one else had ever thought to meld, he created a whole new genre, “Worldbeat”.

Enigma - The project

After many years of composing, recording, producing, and performing under his own name and as Curley M.C., Romanian born Michael Cretu, German Frank Peterson, and David Fairstein founded Enigma in 1990. Although the idea was conceived in Germany, Enigma’s recording base was at Cretu’s studio in Ibiza, Spain, where all of Enigma’s recordings were done until May 2009.  Cretu is the frontman of the group, doing the composing as well as the producing.  

Enigma’s debut release - MCMXC a.D. - arrived on the scene in December 1990 and charted worldwide, selling at platinum levels. Not certain of the reception of the new sound, Cretu used his pseudonym Curly M.C. as composer and decided to list very little info on the album, drawing speculation as to exactly what Enigma was.  There were four single releases from the album, one being Sademess (Part I) featuring Gregorian chants taken from a Munich choir recording and led to a lawsuit that was settled in 1994.  It was a hit in over 20 countries, remaining on the Eurochart’s Number one spot for nine weeks.  The single made five on the Billboard Hot 100’s single in the US and was certified platinum in April 1991, after selling over a million copies. Peterson left Enigma in 1992 to pursue another venue.

Rising success

Jens Gad joined Enigma in 1993, an offer to compose a motion picture soundtrack rejected, Carly’s Song (also released as Age of Loneliness) and Carly’s Loneliness for the movie and soundtrack were recorded, and The Cross of Change was released to an epic response from fans, selling over 6 million in a year.  It also brought a lawsuit over sampling other artist’s music, this time the Ami chants replaced the Gregorian.

Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi was released in 1996 with attributes directly related to the prior albums including the signature chants Enigma had become known for.  Citing the poorer performance of this album only two of the scheduled three singles were released.  Andru Donalds and Roth-Ann Boyle appear with Enigma on The Screen Behind the Mirror, 1999 release, featuring many of the traditional Enigma sounds while a deviation from the strong Gregorian influence was evident. In 2001 compilation albums, Loves Sensuality Devotion: The Greatest Hits and The Remix Collection marked the end of “the first chapter of Enigma” were released in conjunction with a light how at the Munich Planetarium.

The Makeover

The Voyageur, released in 2003, was devoid of the Enigmatic sounds.  So different that fan’s didn’t seem to appreciate Enigma’s new sound.  It was noted at this time that album sales seem to half themselves with each release. Sandra Cretu and Jens Gad left Enigma and the announced October 2005 release of single Hello and Welcome finally came thru in March 2006, the music again deviating from the popular Enigmatic signature sounds.

Techno and pop concept style A Posteiori was released worldwide in late 2006 followed by a DVD version.  Seventh album Seven Lives, Many Faces was released in 2008 and the Platimum Collection was released in the US in February, 2010, containing Enigma hits, remixes, and lost tracks – those never released.

Enigma received many awards, ECHO awards for best marketing, best national artist, World Music award as most popular German soloist, worldwide - over 100 Platinum awards, 7 RIAA Platinum, 5 RIAA Gold, 5 BPI Platinum, and 4 BPI Gold awards.

Did you know…?

That Michael and Sandra Cretu have the same birthday (albeit 5 years apart)?

Deciding that A.R.T.’s new studio was illegal and not to Spanish regulations led to it being destroyed in May 2009?

Sadeness was written about Marquis de Sade which is the reason for the German spelling verses the English sadness?

• Unlimited Music Access
• Music File Sharing
• Country Based Radio Channels
• Easy, Fast and Safe!
• 100% Free!