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S
Band
Sioen
1 Album
Biografie
Sioen is a singer-songwriter, aged 24, from Ghent playing English language poprock. Sioen does the vocals and plays the piano himself. He has a remarkable husky voice (a voice twice his age!)
Solo work starts in 2001. Sioen easily makes it to the finals of a number of rock competitions: he is the winner of Debuutrock, finishes second in the East-Flemish Rockconcours and is elected 'Demo of the week' at the radio station Studio Brussel. All this leads to a great number of gigs. First in small venues, later in some of the biggest music halls of our country: Vooruit, Botanique, AB Club (at the web launch of Studio Brussel) and at some open-air festivals like Gentse Feesten, Marktrock and Cultuurmarkt Vlaanderen.
A strong live reputation triggers more and more gigs in 2002. Especially in youth clubs, but increasingly also in cultural centres and the so-called 'club circuit' venues, such as the Limelight in collaboration with De Kreun, Nijdrop in collaboration with CC Opwijk. Sioen is also asked as support act, among others for Flip Kowlier (Club 9), Ann Pierlé (CC Doornik) and Twarres (CC De Warande).
In the meantime Sioen is accompanied by the excellent violinist Renaud Ghilbert, with whom he records his first single in June 2002: "Too Good To Be True".
The accompanying video tells the story of their concert trip to New York and Toronto. The clip was also shown on the music television station TMF.
Summer 2002: the concerts at the Gentse Feesten/ the Ghent street summer festival (including a gig at the big stage at Sint-Jacobs) proved a highlight that year. Sioen climbed onto the stage with an eight-headed band (string quartet, backing vocals and percussion). The same line-up could be seen performing at Kaapstad (Brugge 2002), the Fonnefeesten, Stadfestival Ieper, Zomerkernmis Geraardsbergen (Sioen played just before Gorki), de Beverse Feesten, Cultuurmarkt Gent and Hove Live.
In the fall of 2002 the idea to record a full album is launched. On 1st March 2003 Sioen moves into the studio with producer Pieter-Jan De Smet. The line-up of the band has now changed and Sioen starts rehearsing with Renaud Ghilbert (strings), Jesse Vrielynck (bass) and Jakob Nachtergaele (drums).
Two and a half years since the first demo and 120 concerts later, ten songs are being recorded. The result is "See You Naked", Sioen's debut album. The CD was recorded in the 'On the Moon' studio with producer Pieter-Jan De Smet. It was released under their own management, the Keremos label.
SIOEN'S DEBUT "SEE YOU NAKED" WAS RELEASED ON 7TH MAY 2003
The record was warmly received by the Belgian press:
De Standaard (daily newspaper): "Sioen confims"
Humo (weekly magazine): "Smart debut", "Sioen fully masters the noble art of songwriting."
Stage (magazine): "the man has so many different musical styles in his fingers and masters them too. So, welcome."
De Morgen (daily newspaper): "The man is a natural talent"
The first single from the album, "Cruisin" could be heard for 20 weeks at several Flemish and Walloon radio stations of the public broadcaster: Studio Brussel, Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 21 en La Première. The song also remained in the Afrekening of Studio Brussel (charts put together by the listeners) for 13 weeks (www.stubru.be) and in Humo's top 20 charts (www.humo.be), as well as in Radio 1's Carte Blanche (www.radio1.be). The accompanying videoclip was broadcast on Jim TV and TMF and can still be seen at www.sioen.net
In May 2003 Sioen is signed by EMI Music Publishing. Press release: "EMI Music Publishing, who in the recent past signed Hooverphonic, Marc Moulin, Zornik, Buscemi and several others, now also offers its support to the young up-and-coming talent of Sioen. The collaboration between Sioen and EMI MP will among other things consist of controlling and protecting copyrights and of offering support in promoting the record in Belgium and abroad."
"EMI Music Publishing signs Sioen because he clearly is a talented performer and songwriter", dixit Guy Van Handenhove, General Manager EMI Music Publishing Belgium.
