Hearts of Soul
Encyclopedia
Hearts of Soul was formed by three Harderwijk
se sisters: Bianca, Stella
and Patricia Maessen.
They worked in the late 1960s as session singers for, among other things, Dusty Springfield
, until 1968, when they were discovered.
In 1969, they recorded their debut album. In 1970, they sung "Waterman
" (written by Pieter Goemans) as the Netherlands entry to the Eurovision song contest. They finished 7th out of 12 participants. The Eurovision experience did not further their career as expected. The single "It's Great Fun" still draws some attention, but is no longer played frequently in the Netherlands. They collaborated in 1972, on a single with Marius Monkau. The song Oh Complete Jesus is still popular, especially amongst religious people.
In the mid-seventies the group moved to Belgium
. There they formed Dream Express in 1975, with former Pebbles
musician Luc Smets (who had married Bianca). In the summer of 1976 they scored a Flemish number 2 hit with the self titled song "Dream Express". On 5 February 1977 they won in the national finals for Belgium to enter the Eurovision song contest, which was held in Wembley
, London
on Saturday 7 May. This contest was the first time that Belgium had entered a song to be sung in English
. With the song "A Million in One, Two, Three
" they reached 7th place out of 18 participating countries.
Dream Express changed name again in 1979, to LBS, which stood for Luc Bianca Stella. Their singles "LBS" and "Uncle Jim" received much airplay in 1979.
Stella also released singles under the name of Stella Mason. She represented Belgium (singing in French
) in the Eurovision song contest of 1982, with the song "Si tu aimes ma musique
". On 24 April 1982 she finished 4th out of 18 contestants.
Bianca released several singles from the early 1980s through to 1993. The single Two Dolphins to the Range of Hawaii was released as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Antwerp zoo.
During the Eurovision song contest of 1986 Patricia was a backing singer of the winning entrant Sandra Kim
. In 1987, Patricia was also a backing singer for Plastic Bertrand
's, Luxembourg entry.
Patricia Maessen died on 15 May 1996 in Mortsel near Antwerp at the age of 44, from the effects of a stroke .
Harderwijk
' is a municipality and a small city in the eastern Netherlands.- The history of Harderwijk :Harderwijk received city rights from Count Otto II of Guelders in 1231. A defensive wall surrounding the city was completed by the end of that century. The oldest part of the city is near where the...
se sisters: Bianca, Stella
Stella Maessen
Stella Maessen is a Dutch singer, best known for her participation in the Eurovision Song Contests of 1970, 1977 and 1982- Hearts of Soul :...
and Patricia Maessen.
They worked in the late 1960s as session singers for, among other things, Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
, until 1968, when they were discovered.
In 1969, they recorded their debut album. In 1970, they sung "Waterman
Waterman (song)
"Waterman" was the Dutch entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1970, performed in Dutch by Hearts of Soul, a trio consisting of the Dutch sisters Patricia, Bianca and Stella Maessen....
" (written by Pieter Goemans) as the Netherlands entry to the Eurovision song contest. They finished 7th out of 12 participants. The Eurovision experience did not further their career as expected. The single "It's Great Fun" still draws some attention, but is no longer played frequently in the Netherlands. They collaborated in 1972, on a single with Marius Monkau. The song Oh Complete Jesus is still popular, especially amongst religious people.
In the mid-seventies the group moved to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. There they formed Dream Express in 1975, with former Pebbles
Pebbles
Pebbles may refer to:* Pebbles, small rocks* Pebbles , Boston-area radio DJ* Pebbles , British-trained thoroughbred racehorse of the 1980s* Pebbles Flintstone, a character in The Flintstones animated television show...
musician Luc Smets (who had married Bianca). In the summer of 1976 they scored a Flemish number 2 hit with the self titled song "Dream Express". On 5 February 1977 they won in the national finals for Belgium to enter the Eurovision song contest, which was held in Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on Saturday 7 May. This contest was the first time that Belgium had entered a song to be sung in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. With the song "A Million in One, Two, Three
A Million In One, Two, Three
"A Million in One, Two, Three" was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977, performed in English by Dream Express, a band consisting of Luc Smets and the three sisters Maessen; Bianca, Patricia and Stella...
" they reached 7th place out of 18 participating countries.
Dream Express changed name again in 1979, to LBS, which stood for Luc Bianca Stella. Their singles "LBS" and "Uncle Jim" received much airplay in 1979.
Stella also released singles under the name of Stella Mason. She represented Belgium (singing in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) in the Eurovision song contest of 1982, with the song "Si tu aimes ma musique
Si Tu Aimes Ma Musique
"Si tu aimes ma musique" was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1982, performed in French by Stella. Stella had previously competed for the Netherlands in 1970 with her sisters in a group called Hearts of Soul, and in 1977 for Belgium in the group Dream Express.The song was performed...
". On 24 April 1982 she finished 4th out of 18 contestants.
Bianca released several singles from the early 1980s through to 1993. The single Two Dolphins to the Range of Hawaii was released as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Antwerp zoo.
During the Eurovision song contest of 1986 Patricia was a backing singer of the winning entrant Sandra Kim
Sandra Kim
Sandra Caldarone , better known as Sandra Kim, is a Belgian singer of Italian descent who won the Eurovision Song Contest 1986 held in Bergen, Norway, on 3 May 1986....
. In 1987, Patricia was also a backing singer for Plastic Bertrand
Plastic Bertrand
Plastic Bertrand is a Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor and television presenter, best known for the 1977 international hit single "Ça plane pour moi".-Early life and bands:...
's, Luxembourg entry.
Patricia Maessen died on 15 May 1996 in Mortsel near Antwerp at the age of 44, from the effects of a stroke .
Singles
| Singles in the Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
|||||
| Title | |Release date | |Entry date | Highest position | #Weeks | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Oh what a price" | 1969 | 15-2-1969 | tip | ||
| "Everybody goes for Joe / Abraham, Martin & John" | 1969 | 11-10-1969 | tip | ||
| "Fat Jack" | 1970 | 31-1-1970 | 18 | 5 | |
| "Waterman" | 1970 | 14-3-1970 | tip | ||
| "It's great fun" | 1972 | 8-7-1972 | tip | ||
| "I can hear you calling" | 1971 | ? | tip | ||
| "Dream express" | 1976 | 7-2-1976 | tip | As Dream Express | |
| "A Million in One, Two, Three A Million In One, Two, Three "A Million in One, Two, Three" was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977, performed in English by Dream Express, a band consisting of Luc Smets and the three sisters Maessen; Bianca, Patricia and Stella... " |
1977 | 23-4-1977 | tip | As Dream Express |