Jan Leyers
Encyclopedia
Jan Leyers is a singer, songwriter, and television personality. He was a member of the group Soulsister
and later became a solo musician and host of various television series.
, and Marc Kruithof. The group tried for some years to become successful, but failed.
After Beri-Beri, Leyers spent a few years singing in theaters. In 1986, he met singer Paul Michiels
in a café in Heist-op-den-Berg
. Together, they recorded a single, "You Get to Me," which impressed Guy Brulez, an executive for EMI
in Belgium. Brulez persuaded them to form a duo, which they named "Soul Sisters'". They recorded "Talk About It" and "Like a Mountain." The group, now under the name SoulSister
, released their debut album, It Takes Two, in 1988. The single "The Way to Your Heart" was a hit in Belgium, the Netherlands
, Germany
, and even made its way onto the United States charts.
In 1990, SoulSister changes its moniker to Leyers, Michiels, and SoulSister for a while, but then reverted back to SoulSister. They released three more studio albums: Heat, Simple Rule, and Swinging Like Big Dogs (which Leyers co-produced with Joey Balin, an EMI executive). In between, Leyers pursued solo songwriting endeavours.
In 1997, SoulSister officially dissolved with the release of their Very Best Of compilation album
. Leyers, now on a solo track, teamed up with Filip Cauwelier
and Joost Van den Broek
to form the group My Velma. SoulSister had performed melodic pop
, but My Velma (which takes its name from Velma, the girlfriend of a mob boss in the Raymond Chandler
book Farewell, My Lovely
) did harder rock. The group started off with two test singles: "Running a Bath" and "Shower of Love." In October 1997, the group recorded the album Exposed. It was released in June 1998 by Mercury Records
of the Netherlands.
In 2000, Leyers had a big hit in Belgium with the single "Only Your Love Will Do," which was featured on the soundtrack for the Jan Verheyen
film Team Spirit
. There was also a hit on the soundtrack by his old SoulSister buddy Paul Michiels, and the following year he worked with Michiels on his Forever Young cover album. My Velma broke up at around the same time. Throughout these endeavors, Leyers remained a music producer and composer of music for films.
In 2003, Leyers released the album Jan Leyers, which became popular with the hits "Crash and Burn" and "Don't Make Me Miss You." It featured his hit from 2000, "Only Your Love Will Do."
On 1 January 2005, Leyers released the single "The Long Road," and soon afterwards begins his 2005 tour in Belgium. Later that year, he released the singles "Rolling On" and "Break My Heart." In September, he released In the Virgin Dark, which features these three singles along with "This One" and "The Remedy." "This One" is featured in the Jan Verheyen movie Buitenspel ("Off-side").
In the fall of 2006, he released Songbook: 1996-2006, a compilation of his work with My Velma and his solo work.
and Paul Jefferson
, the song "That's as Close as I'll Get to Loving You
," which is performed by American country
singer Aaron Tippin
. He does songwriting on a regular basis for the Belgian band Clouseau. One of his top hits with Clouseau is "Dat Ze De Mooiste Is (That She's Most Beautiful)". He has written two songs ("I've Only Begun To Fight" and "I Want You Back", both soundtracks of "Team Spirit 2") for Natalia's first album This Time
and one song ("Get Back") for her second album Back For More
.
's history across Europe. He has served as a judge
on Idool 2004
, Belgium's version of Idol
. In 2007 he made the television series De weg naar Mekka ("The road to Mecca"), in which he travelled across North Africa and the Middle East. His account also appeared in a book of the same title. Four years later, in 2011, another television series appeared called "De weg naar het Avondland" ("The road to the Eveningland"). Leyers travels from Ethiopia to Europe in this series, "following the footsteps of humanity".
.
Soulsister
SoulSister was a Belgian music band consisting of musicians Jan Leyers and Paul Michiels. SoulSister is another term used for black women in new orleans...
and later became a solo musician and host of various television series.
