Kate Ryan. A dance/pop singer and songwriter with international chart success and more than two million records sold, at the age of only 27. As a young girl she already played the guitar and piano and composed and performed her own songs in her parent’s bar in the small Belgian town of Tessenderlo near Antwerp. Besides performing her own tracks she was also known for her impersonations of her idols like Madonna. Her talent was noticed by a team of music professionals who decided to record a single with her. Although she was mainly into rock & pop music the first single was a dance track. “Scream For More” (EMI - 2001) achieved instant success and was the best selling dance single in Belgium that year. The next single however would be the international breakthrough. “Désenchantéé” (EMI - 2002), a dance version from the original track by Mylène Farmer, would prove to be the track that would launch Kate into international stardom. It was released in Belgium (Nr. 1), Germany (Nr. 2), Spain (Nr 2.), France (Top 10), Switzerland (Top 10), Austria (Nr. 3), Sweden (Top 5), Denmark (Top 10), Netherlands (Top 5), Poland (Top 5), Portugal (Top 10), Norway (Nr. 3),… The single achieved the top ten in European Charts and the UK Dance Charts. With over 600.000 copies sold it was a huge and unprecedented succes. Other European smash hits as “Libertine” and “Mon coeur resiste Encore” were released and the first full Studio album “Different” (EMI – 2002), containing al these hits sold over 250.000 copies in Europe with gold and platinum status in many countries. With performances on the biggest events, concerts and television shows Kate had become a well respected and established artist in the dance/pop scene all over Europe. After two years of extensive touring all over Europe the second studio album “Stronger” (EMI – 2004) was released. Singles as “Only If I” and “The Promise You Made” were once again European chart successes and achieved top ten status in the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance charts. In 2006 she represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, singing “Je t’adore”. However, she was eliminated in the semi-final, finishing two places outside the advancing Top 10. This was unexpected, considering she was one of the top favorites for first place, especially because Kate did an extensive promotion tour, visiting over 20 European countries in three weeks. The single “Je t’adore” however would prove to be the next number one hit for Kate in Belgium, it went platinum and stayed on the # 1 position for five weeks. It also achieved # 1 in Poland and was a success in many European countries. The summer of 2006 was also the year Kate started touring with her live band. Accompanied on stage by some of Belgium’s finest musicians Kate could once more prove her abilities as a performing artist. Her live show is a combination of high energy dance and pop combined with some rock and acoustic tracks. Kate plays the guitar and piano and amazes her audience with her ability to play these different instruments, sing, dance and perform at the highest level. The third studio album “Alive” (EMI – 2006) contains hits as “Alive”, “All For You” and of course “Je t’adore”. The album was released in the whole of Europe. “Alive” would also be the name of her first solo headlining concert in the Benelux, announced at the release of the album, to take place in the Antwerp Lotto Arena in October 2007. January 2007, Kate made a bold new move in her career, changing her management and record label. It would prove to be a change for an even better future. After the disappointment of the Eurovision Song Contest, Kate proved once more to be different, stronger and very much alive ! Her new single “Voyage Voyage” (ARS Ent. – 2007) went straight to the top of the charts in the Benelux and achieved gold status easily. The track is a remake of the 1987 track by Desireless. Together with her Swedish producers “2N” (Niklas Kings & Niklas Bergwal) Kate crafted a new version, staying true to the Kate Ryan style. The single is the first track of Kate Ryan’s fifth studio album, set for release in 2008. Meanwhile the track is released all over Europe with major support and priority from Universal Music Group and will be a hit, there is absolutely no doubt about that. The sold out concert in the Antwerp Lotto Arena on October 6th was part of the renewal and next step in the upward motion of Kate’s career. For more than 2 hours Kate entertained her audience with her greatest hits, while playing the guitar, the piano and even the drums. Great choreographies with her faithful dancers, amazing vocal performance and exciting special effects once more put Kate Ryan in the spotlight. End 2007, beginning 2008 Kate will be touring with her live band through the Benelux, Germany, Poland, Sweden, France and many other countries. She will continue to amaze, excite and entertain people, because that is simply what she loves the most. www.kateryan.be © 2007 - Tim Pijpen – TTT Artists