- Natalia (Belgian singer)
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Natalia Druyts 
Natalia meets En Vogue feat. ShaggyBackground information Birth name Natalia Druyts Also known as Natalia Born 3 December 1980
Westerlo, BelgiumOrigin Belgium Genres R&B, pop, rock Occupations Singer Years active 2003–present Labels Sony Music Belgium Website www.nataliamusic.be Natalia Druyts (born 3 December 1980), best known by her stage name Natalia, was the first runner-up of the first season of Idool 2003, the Belgian version of Idols, in which she lost to Peter Everard who got 50.7% of the votes.
Contents
Early life
Natalia was born in Westerlo, Belgium. She has graduated as translator English-Spanish. Before participating in Idool 2003 she sang with a cover-group called Secret Me. They sang at lots of weddings. Natalia also performed as opening act for Belgian singer Raymond van het Groenewoud.
Career
After Idool 2003 Natalia released a CD-Single "Without You", who included the three songs she sang during the Finals of the show. The single peaked at #2 in the charts, and Natalia won some Awards. One of them was the "Tien Om Te Zien Trofee 2003". Not much later, Idool-jury Jan Leyers wrote two songs for her, which she performed in the Belgian movie Team Spirit II, releasing "I've Only Begun To Fight" as second single, while she recorded her full-album, This Time. The CD was released, and Natalia started her tour. At the same time, she performed at the Preselections for the Eurovision with "Higher Than The Sun".
In October 2005, Natalia released a single together with The Pointer Sisters, "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves", which reached number 2 in the Belgium charts. She performed 10 concerts with The Pointer Sisters in January 2006 during "Natalia Meets The Pointer Sisters" in Sportpaleis, Antwerp, attended by more than 130,000 people.
Natalia released a single together with En Vogue called "Glamorous" in October 2007; it reached number 2 in the Belgium charts. In January 2008 she performed with En Vogue & Shaggy during "Natalia Meets En Vogue, Feat Shaggy" at the Sportpalies in Antwerp. 75,000 people attended the six shows.
In January 2011, Natalia planned a new concert with an international superstar, this time she chose Anastacia. They recorded a single called "Burnin' Star", and in January 2011 toured as "Natalia Meets Anastacia".
Natalia has sold over 400,000 albums, and over 1 million concert tickets between 2003 and 2010 in Flanders.
While she's a great star in Flanders, she's almost unknown in Wallonia.
Studio albums
Year Title Chart positions Certifications BEL 2003 This Time - 1st studio-album
- Released: 3 November 2003
- Formats: CD, digital download
- Versions: original version, New Version
(including "Higher Then The Sun")
- Genre: POP
- Label: Sony BMG
4 Belgium: Platinum 2004 Back For More - 2nd studio-album
- Released: 30 August 2004
- Formats: CD, digital download
- Versions: original version, New Version
(including "You Are" and "Heart Of Gold")
- Genre: POP
- Label: Sony BMG
1 Belgium: 2 x Platinum 2007 Everything & More - 3rd studio-album
- Released: 28 May 2007
- Formats: CD, digital download
- Versions: original version, New Version
(including "Drop A Little (Single Version)", "All That I Am", "Where She Belongs")
- Genre: POP
- Label: Sony BMG
1 Belgium: 2 x Platinum 2009 Wise Girl - 4th studio-album
- Released: 17 April 2009
- Formats: CD, digital download
- Versions: original version, New Version
(including "Feeling", "Soul Divided", "Mind, Body and Soul")
- Genre: POP
- Label: Sony BMG
1 Belgium: Platinum 2010 Acoustelicious - 1st live-album
- Released: 16 February 2010
- Formats: CD
- Genre: POP
- Label: Sony BMG
1 Belgium: Platinum Singles
Year Title Album Chart positions BELGIUM 2003 "Without You" This Time 2 2003 "I've Only Begun To Fight" This Time 1 2004 "Higher Than The Sun" This Time 2 2004 "I Want You Back" This Time 3 2004 "Risin'" Back For More 2 2004 "Fragile, Not Broken" Back For More 11 2005 "Shelter" Back For More 28 2005 "Ridin' By/You Are" Back For More 12 2005 "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves (with The Pointer Sisters)" - 2 2006 "Rid of You" - 14 2007 "Gone to Stay" Everything & More 9 2007 "Glamorous/Where She Belongs (with En Vogue)" Everything & More 2 2008 "I Survived You" Everything & More 26* 2008 "Drop A Little" Everything & More 7 2008 "All or Nothing" Wise Girl 13 2009 "Heartbreaker" Wise Girl 48 2009 "Feeling" Wise Girl 36 2009 "Still With Me" Wise Girl *tip 19 2010 "Hallelujah (with Gabriel Rios)" - 1 2010 "On The Radio" 2010 "Burning Star (with Anastacia)" - * I survived you, Heartbreaker & Still With Me were only released digitally
