BIOGRAPHY
When Kim Sanders moved with her family from the USA to tranquil Heidelberg in Germany in 1989, her career aspirations were already clear to her: to become a professional singer. Born in East Chicago, Indiana, in 1968, Sanders had already taken her first career steps as a teenager in her home country. Even as a little girl, she always sang along to the songs on the radio, her mother is said to have told her later. She wrote her own songs at high school, where she also gained her first experience as an actress in musicals. At the age of 17, Sanders was then hired for the show “Upbeat” on US children’s television. All this together strengthened Sanders‘ desire to become a singer (and also an actress).
BIOGRAPHY
When Kim Sanders moved with her family from the USA to tranquil Heidelberg in Germany in 1989, her career aspirations were already clear to her: to become a professional singer. Born in East Chicago, Indiana, in 1968, Sanders had already taken her first career steps as a teenager in her home country. Even as a little girl, she always sang along to the songs on the radio, her mother is said to have told her later. She wrote her own songs at high school, where she also gained her first experience as an actress in musicals. At the age of 17, Sanders was then hired for the show “Upbeat” on US children’s television. All this together strengthened Sanders‘ desire to become a singer (and also an actress).
BIOGRAPHY
When Kim Sanders moved with her family from the USA to tranquil Heidelberg in Germany in 1989, her career aspirations were already clear to her: to become a professional singer. Born in East Chicago, Indiana, in 1968, Sanders had already taken her first career steps as a teenager in her home country.
The location of Germany was not a disadvantage. On the one hand, she liked Germany from the very beginning, as she had already lived here as a child – more precisely, with her grandparents in Nuremberg, where her grandfather was stationed with the US army. She also benefited from the fact that, as a young African-American singer, she didn’t seem to fit the usual stereotype at all. Her vocal range alternated between soprano and alto and her timbre was warm and powerful at the same time, allowing her to emotively sound out every little detail in the lyrics and interpret them in their essence.
In order to audition for a local jazz band, Sanders went to Session Studio in Walldorf near Heidelberg to record a demo. At the time, this studio was run by producer Enrico Zabler, who had hits such as “Feel The Heat Of The Night” with the Euro-Dance-Group Masterboy in the 1990s. Composer Jürgen “Nosie” Katzmann also worked in this studio at the time. It was Katzmann who introduced Sanders to producer Torsten Fenslau from Culture Beat. Shortly before his tragic death in an accident in 1993, Fenslau produced Sanders‘ first single “Show Me”, which stayed in the German singles charts for nine weeks. The follow-up in 1994, “Tell Me That You Want Me”, also spent several weeks in the charts. In any case, “Show Me” marked the beginning of Sanders‘ career as a vocalist in various bands and projects in the Euro-dance and electro-pop scene: in 1996, for example, she became the voice of Culture Beat for two years, and from 2001 to 2010 she was a guest vocalist for the band Schiller.
Even as a little girl, she always sang along to the songs on the radio, her mother is said to have told her later. She wrote her own songs at high school, where she also gained her first experience as an actress in musicals. At the age of 17, Sanders was then hired for the show “Upbeat” on US children’s television. All this together strengthened Sanders‘ desire to become a singer (and also an actress).
The location of Germany was not a disadvantage. On the one hand, she liked Germany from the very beginning, as she had already lived here as a child – more precisely, with her grandparents in Nuremberg, where her grandfather was stationed with the US army. She also benefited from the fact that, as a young African-American singer, she didn’t seem to fit the usual stereotype at all. Her vocal range alternated between soprano and alto and her timbre was warm and powerful at the same time, allowing her to emotively sound out every little detail in the lyrics and interpret them in their essence.
Even as a child, she loved jazz and her dream was to become a jazz singer. Sanders‘ years with the Euro-Dance-Bands ensured that she was able to gain a foothold in the music scene. But her desire to be successful as a jazz singer continued to smoulder inside her. It was Till Brönner who first hired her as a vocal coach and then brought her into his bands as a singer. Through the German trumpeter, she got to know bassist Christian von Kaphengst, drummer Wolfgang Haffner and keyboardist Roberto di Gioia, among others. She also worked closely with the Italian producer and guitarist Nicola Conte. Together with di Gioia and the drummer, DJ and producer Christian Prommer, Sanders then set about recording her album “A Closer Look” for the Munich record label C.A.R.E. Music, which was released in 2009.
This album not only won the German Record Critics‘ Award, but first and foremost demonstrated the creative potential that Sanders had within her. With the experience from the various dance projects behind her, her “A Closer Look” had this light jazzy touch, which nonchalantly opened up to lyrical soul and catchy R&B. The glue that held the sometimes divergent forms of expression of her heterogeneous musical mixture together was her equally expressive and modulated voice.
In order to audition for a local jazz band, Sanders went to Session Studio in Walldorf near Heidelberg to record a demo. At the time, this studio was run by producer Enrico Zabler, who had hits such as “Feel The Heat Of The Night” with the Euro-Dance-Group Masterboy in the 1990s. Composer Jürgen “Nosie” Katzmann also worked in this studio at the time. It was Katzmann who introduced Sanders to producer Torsten Fenslau from Culture Beat. Shortly before his tragic death in an accident in 1993, Fenslau produced Sanders‘ first single “Show Me”, which stayed in the German singles charts for nine weeks. The follow-up in 1994, “Tell Me That You Want Me”, also spent several weeks in the charts. In any case, “Show Me” marked the beginning of Sanders‘ career as a vocalist in various bands and projects in the Euro-dance and electro-pop scene: in 1996, for example, she became the voice of Culture Beat for two years, and from 2001 to 2010 she was a guest vocalist for the band Schiller.
