Brand New Day (1999)

Brand New Day is the sixth solo studio album by English musician Sting, released by A&M Records on 27 September 1999. Promoted heavily by the success of the album's second single, "Desert Rose" (featuring popular Algerian Raï singer Cheb Mami), the album peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 and sold over 3.5 million copies in the United States. Upon its release, Brand New Day was a critical and commercial success, and was hailed as a commercial comeback for Sting.

The album earned Sting a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album and his third Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the title track.

Background

Originally, Sting's usual producer Hugh Padgham was to produce the album, but Sting decided to co-produce the album with Kipper, and Padgham was not required. The album was recorded in various studios around Europe.

The (6:36) full version of "The End of the Game" was included on the single for "Brand New Day" and the DTS and DVD-Audio releases of the album. The music video for the title track is a parody of bleach commercials, and advertises "Brand new 'Day Ultra'" brand. The song "Brand New Day" features Stevie Wonder on harmonica.

On September 27, 2024, an Expanded Edition was released as part of the 25th anniversary. The version contains remixes, live versions and the songs "Windmills of Your Mind" as well as a full length version of "The End of the Game".

Personnel

• Sting – lead vocals, backing vocals, bass guitar, Roland VG-8 guitar synthesizer
• Kipper – keyboards, drum programming
• Jason Rebello – acoustic piano, clavinet
• Don Blackman – Hammond organ

David Hartley – Hammond organ, string arrangements and conductor (3, 6)

• Dominic Miller – guitars
• B. J. Cole – pedal steel guitar
• Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
• Manu Katché – drums
• Mino Cinelu – percussion
• Ettamri Mustapha – darbouka
• Branford Marsalis – clarinet
• Chris Botti – trumpet
• Kathryn Tickell – Northumbrian pipes, fiddle

Stevie Wonder – harmonica (10)

Farhat Bouallagui – string arrangements, conductor and leader (2)

Isobel Griffiths – orchestral contractor (2, 3, 6)

Gavyn Wright – string leader (3, 6)

Moulay Ahmed – strings (2, 3, 6)

Kouider Berkan – strings (2, 3, 6)

Salem Bnouni – strings (2, 3, 6)

Sameh Catalan – strings (2, 3, 6)

Cheb Mami – vocals (2)

Sté Strausz' – French rap (5)

James Taylor – vocals (8)

• Tawatha Agee – backing vocals
• Dennis Collins – backing vocals
• Joe Mendes – backing vocals
• Janice Pendarvis – backing vocals, vocal contractor
• Pamela Quinlan – backing vocals
• Althea Rodgers – backing vocals
• Marlon Saunders – backing vocals
• Vaneese Thomas – backing vocals
• Darryl Tookes – backing vocals
• Ken Williams – backing vocals
• Gary Cook – Roland VG8 Programmer, Sound Creator

Production

• Sting – producer
• Kipper – producer
• Neil Dorfsman – engineer
• Simon Osborne – engineer, mixing

Geoff Foster – strings engineer (2, 3, 6)

• Etienne Colin – assistant engineer
• Nicholas Duport – assistant engineer
• Andrew Fellus – assistant engineer
• Brian Garten – assistant engineer
• Ricky Graham – assistant engineer
• Ben Kape – assistant engineer
• Stephanie Levy-B – assistant engineer
• Peter "Hopps" Lorimer – assistant engineer
• Aya Takemura – assistant engineer
• Chris Blair – mastering
• Abbey Road Studios (London, UK) – mastering location
• Joe Mama-Nitzberg – art direction
• Jodi Peckman – art direction
• Richard Frankel – package design
• Olaf Heine – photography
• Carter Smith – photography