DVD
- Back For More live (2005) (#1)
- Natalia Meets En Vogue feat. Shaggy (2008)
Awards
Year Award-Show Award Result 2003 TMF Awards Best New Artist National Nominated 2003 Tien Om Te Zien summer (VTM) Best song ("Without You") Won 2003 Tien Om Te Zien winter (VTM) Best song ("I've Only Begun To Fight") Won 2003 Jommeke's Newspaper Best Female Singer Won 2004 Tien Om Te Zien summer (VTM) Best Song ("I Want You Back") Nominated 2004 Tien Om Te Zien summer (VTM) Best Song ("Risin'") Won 2004 ZAMU Music Awards Most Popular Won 2004 TMF Awards Best Female Artist National Won 2004 TMF Awards Best Pop Natinonal Won 2004 Jommeke's Newspaper Best Female Singer Won 2004 één Best Song of the year ("Risin'") Won 2004 Online Men Magazine "Feliks" Most Desirable Woman of Belgium Nominated 2005 Tien Om Te Zien summer Best Song ("You Are") Nominated 2005 TMF Awards Best Female Artist National Nominated 2005 TMF Awards Best Pop National Won 2005 TMF Awards Best Album National ("Back For More") Won 2005 Online Men Magazine "Feliks" Most Desirable Woman of Belgium Won 2005 Kids Awards Chick Of The Year Won 2006 ZAMU Music Awards Best Live Act Nominated 2006 TMF Awards Best Female Artist National Nominated 2006 TMF Awards Best Pop National Nominated 2006 Radio 2 Best Concert ("Natalia meets The Pointer Sisters") Won 2007 Radio 2 Best Summer Song ("Gone To Stay") Won 2007 Radio 2 Best Performance Nominated 2007 Tien Om Te Zien summer Best Song ("Gone To Stay") Nominated 2007 TMF Awards Best Pop National Nominated 2007 TMF Awards Best Album National (Everything & More) Nominated 2007 TMF Awards Best Female Artist National Won 2007 TMF Awards Best Live National Nominated 2007 Golden Flip Award Best Female Singer Won 2007 Showbizz-Site of 2007 Best website http://www.nataliamusic.be Won 2008 Music Industry Awards Best Live act Nominated 2008 Music Industry Awards Best Solo Artist Won 2008 Music Industry Awards Best Pop Nominated 2008 Music Industry Awards Best Song (Gone to Stay) Nominated 2008 Kids Awards Music of the Year Nominated 2008 Kids Awards Chick of the Year Nominated 2008 TMF Awards Best Female Artist Won 2008 TMF Awards Best Live Act Nominated 2008 TMF Awards Best Pop Act Won 2008 Radio 2 Best Song (I Survived You & Drop a Little) Nominated 2008 Radio 2 Best Performance (Natalia meets En Vogue ft. Shaggy) Nominated 2008 Radio 2 Best Video Clip (I Survived You) Nominated 2009 Radio 2 Best Performance (Glamorous Arena Tour) Won 2009 Radio 2 Best Song (All Or Nothing, Heartbreaker) Nominated 2009 TMF Awards Best Album (Wise Girl) Nominated 2009 TMF Awards Best Live Act Nominated 2009 TMF Awards Best Female Won 2009 TMF Awards Best Pop Nominated 2009 Music Industry Awards Best Pop Nominated 2009 Music Industry Award Best Female solo Nominated 2009 Music Industry Award Best Song (All Or Nothing) Nominated Idool
- Antwerp Auditions:
"Joyful, Joyful" by Lauryn Hill
- Theatre Round Day One:
"Joyful, Joyful" by Lauryn Hill
- Theatre Round Day Two:
"I Say A Little Prayer" by Aretha Franklin
- Theatre Round Day Three:
"Strong Enough" by Cher
- Top 50 - 'little Live-Show':
"When You Believe" by Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey
- Top 10 - "My Idol":
"I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by Whitney Houston
- Top 9 - 80's:
"I'm So Excited" by The Pointer Sisters
- Top 8 - Dutch:
"De Roos" by Ann Christy
- Top 7 - Movie:
"Think" by Aretha Franklin
- Top 6 - Disco:
"Blame It On The Boogie" by The Jackson Five
- Top 5 - Big Band:
"It's Oh So Quiet" by Björk
- Top 4 - Latino:
"Hijo De La Luna" by Loona Conga by Gloria Estefan
- Top 3 - Choice of the Juries:
"Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls
- Grand Final:
- "For You"
- "Without You" by Mariah Carey
- "Think" by Aretha Franklin
Belgian Preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest
In February 2004, not so long after Idool 2003, Natalia gave it a shot during "EUROSONG'04", the Flanders' Preselections with the song "Higher Than The Sun". She managed to get into the Final, in which she ended second, after Xandee, who represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "1 Life". Belgium did not score much that same year, and there were lots of speculations whether Natalia would have done a better job or not. Natalia's "Higher Than The Sun" reached number 2 in Belgium charts. Xandee took the first place in the same chart.