In the summer of 2003 Sioen also confirms his excellent live reputation at some of the biggest festivals: Dour, Francopholies, Gentse Feesten, Dranouter and Marktrock.
The newspaper "De Morgen" about Marktrock: "Shortly before that, the Ghent singer-songwriter Sioen did succeed on that same De Laeyens-square to translate the high expectations triggered by his fine debut album into a touching, very personal gig. It is surprising that such a young lad has straightaway developed a sound of its own: power piano and electric strings complemented each other like a married couple that has shared good and bad times for over thirty years. This resulted in absolutely brilliant versions of "Cruisin" and "Wild Wild West". So, it's high time that Sioen is discovered by a wide audience. "
"De Morgen" about Dranouter: "Young Belgian talent. That was what it was all about in the Clubtent. The first time we went inside, was a hit straightaway: Frederik Sioen from Ghent is certainly one of the most promising stars in the Flemish singer-songwriter-skies. This 24-year-old pianist is an inspired singer with a sharp, often groaning voice, who is completely wrapped up in what he has to tell. Surrounded by an excellent rock band grimly kicking dust, Sioen plays dramatic compositions like "Souvenir" and "See You Naked", real mini-epics against the backdrop of what seemed savage, bare hills."
In the meantime Sioen wrote the score for the feature film "Team Spirit 2" by director Jan Verheyen.
On Tuesday 17 February 2004 Sioen receives the Focus - Zamu Award in the Brussels AB for being the most eye-catching newcomer of 2003. The jury, consisting of a couple of thousand singers, musicians, journalists and people from the Flemish music industry, preferred Sioen to the other nominees (Behrman, Mintzkov Luna and Arsenal) in the category.
To Sioen the award is the icing on the cake, following an excellent year in which his debut "See You Naked" was showered with favourable reviews and sold almost 16.000 copies.
Sioen and band (strings, guitar, bass, drums and piano) are also doing great live, as the assembled music world was able to see at the Zamu Awards in Brussels.
Sioen is now ready for the big festivals in Belgium and abroad: the Netherlands, Germany and even Korea!
Solo work starts in 2001. Sioen easily makes it to the finals of a number of rock competitions: he is the winner of Debuutrock, finishes second in the East-Flemish Rockconcours and is elected 'Demo of the week' at the radio station Studio Brussel. All this leads to a great number of gigs. First in small venues, later in some of the biggest music halls of our country: Vooruit, Botanique, AB Club (at the web launch of Studio Brussel) and at some open-air festivals like Gentse Feesten, Marktrock and Cultuurmarkt Vlaanderen.
A strong live reputation triggers more and more gigs in 2002. Especially in youth clubs, but increasingly also in cultural centres and the so-called 'club circuit' venues, such as the Limelight in collaboration with De Kreun, Nijdrop in collaboration with CC Opwijk. Sioen is also asked as support act, among others for Flip Kowlier (Club 9), Ann Pierlé (CC Doornik) and Twarres (CC De Warande).
In the meantime Sioen is accompanied by the excellent violinist Renaud Ghilbert, with whom he records his first single in June 2002: "Too Good To Be True".
The accompanying video tells the story of their concert trip to New York and Toronto. The clip was also shown on the music television station TMF.
Summer 2002: the concerts at the Gentse Feesten/ the Ghent street summer festival (including a gig at the big stage at Sint-Jacobs) proved a highlight that year. Sioen climbed onto the stage with an eight-headed band (string quartet, backing vocals and percussion). The same line-up could be seen performing at Kaapstad (Brugge 2002), the Fonnefeesten, Stadfestival Ieper, Zomerkernmis Geraardsbergen (Sioen played just before Gorki), de Beverse Feesten, Cultuurmarkt Gent and Hove Live.
In the fall of 2002 the idea to record a full album is launched. On 1st March 2003 Sioen moves into the studio with producer Pieter-Jan De Smet. The line-up of the band has now changed and Sioen starts rehearsing with Renaud Ghilbert (strings), Jesse Vrielynck (bass) and Jakob Nachtergaele (drums).
