The story behind Near Your Soul
For me, it all began at the age of twelve, amidst the snow of Maloja. During an interscholastic singing competition, I performed with a dutch song ‘Sjakie van de hoek’. I won the contest, and on the journey home, I was already being asked for my first autographs .
The seed for a musical career had unmistakably been planted.
Only later did the music find a new path through an old Spanish guitar belonging to my Dad, grandpa for the kids, which had been gathering dust in a forgotten corner of my brother’s room. Along with a songbook full of classic campfire songs from the scouts, the instrument moved to my room. From that moment on, the dust didn’t stand a chance. As I mastered the chords from the songbook, I discovered a world of music: from the rising talent of Tracy Chapman to the legendary sounds of The Eagles, The Scabs, Golden Earring, Supertramp, The Cure, The Police, Phil Collins, Dire straits, Fleetwood Mac, Simon & Garfunkel and many more. It was the beginning of a lifelong journey exploring countless icons and genres.
During my student years, that passion translated into several cover bands where I performed as the lead singer. As I later found my way into education, a new chapter began with the arrival of my 3 children: Quinten, Nanou, and Julie. At home, music was always present. We had a fixed bedtime ritual: one evening mom would tell stories, and the next, I would sing songs for them. Growing up this way, music became a very natural part of their lives.
During that same period, an unexpected CD in my mailbox marked the start of the band Mozaïek. It resulted in a life at high speed. With hits like ‘Wat zie ik je graag’ and ‘Leef’, we earned gold and platinum awards and performed on several small and large stages such as Maanrock, Marktrock, Rock Affligem, and Suikerrock. We even enjoyed a tour of the Netherlands , playing beautiful concert halls as the opening act for the popular Belgian ban Clouseau, resulting in a Dutch fan club .
It was a hectic time full of TV appearances and radio interviews. At times, it was a true balancing act to divide my attention between being a singer, parent, partner, and teacher, but my family always remained my foundation. With the birth of my three children, the musical legacy was secured, as these three “nightingales” soon proved to be just as gifted.
Today, our musical worlds blend organically.
Quinten used to capture hearts on the stage of his high school or around the winter fire, and music remains his loyal companion to this day. Although he now mostly sits at the piano in the intimacy of the living room or picks up a guitar, he still shares his talent during special moments—such as a close friend’s recent wedding.
Nanou frequently took me along to play as buskers in the streets of Antwerp and Leuven, For me this was top-tier quality time. While I play the guitar, our voices intertwine, alternating between lead and backing vocals.
In 2021, she surprised us by—completely without our knowledge—signing up for The Voice of Flanders where she reached the final. Following this adventure came a poignant period where she ended a long-term relationship and translated her emotions into powerful, autobiographical songs. Seeking a fresh start, she decided to travel through Asia and Australia. Her passion remained her compass: she worked as a ‘singing waitress’ on the Australian coast, and recently, her voice echoed along the majestic cliffs of Karijini National Park.
And when our youngest, Julie, lets her deep and warm vocal tone be heard, it never fails to give you goosebumps. The many recordings we’ve made in the studio over the years – the children solo, in duets, or together with me – are my favorite soundtrack for the road. Now that the children are grown and we don’t see each other every day, their voices bring them very close to me. These are the moments where magical harmonies emerge that leave no one unmoved.
The letters NYS, our family name that undeniably connects us, were the logical choice when we looked for a label name for Nanou’s first release.
Near Your Soul, was born, with the tagline: Where hearts beat and souls speak. On this site, we want to bring all our musical projects together; a tribute to what has been and a warm welcome to what is yet to come. We create music that is close to our hearts and souls: joyful and atmospheric, but also comforting and connecting.
Welcome to our musical bubble at Near Your Soul.