LOONA Biografie The rise and rise of Marie-José van der Kolk alias LOONA, is a story taken from the world where dreams are made. A young girl leaves her homeland of Holland, to conquer all.. Working her vacation on the island of Mallorca, she is hooked by the fever of theatre dancing and dance music. Here she meets music producer DJ Sammy who was to influence her future. On her return to Holland she launches into a career in theatre and the dance profession... The following summer sees her return to Mallorca. Many further summers were spent there and her first music productions began to follow.... the fruits of her commitment were about to be harvested...!!! Her very first single release in 1995 entered directly into the German singles chart.
The following years saw Marie-José travelling constantly with DJ Sammy across many continents. Selling over 10.000.000 cd's, their hit singles were regularly to be seen in the charts of many countries.It was during a performance that DJ Sammy heard the song 'Bailando' and he decided that it should be recorded with Marie-José. With this chance hearing, LOONA was about to be invented. Marie-José was already involved under the alias 'Carisma' with DJ Sammy and where previous productions were very much built around the dance / techno scene, for 'Bailando' a new artist identity was needed. LOONA was created but no one was prepared for or could have dreamt of, what was to happen next. 'Bailando' stormed to the top of the German single's chart, providing a new and fresh alternative to everything before it. Gold ,Platinum & double Platinum in Germany, Austria and Switzerland soon followed and just reward for the achievements came with the presentation to LOONA of Germany's highest and most coveted music honour, the Echo Award, for 'Bailando'.
By this time Marie-José had decided that the proven path taken by so many other stars was not the route she wanted to follow. Here was the opportunity to make herself more than a one hit wonder, a way to make herself different with a sound and image that people would remember her by. She wanted to present an authentic and real style especially for her and one which she could continually develop over time. Together with the newly formed Orchestra de la Luna, a 40 man ensemble of some of the best musicians in Germany, Loona uniquely arranged a new presentation of the imposing ballad, 'Hijo de la Luna'. Once again her decision was proved to be perfect with the recording reaching the top of the German charts selling over 1 million copies.
The debut album 'Lunita' and the third single 'Donde Vas' ensured the continuation of her success by achieving number one position in the charts. LOONA was awarded her second Echo award when 'Mamboleo' reached number three in the German singles chart. It was at this time that LOONA and DJ Sammy began to concentrate on a joint assault at achievieving international success. DJ Sammy landed a number one hit in the United Kingdom with the song 'Heaven' and watched it climb to number two in America. The album itself was to achieve world-wide sales of over 2 million. Recognition of the achievements were not long incoming and following the DanceStar USA and US BMI-Pop awards DJ Sammy and Marie-José embarked on a World tour taking in England, USA amongst many others.
The last two years have probably been the most personally difficult for Marie-José. The tragic loss of her Mother, whom she loved so dearly, during this time brought a rich variance of influences to her work. The selection of 'Tears in Heaven' as her new single mirrors her feelings and she insists that a 'good song reflects always, the true feelings of the artist' at any given point in time. 'It is important to me that people can feel what I feel and see the way I am inside through this new single' and reveals that 'sometimes in life you see or feel a moment that is unique and cannot be written down or explained very easily. The words seem to disappear almost before the ink can dry. These are the moments I try to save through my songs so that all can share. 'Tears in Heaven' is one such moment. For Eric Clapton I am eternally grateful. Without his experience of such sorrow I could not have shared my own with so many through the single.
A new album follows after 'Tears in Heaven' and LOONA describes it as 'a mirror of her soul'. Here she will put her own beautiful style to the prettiest of ballads. An opportunity to paint the picture of the ups and downs, the laughter, the tears with the good and the bad times of the last two years.
The time is right for the release of this album. The time is right for LOONA to reclaim her rightful place amongst the top international artists.
Welcome home LOONA.
copyright by http://www.loona.com/
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Published on: Sunday, February 19 2006 (5100 reads)
Copyright © by official LOONA fanclub
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