Sting will release Sacred Love on September 23rd. The album, produced by Sting with Kipper, will be his first set of new studio material since the 3.5 million-selling Brand New Day, four years ago.

The album's first single, "Send Your Love," will hit radio next month, with a commercial release in September. One new track, "Whenever I Say Your Name," will feature a guest vocal by Mary J. Blige. "Book of My Life" includes a guest spot by Anoushka Shankar.

Sessions for the album concluded in late April in Paris, after which Sting and his band relocated to his Malibu, California, home and shot footage for an October 7th DVD release that will also feature clips from a performance at the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles. The A&E network will air a making-of-the-album special in October.

A world tour is expected next year, but Sting has already begun to set up promotional duty to support the album. On October 2nd, he'll perform on NBC's Today Show.

ANDREW DANSBY
(May 21, 2003)