"Desert Rose" is a song co-authored by British musician Sting and Algerian songwriter Cheb Rabah (Rabah Zarradine), featuring Algerianraï singer Cheb Mami, from Sting's sixth solo studio album, Brand New Day (1999). According to Sting, the lyrics have to do with "lost love and longing".[2] Riding a wave of pre-9/11 interest in Latin and Arabic cultures,[3][4][5] "Desert Rose" peaked at No. 2 in Canada, No. 3 in Switzerland, No. 4 in Italy, No. 15 in the United Kingdom, and No. 17 in the United States.
Brand New Day received moderate to positive reviews,[6][7][8] with one critic calling it "world-beat".[7] Sting took issue with the classification of Brand New Day as "world music", although he acknowledged the North African feel of "Desert Rose".[9] Reviewers noted that the "exotic"[10] song differed from the rest of the album,[6] and cited it as one of Brand New Day's highlights.[10]
The music video was directed by Paul Boyd in October, 1999[11] and features Sting taking a trip through the Mojave Desert in a Jaguar S-Type driven by a masked female chauffeur while recording himself on a JVC GR-DVX4 video camera, and then going to a nightclub in Las Vegas to perform the song with Cheb Mami, a violinist and two DJs in front of a dancing crowd. Scenes also feature Sting walking alone in the desert holding the camera up and shots of the various patrons of the nightclub. It ends with a shot of Sting with his eyes shut (possibly asleep) in the back seat of the Jaguar, which is then seen driving off into the distance. After shooting the video, Sting's manager Miles Copeland III approached a music licensing maven, Lloyd Simon,[citation needed] to work with Jaguar on a collaboration, and the auto company featured the video in their prominent television advertisements during the year 2000.[12]
Also included on the single releases were clubremixes by Victor Calderone. One remixed version of the song was used in an alternative edit of the video, which included more sexually explicit footage.[citation needed] The song was later re-released on Sting's later album Duets.[13]
^Karam, Nicoletta (2012). The 9/11 Backlash: A Decade of U.S. Hate Crimes Targeting the Innocent. Beatitude Press. p. 166. ISBN9781478230953. Prior to 9/11, Egyptian pop star Hakim and rai singer Khaled had been contracted to perform in the Desert Roses and Aravian Rhythms Festival [...] In the weeks before the terrorist strikes, the tour had been enjoying good ticket sales as a result of Sting's and Cheb Mami's 1999 hit song, 'Desert Rose,' which brought rai music to American audiences. After 9/11, the musicians decided to discontinue the tour.
^ abWillman, Chris (1 October 1999). "Brand New Day Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
^"Top National Sellers"(PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 13. 25 March 2000. p. 13. Archived(PDF) from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
^"Top National Sellers"(PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 20. 13 May 2000. p. 13. Archived(PDF) from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
^"Top National Sellers"(PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 29. 15 July 2000. p. 9. Archived(PDF) from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2021.