Synopsis

Set against Bali's mystical landscapes, Anggun and her lover are drawn into an ancient ceremonial world where passion and sacrifice become inseparable. The couple appear to be chosen for a ritual, while Anggun performs amid temples, fire, water, and shadowy figures. The video's dreamlike imagery turns the song's impossible title into a visual contrast between beauty and danger, intimacy and fate. Its spiritual atmosphere gives the international pop song a distinctly Indonesian identity.

Factoids & Trivia

• Two videos were made for the song. The original version was filmed in Bali and uses a supernatural ritual storyline.

• A separate version was produced for the North American market. It places Anggun in an antique-filled art room and against an ice-blue backdrop, with a more performance-oriented approach.

• The Bali version was also used for the French-language recording, "La neige au Sahara," with Anggun's lip movements matched to the French lyrics.

• The video received heavy rotation on MTV Asia, and Anggun was selected as the channel's "Hot Seat Artist of the Month" in September 1998.

• Both video versions were associated with strong MTV Asia exposure, helping the song reach the top of the MTV Asia Hitlist for two weeks.

• "Snow on the Sahara" was Anggun's first international single. Released in 1997, it helped introduce her to audiences outside Indonesia and became her signature song.

• The song was written and produced by Erick Benzi, with English lyrics adapted by Nikki Matheson from the original French version.

• The track was also used in an international advertising campaign for the Swiss watchmaker Swatch.