Music career
Jan Leyers was born in Wilrijk, in Antwerp. When he was about 10 years old, he found an acoustic guitar in his attic, and his father, an architect, taught him how to play. 10 years later, he started the group Beri-Beri with Hugo Matthysen, Bart PeetersBart Peeters
Bart Peeters is a Belgian singer, drummer, television presenter and actor. Peeters studied Germanic philology and drama in Antwerp. There, he met Jan Leyers and Hugo Matthysen, with whom he worked later...
, and Marc Kruithof. The group tried for some years to become successful, but failed.
After Beri-Beri, Leyers spent a few years singing in theaters. In 1986, he met singer Paul Michiels
Paul Michiels
Paul Michiels is a Belgian singer and songwriter who became popular for his work with the Belgian music group Soulsister. He has earned the nickname Polle Pap, a name he inherited from a childhood job as a milkman in his hometown of Heist-op-den-Berg, where he was born.Paul started out with a...
in a café in Heist-op-den-Berg
Heist-op-den-Berg
Heist-op-den-Berg is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the villages of Booischot , Hallaar, Heist-op-den-Berg proper , Itegem, Schriek and Wiekevorst.-History:The 48-meter-high hill on which Heist would...
. Together, they recorded a single, "You Get to Me," which impressed Guy Brulez, an executive for EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in Belgium. Brulez persuaded them to form a duo, which they named "Soul Sisters'". They recorded "Talk About It" and "Like a Mountain." The group, now under the name SoulSister
Soulsister
SoulSister was a Belgian music band consisting of musicians Jan Leyers and Paul Michiels. SoulSister is another term used for black women in new orleans...
, released their debut album, It Takes Two, in 1988. The single "The Way to Your Heart" was a hit in Belgium, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and even made its way onto the United States charts.
In 1990, SoulSister changes its moniker to Leyers, Michiels, and SoulSister for a while, but then reverted back to SoulSister. They released three more studio albums: Heat, Simple Rule, and Swinging Like Big Dogs (which Leyers co-produced with Joey Balin, an EMI executive). In between, Leyers pursued solo songwriting endeavours.
In 1997, SoulSister officially dissolved with the release of their Very Best Of compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
. Leyers, now on a solo track, teamed up with Filip Cauwelier
Flip Kowlier
Flip Kowlier is a Belgian singer-songwriter, from Izegem, West Flanders, born in 1976. He sings in a distinct West Flemish dialect...
and Joost Van den Broek
Joost van den Broek
Joost van den Broek was a keyboardist in the metal band After Forever. On the album After Forever, Joost had the opportunity to collaborate on the composition and production of the album alongside other band members. Van den Broek will appear on the Sinbreed album When Worlds Collide...
to form the group My Velma. SoulSister had performed melodic pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, but My Velma (which takes its name from Velma, the girlfriend of a mob boss in the Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
book Farewell, My Lovely
Farewell, My Lovely
Farewell, My Lovely is a 1940 novel by Raymond Chandler, the second novel he wrote featuring Los Angeles private eye Philip Marlowe. It was adapted for the screen three times.-Plot summary:...
) did harder rock. The group started off with two test singles: "Running a Bath" and "Shower of Love." In October 1997, the group recorded the album Exposed. It was released in June 1998 by Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
of the Netherlands.
In 2000, Leyers had a big hit in Belgium with the single "Only Your Love Will Do," which was featured on the soundtrack for the Jan Verheyen
Jan Verheyen
Jan Verheyen may refer to:*Jan Verheyen , Belgian retired footballer*Jan Verheyen , Belgian film director of e.g. Dossier K....
film Team Spirit
Team Spirit
Team Spirit was a joint military training exercise of United States Forces Korea and the Military of South Korea held between 1976 and 1993. The exercise was scheduled from 1994 to 1996 but cancelled in each year as part of diplomacy to encourage the Government of North Korea to disable the North...
. There was also a hit on the soundtrack by his old SoulSister buddy Paul Michiels, and the following year he worked with Michiels on his Forever Young cover album. My Velma broke up at around the same time. Throughout these endeavors, Leyers remained a music producer and composer of music for films.