Two and a half years since the first demo and 120 concerts later, ten songs are being recorded. The result is "See You Naked", Sioen's debut album. The CD was recorded in the 'On the Moon' studio with producer Pieter-Jan De Smet. It was released under their own management, the Keremos label.
SIOEN'S DEBUT "SEE YOU NAKED" WAS RELEASED ON 7TH MAY 2003
The record was warmly received by the Belgian press:
De Standaard (daily newspaper): "Sioen confims"
Humo (weekly magazine): "Smart debut", "Sioen fully masters the noble art of songwriting."
Stage (magazine): "the man has so many different musical styles in his fingers and masters them too. So, welcome."
De Morgen (daily newspaper): "The man is a natural talent"
The first single from the album, "Cruisin" could be heard for 20 weeks at several Flemish and Walloon radio stations of the public broadcaster: Studio Brussel, Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 21 en La Première. The song also remained in the Afrekening of Studio Brussel (charts put together by the listeners) for 13 weeks (www.stubru.be) and in Humo's top 20 charts (www.humo.be), as well as in Radio 1's Carte Blanche (www.radio1.be). The accompanying videoclip was broadcast on Jim TV and TMF and can still be seen at www.sioen.net
In May 2003 Sioen is signed by EMI Music Publishing. Press release: "EMI Music Publishing, who in the recent past signed Hooverphonic, Marc Moulin, Zornik, Buscemi and several others, now also offers its support to the young up-and-coming talent of Sioen. The collaboration between Sioen and EMI MP will among other things consist of controlling and protecting copyrights and of offering support in promoting the record in Belgium and abroad."
"EMI Music Publishing signs Sioen because he clearly is a talented performer and songwriter", dixit Guy Van Handenhove, General Manager EMI Music Publishing Belgium.
In the summer of 2003 Sioen also confirms his excellent live reputation at some of the biggest festivals: Dour, Francopholies, Gentse Feesten, Dranouter and Marktrock.
The newspaper "De Morgen" about Marktrock: "Shortly before that, the Ghent singer-songwriter Sioen did succeed on that same De Laeyens-square to translate the high expectations triggered by his fine debut album into a touching, very personal gig. It is surprising that such a young lad has straightaway developed a sound of its own: power piano and electric strings complemented each other like a married couple that has shared good and bad times for over thirty years. This resulted in absolutely brilliant versions of "Cruisin" and "Wild Wild West". So, it's high time that Sioen is discovered by a wide audience. "
"De Morgen" about Dranouter: "Young Belgian talent. That was what it was all about in the Clubtent. The first time we went inside, was a hit straightaway: Frederik Sioen from Ghent is certainly one of the most promising stars in the Flemish singer-songwriter-skies. This 24-year-old pianist is an inspired singer with a sharp, often groaning voice, who is completely wrapped up in what he has to tell. Surrounded by an excellent rock band grimly kicking dust, Sioen plays dramatic compositions like "Souvenir" and "See You Naked", real mini-epics against the backdrop of what seemed savage, bare hills."
In the meantime Sioen wrote the score for the feature film "Team Spirit 2" by director Jan Verheyen.
On Tuesday 17 February 2004 Sioen receives the Focus - Zamu Award in the Brussels AB for being the most eye-catching newcomer of 2003. The jury, consisting of a couple of thousand singers, musicians, journalists and people from the Flemish music industry, preferred Sioen to the other nominees (Behrman, Mintzkov Luna and Arsenal) in the category.
To Sioen the award is the icing on the cake, following an excellent year in which his debut "See You Naked" was showered with favourable reviews and sold almost 16.000 copies.
Sioen and band (strings, guitar, bass, drums and piano) are also doing great live, as the assembled music world was able to see at the Zamu Awards in Brussels.
Sioen is now ready for the big festivals in Belgium and abroad: the Netherlands, Germany and even Korea!