SOFIE (& SO FOUR)

Female singer with a high-pitched voice.

Sofie Verbruggen, as is her real name, started her musical career, as so many Flemish artists did in those days, by gaining a big prize at the "Ontdek-de-Ster" ("discover-the-star") contest in 1973. She was born in Antwerp in 1956 in a musical family, her grandmother being Mina Bolotine, director of the Antwerp Opera House.

In 1975 she became a member of the disco-band "Trinity" and enjoyed quite a lot of success with this band. I will devote a band page to Trinity soon, but perhaps the fact that two members of the Pebbles (Bob Baelemans & Fred Bekky) were part of it and the hit '002-345.709 (that's my number)' ring a bell. The group decided to call it a day in 1978.

Sofie then searched her own solo way in the music bizz. In 1982 she scored a big hit with one of the most beautiful ballads ever to come out of Belgium : 'I love you'.

All through the eighties, she continued to record music without having big hits. Twice she entered the Flemish pre-selections for the Eurosong-contest : In 1983 she finished second with "Nummer één", in 1987 she participated with "Door jou".

In 1989, her career took a new path with the jazzy album "When morning comes".

In 1992, she had a radio-show on the newly born station Donna, where she performed cover versions of listener requests together with Jean 'Kid Safari' Vijdt.

In 1993, she formed a live-band "So Four" and recorded an album "So far so good". On this record, there is a new version of 'I love you'.

In 1995-96, she got a big boost in her career again with the album "Love Loops". With Hervé Martens, both as a composer and producer, Paul Michiels, B.J.Scott, Ronny Mosuse (see Radios), David Lynx, Kevin Mulligan etc.. she managed to revitalize her music and redirected it in a swinging and funky style. The album was also noted for the duet she performed together with Bobby Womack (of Womack & Womack) "Wanna know what love is" (originally of Foreigner), and a cover version of Diane Warren's "Motown Music".

Sofie still regularly performs on stage with her band and is often a member of "The Big MMM's" (the cover-band with originally Paul Michiels, Hervé Mertens & Robert Mosuse). She also performs often as a backing singer on the records of other Belgian artists (e.g. "Wie zingt er dit lied" on the album "Ik ben God niet" of Raymond van het Groenewoud), and makes TV-appearances in programs like "De Drie Wijzen" and "De Notenclub".

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Albums :
- When morning comes (?? - 1989)
- So far so good (HKM - 1993)
- Love Loops (CNR - 1996).

Websites :
- none found.