Even as a child, she loved jazz and her dream was to become a jazz singer. Sanders‘ years with the Euro-Dance-Bands ensured that she was able to gain a foothold in the music scene. But her desire to be successful as a jazz singer continued to smoulder inside her. It was Till Brönner who first hired her as a vocal coach and then brought her into his bands as a singer. Through the German trumpeter, she got to know bassist Christian von Kaphengst, drummer Wolfgang Haffner and keyboardist Roberto di Gioia, among others. She also worked closely with the Italian producer and guitarist Nicola Conte. Together with di Gioia and the drummer, DJ and producer Christian Prommer, Sanders then set about recording her album “A Closer Look” for the Munich record label C.A.R.E. Music, which was released in 2009.
This album not only won the German Record Critics‘ Award, but first and foremost demonstrated the creative potential that Sanders had within her. With the experience from the various dance projects behind her, her “A Closer Look” had this light jazzy touch, which nonchalantly opened up to lyrical soul and catchy R&B. The glue that held the sometimes divergent forms of expression of her heterogeneous musical mixture together was her equally expressive and modulated voice.
Two years later, Sanders successfully took part in the casting show “The Voice Of Germany”, where she ultimately came second. However, her participation was important for the singer for a specific reason. Many of the Euro-Dance-Bands she was often hired for were projects in which the artists involved usually remained anonymous. “The Voice Of Germany” was the first time that Sanders and her warm voice became known to a wide audience as a solo artist.
Two years later, Sanders successfully took part in the casting show “The Voice Of Germany”, where she ultimately came second. However, her participation was important for the singer for a specific reason. Many of the Euro-Dance-Bands she was often hired for were projects in which the artists involved usually remained anonymous. “The Voice Of Germany” was the first time that Sanders and her warm voice became known to a wide audience as a solo artist.
In 2013, Sanders began writing and recording her own jazz songs. At that time, she was also invited to audition for musical roles. For example, she played the role of the Rum-Raisin-Rosie in “Willie – Der Weihnachtsstollen”, in 2019 and 2020 she was heard as Oda Mae Brown in “Ghost – Das Musical”. In “TINA – The Tina Turner Musical”, she played the role of the R&B and pop star’s mother Zelma Bullock for two years from 2021. She was also a lyricist for songs in the revue “Vivid” at Berlin’s Friedrichstadt Palast.
To this day, Sanders is a featured guest singer in Till Brönner’s band. Meanwhile, guitarist Torsten Goods and singer Marc Marshall, for example, also hire her whenever they need an expressive and emotional voice. She can occasionally be heard singing with the WDR and SWR Big Band. In October 2024, the label Künstlerhafen signed Sanders, and in preparation for her future jazz-album the first single “Let Me Love You” was released on November 8, 2024.
Two years later, Sanders successfully took part in the casting show “The Voice Of Germany”, where she ultimately came second. However, her participation was important for the singer for a specific reason. Many of the Euro-Dance-Bands she was often hired for were projects in which the artists involved usually remained anonymous. “The Voice Of Germany” was the first time that Sanders and her warm voice became known to a wide audience as a solo artist.
In 2013, Sanders began writing and recording her own jazz songs. At that time, she was also invited to audition for musical roles. For example, she played the role of the Rum-Raisin-Rosie in “Willie – Der Weihnachtsstollen”, in 2019 and 2020 she was heard as Oda Mae Brown in “Ghost – Das Musical”. In “TINA – The Tina Turner Musical”, she played the role of the R&B and pop star’s mother Zelma Bullock for two years from 2021. She was also a lyricist for songs in the revue “Vivid” at Berlin’s Friedrichstadt Palast.
To this day, Sanders is a featured guest singer in Till Brönner’s band. Meanwhile, guitarist Torsten Goods and singer Marc Marshall, for example, also hire her whenever they need an expressive and emotional voice. She can occasionally be heard singing with the WDR and SWR Big Band. In October 2024, the label Künstlerhafen signed Sanders, and in preparation for her future jazz-album the first single “Let Me Love You” was released on November 8, 2024.
In 2013, Sanders began writing and recording her own jazz songs. At that time, she was also invited to audition for musical roles. For example, she played the role of the Rum-Raisin-Rosie in “Willie – Der Weihnachtsstollen”, in 2019 and 2020 she was heard as Oda Mae Brown in “Ghost – Das Musical”. In “TINA – The Tina Turner Musical”, she played the role of the R&B and pop star’s mother Zelma Bullock for two years from 2021. She was also a lyricist for songs in the revue “Vivid” at Berlin’s Friedrichstadt Palast.
To this day, Sanders is a featured guest singer in Till Brönner’s band. Meanwhile, guitarist Torsten Goods and singer Marc Marshall, for example, also hire her whenever they need an expressive and emotional voice. She can occasionally be heard singing with the WDR and SWR Big Band. In October 2024, the label Künstlerhafen signed Sanders, and in preparation for her future jazz-album the first single “Let Me Love You” was released on November 8, 2024.