Dancing With The Stars
The Belgian television company "VTM" asked Natalia to join "Dancing With The Stars" in January 2006 (in Dutch: Sterren Op De Dansvloer). Together with her professional dancer, she reached the finale and ended up second.
Natalia Backstage
After recovering from her voice-troubles, Natalia's management decided to do a short TV-show, to show the fans what's going on behind the scenes, how the new record is recorded, photoshoots, new tour, etc. It was a 4-episode show on VTM, called "Natalia Backstage"
Biography-book
Met Hart En Soul (in English: "With Heart and Soul) was written by Natalia, and a ghost-writer. It's about her ealy life and career.
The book was released on October 8, 2007.
Tours
- Her first tour, "This Time", began on 13 January 2004 and was her first live tour (with live band). The original 20 shows were expanded to a 90 date tour.
- Her second tour, "Back For More", started on 5 November 2004. The show played over 100 dates. and included her own songs and some covers, such as an Elvis medley, Tina Turner medley and "Hanky Panky" by Madonna. This tour is released on DVD.
- Her third tour was the ""Natalia Summer Live"" tour during the summer of 2005.
- Her fourth tour, "Me & my Producer", started on 1 November 2005, in which her producer appeared on stage. This show featured fewer musicians and more backing vocals.
- In January 2006 "Natalia with The Pointer Sisters" gave 10 sold-out shows in Belgium's largest concert hall, Sportpaleis in Antwerp. More than 130,000 people attended the shows.
- Her fifth tour, "Everything & More Summertour", in the summer of 2007, played to over 200,000 people.
- In January 2008 Natalia did another concert run, "Natalia Meets En Vogue, Feat Shaggy", at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp Six dates (75,000 tickets) where sold out. This was released on DVD and went platinum in sales.
- Her sixth tour, the "Glamorous Arena Tour" in the fall of 2008, was the largest moving tour ever by a Belgian artist. The tour played in cities across Belgium, selling 60,000 tickets.
- Her seventh tour, the "Wise Girl Summertour" in the summer of 2009, played in both open air and venues to over 100,000 people.
- Her eighth tour, "Acoustelicious" in the fall of 2009, played in venues all over Belgium to over 30,000 people. A live recording of one of the shows was released.
- Her ninth tour, "Natalia Summertour" in summer of 2010 plays both open air and inside venues in cities across Belgium.
- Her tenth tour, "Natalia Meets Anastacia" has 75,000 tickets on sale for four dates at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp for January 2011; Natalia and Anastacia performed 6 times in the Sportpaleis in Antwerp.[1]
References
External links
Official sites:
- NataliaDruyts.be - NataliaMusic.be - NataliaMusic.nl
- Natalia at My Space
Official site for Natalia Meets Anastacia
Album Singles "Without You" · "I've Only Begun To Fight" · "Higher Than The Sun" · "I Want You Back" · "Risin'" · "Fragile, Not Broken" · "Shelter" · "Ridin' By" · "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" · "Rid of You" · "Gone to Stay" · "Glamorous/Where She Belongs" · "I Survived You" · "Drop A Little" · "All Or Nothing" · "Heartbreaker" · "Feeling" · Still With Me" · "Hallelujah" · "On The Radio" ·Guest appearances "Verlangen - Wim Soutaer (album: 'Een Nieuw Begin')" · "Geef Een Teken - artists for tsunami 1212"Other songs "Heart Of Gold (Viva Tura)", "You Are (B-side Ridin' By)", "De Roos (B-side I Want You Back), "Vanavond Ga Ik Uit (20 years Clouseau)", "Where She Belongs"Tours "This Time-on tour", "Back For More live", "Summertour 2005", "Me & My Producer", "Natalia meets The Pointer Sisters", "Everything & More-summertour 2007", "Natalia meets En Vogue feat. Shaggy", "Singstar Glamorous Arena Tour", "A Wise Girl summertour", "Acoustelicious"DVD Back For More live , Natalia meets En Vogue feat. ShaggySeasons Hosts Koen Wauters • Kris WautersJudges CurrentJean Blaute (2003-present) • Sylvia Van Driesche (2011) • Wouter Van Belle (2011) • Koen Buyse (2011)FormerJan Leyers (2003-04) • Nina De Man (2003-04) • Bart Brusseleers (2003-04) • Vera Mann (2007) • Herman Schueremans (2007) • Patrick Carbonez (2007)Winners Winner's Singles "For You" • "Standing Tall" • "Ya Bout To Find Out" • "So Many Ways"Runners-up Natalia Druyts • Wouter De Clerck • Esther Sels • Kato CallebautNotable alumni Wim Soutaer • Brahim Attaeb • Hadise • Danzel • Udo Mechels • Sandrine Van Handenhoven • Laura Ramaekers • The Cappaert SistersRelated Articles Categories:- Belgian female singers
- English-language singers
- Idol series runners-up
- People from Antwerp (province)
- 1980 births
- Living people
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