In 2003, Leyers released the album Jan Leyers, which became popular with the hits "Crash and Burn" and "Don't Make Me Miss You." It featured his hit from 2000, "Only Your Love Will Do."
On 1 January 2005, Leyers released the single "The Long Road," and soon afterwards begins his 2005 tour in Belgium. Later that year, he released the singles "Rolling On" and "Break My Heart." In September, he released In the Virgin Dark, which features these three singles along with "This One" and "The Remedy." "This One" is featured in the Jan Verheyen movie Buitenspel ("Off-side").
In the fall of 2006, he released Songbook: 1996-2006, a compilation of his work with My Velma and his solo work.
Songwriting
In 1993, Leyers co-wrote, alongside Sally DworskySally Dworsky
Sally Dworsky is an American singer-songwriter. She has been an important voice actress and singer in animated films such as Shrek, The Lion King and The Prince of Egypt in addition to releasing her own albums. She has also performed on A Prairie Home Companion. Her brother is Richard Dworsky...
and Paul Jefferson
Paul Jefferson
Paul Jefferson is an American country music artist. Jefferson has released one studio album on Almo Sounds; he also charted three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart...
, the song "That's as Close as I'll Get to Loving You
That's as Close as I'll Get to Loving You
"That's as Close as I'll Get to Loving You" is the title of a song recorded by American country music artist Aaron Tippin. It was released in August 1995 as the lead-off single to his 1995 album Tool Box. It peaked at number one in the United States, and #10 in Canada...
," which is performed by American country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Aaron Tippin
Aaron Tippin
Aaron Dupree Tippin is an American country music artist and record producer. Initially a songwriter for Acuff-Rose Music, he gained a recording contract with RCA Records in 1990...
. He does songwriting on a regular basis for the Belgian band Clouseau. One of his top hits with Clouseau is "Dat Ze De Mooiste Is (That She's Most Beautiful)". He has written two songs ("I've Only Begun To Fight" and "I Want You Back", both soundtracks of "Team Spirit 2") for Natalia's first album This Time
This Time (Natalia album)
This Time is the first album of Natalia, a Belgian singer. It was released on 3 November 2003. Seven of the fourteen tracks are cover, the other seven are own songs. They did it because there wasn't enough time to make fourteen own songs....
and one song ("Get Back") for her second album Back For More
Back for More
Back for More may refer to:* Back for More ** Back for More Live, a concert DVD by Natalia* Back for More * "Back for More"...
.
Television career
Leyers is the host of Nachtwacht ("Nightwatch"), a cultural discussion program on Canvas (Belgium). The show features people from across Belgium debating various topics from comedy to religion. Leyers was a co-host of De Droom van Ludwig ("The Dream of Ludwig"), which traced Ludwig van BeethovenLudwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's history across Europe. He has served as a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
on Idool 2004
Idool 2004
Idool 2004 was the second season of the Belgian version of the Idol series. It was won by Joeri Fransen, who could not follow the footsteps of former winner Peter Evrard and only release one album before he was dropped by his record company....
, Belgium's version of Idol
Idol series
The British talent search television series Pop Idol has spawned spin-offs in 42 territories, in what is now referred to as the "Idols" format, as described by FremantleMedia...
. In 2007 he made the television series De weg naar Mekka ("The road to Mecca"), in which he travelled across North Africa and the Middle East. His account also appeared in a book of the same title. Four years later, in 2011, another television series appeared called "De weg naar het Avondland" ("The road to the Eveningland"). Leyers travels from Ethiopia to Europe in this series, "following the footsteps of humanity".
Personal life
Leyers is married to Belgian TV actress Anne Meunier. They have four daughters: Dorien, Ella, Billie, and Olga. They reside in Hove, BelgiumHove, Belgium
Hove is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Hove proper. On January 1, 2006 Hove had a total population of 8,307. The total area is 5.99 km² which gives a population density of 1,388 inhabitants per km².A so called gemeente, it lies...
.