Sandy Mölling

Mölling backstage in 2002

In 2000, Mölling auditioned for the debut installment of the German reality television program Popstars, entering the competition with thousands of other women. She earned a position in the top thirty finalists and immediately travelled to Majorca, Spain to join her competitors for a workshop, where she made it to the final ten on the show despite of her struggle with dancing choreographies. During a special episode in November 2000, jury member Moslener eventually disclosed that Sandy was chosen to become part of the final five-member girl group No Angels.

With the final five members of the band in place, Popstars continued tracking the development and struggles of the group who left homes to move into a shared flat near Munich, Bavaria. However, it took another four months until the band released their debut single "Daylight in Your Eyes," which would subsequently appear on the band's debut album Elle'ments (2001). Both the single and the album became an unexpected but record-breaking success, when both instantly entered the top position on the Austrian, German and Swiss Media Control singles, albums and airplay charts, making the No Angels one of the most successful debuts in years.[4]

In the following years, the No Angels released another two number-one studio albums, Now ... Us! and Pure, a live album and a successful swing album branded When the Angels Swing, totalling twelve singles altogether - including four-number one singles. Eventually selling more than five million singles and albums worldwide, the No Angels became the best-selling German girl band to date[1] and the second most successful girl group of Continental Europe between the years of 2001 and 2003 after Atomic Kitten.[1] On 5 September 2003 the four remaining members of the band (Jessica Wahls had left the band following the birth of her first child in March 2003) announced that they would no longer be performing together after three years of continual touring and increasing cases of illness. The release of The Best of No Angels in November of the same year marked the end of the band, with each member going their separate ways in early 2004.[1]

A strong opponent of the disbandment of the No Angels, Mölling, who felt less exhausted than her former bandmates, launched her solo career only months after the group's final concert.[5] The singer spent much of early 2004 with the recording of her solo debut album Unexpected which saw her reteaming with the No Angels's Scandinavian team of songwriters and producers, including Niclas Molinder and Joacim Persson of production team Twin.[6] Produced under the group's former label, Cheyenne Records, it was preceded by the single "Unnatural Blonde" which reached number eight on the German Singles Chart and would become the highest-charting single among the solo releases by all former band members. The summer-laid follow-up "Tell Me", a ballad, saw similar success in August of the same year, becoming another top ten hit.[6]

Mölling backstage at The Dome in Salzburg, 2005

In mid-2004, Mölling along with Lukas Loules and Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen joined the jury on Popstars – Jetzt oder Nie!, the fourth season of the German Popstars adaptation, becoming the first former winner to serve as a judge.[6][7] Unexpected was released on 13 September 2004 and debuted at number 13 on the German Albums Chart. It earned a generally mixed reception from critics who called it uneven and compared the sound to the No Angels's latest records.[8] A remix version of the album opener "Unexpected" featuring additional vocals from German rapper Manuellsen, was released as the album's third and final single and served as Rhineland-Palatinate's entry at the Bundesvision Song Contest 2005 after Mölling had been chosen to represent state at the annual song competition. The singer eventually finished last with 10 points, while the single entered at a moderate number 29 on the German Singles Chart.[9] One of the commercially most successful female singers of the year in Germany, Mölling received Echo Award and 1 Live Krone nominations in the Female Artist National categories for her solo efforts.[6]

After a few hosting jobs and a sudden label change Sandy released her minor succeeded second album, Frame of Mind (#53), in May 2006 via Starwatch Music. The album's first single, "Crash", was a cover version of the same-titled 1988 UK hit (released by The Primitives) and peaked at number 24 on the German singles chart. Additionally Sandy was seen as a competitor in TV contest Let's Dance, eventually ending third. The album's second single, "Living without You" was released in November 2006 and entered the German Singles Chart at number 36.The song was lyrically dedicated to her step father who died in early 2005.

In mid-2006, Mölling agreed upon former bandmate Lucy Diakovska's request to reunite for a musical comeback. However, all band members have affirmed that they will continue to pursue individual careers as solo artists at suitable opportunities. Sandy has also presented three television programes on two different German networks, including Autsch TV on Das Vierte and both Du bist... and Damenwahl on the music channel VIVA.

In 2017, Mölling appeared on the second season of German competitive dancing talent show Dance Dance Dance. She was paired with fellow Popstars winner Bahar Kızıl, former member of pop trio Monrose.[10]