Biography
2004
Sandrine Van Handenhoven, her name and voice sound like a bell. This is due to her participation to ‘Idols’ 2004. Since she herself was not for 100 percent convinced about her own capacities, her brothers arranged an inscription for the contest. Till that very moment she had never sung outside her sleeping room. But the Idols’ jury was immediately very impressed by her first trying. “ This is out of common for singing , only not yet so good for performance’, cried Nina De Man. Once the pre-selections started everyone was enthusiastic. Every week Sandrine was able to make people amazed by her song choices, by her voice capacity and yes also by her performances. She was treated with great regard and overwhelmed with the most positive critiques: phenomenal, timeless art, the star with international airs, these are only a few ones of the press and jury quotations. She became the most logical contest winner, only Sandrine herself was not feeling very happy in this role. And what so often happens came true: Sandrine was stopped just in front of the final. General amazing in newspapers and magazines, but Sandrine stayed very cool: not a calamity, only the future will show what can happen. And things have happened for her and very soon! BMG would normally present a contract only to the winner, but quite believing in Sandrine they offered her a label deal.
2005
Her first single came out in July 2005, the famous ‘Goosebumps’. This single written by the British singer Beverly Knight obtained a 4th place in the Flemish hit parade. A bit later she received a TMF- award and a ZAMU- award. In autumn 2005 her first full CD appeared: “That’s Me”.
2006
Her single in 2006 ‘The Story of us’ was the soundtrack of the film Windkracht 10(Wind force) – Koksijde Rescue. She has already given a lot of performances on all the big stages in the Flanders and this under the conductorship of Hans Francken. In order to improve her dancing she participated to the dance contest: Stars on the dance-floor. In the meantime Sandrine was working at her second album and this with the help of her management office ‘Live Entertainment’ the former ‘The Entertainment Group’ (www.live-entertainment.be).
2007
In autumn 2007 Sandrine did the first part of the programme of the Pointer Sisters and this in the Lotto Arena in Antwerp, there she showed what the ‘new’ Sandrine would be.
2008
In the beginning of 2008 Sandrine stood on the Eurosong stage with her number ‘I feel the same Way’ and she was ready to represent her country, she won the fourth qualifying round and ended as the second in the final. The single ‘I feel the same Way’ became a mega hit and stayed week after week in the top 10. On the 8th of may 2008 Sandrine started as a television announcer of TV één (one) On June the 27th her long expected album ‘Boosted’ was released. It is in fact a double album, each one with his own touch, this proves that her talent can develop in different ways. In this year Sandrine was once again nominated for a TMF Award and she gave a remarkable performance on the Sports Palace stage in Antwerp. 2008 was without any doubt the busiest year in the carrier of our young artist, she was giving not less than 90 performances in Belgium (her country) and 6 abroad.
2009
2009 has been a very special year for Sandrine, in March she was really splendid as a Special Guest in Marco Borsato’s show once again in the Sports Palace in Antwerp. During 9 performances she was giving the best of herself. During Summer she got once again a lot of performances and she was also singing on several festivals.
For S0S Child Villages she travelled to Burundi in Africa. This is a project for which she is doing her outmost since years, and thanks to her stay there in an orphan village we all could enjoy a very beautiful and interesting documentary on television ( Life World).
Since September she has stopped her announcer experience on TV 1 in order to be fully concentrated on her musical carreer.
2010
In April 2010 the musical Notre Dame de Paris will go in première: Sandrine will play the role of the gipsy girl Esmeralda.
At the beginning of December 2010 Sandrine finished her new full CD: Get Ready (cause here I come), a marvellous Motown (cover) CD. This album has been recorded in NY at the Stadium Red Studios, the founder is Claude Zdanow, he took over Ornetta Coleman’s Harmolodic Studios and this has become the actual Stadium Red Studios. He is still there as engineer and producer in dance, R&B, hip hop and rock. htt://www.stadiumredny.com/
In this album we can find two splendid duets with Jermaine Paul and with Brian McNight!!!
Jermaine Paul
At 15 he joined the quartet group 1Acord. In 2001 Jermaine Paul worked with the band ‘Focus’ and he started travelling internationally as an opening act and background vocalist to Alicia Keys, who was very impressed with his talent. They have had numerous co-operations. We remember the songs: Diary, Unbreakable, If this World Were Mine (Alicia Keys featuring Jermaine Paul). He got two Grammy Awards.
Brian McKnight
An American singer, songwriter, producer, playing piano, keyboards, guitar, drums, trumpet…
He signed his first recording deal with Mercury Records and later he joined Motown Records. His song ‘Anytime’ sold over two million copies and he got several Grammy nominations and other awards, of his Christmas album ‘Bethlehem’ were sold more than three million copies! Some of his most important songs are: Anytime, Back at One, Superhero, Gemini…
He co-operated with the greatest names as: Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Vanessa Williams! Such two big names accepted recording two duets with our Sandrine. Congratulations to our Queen of Soul!
Listening to the Album ‘Get Ready’ we can enjoy:
A duet with Jermaine Paul: Ain’t nothing like the real thing.
A duet with Brian McKnight: Get ready.
On the 1st of December 2010 Sandrine presented this new album at a very appreciated album party, the Coca Cola European Visitors Centre almost burst open during her performance. Our Queen of Soul gathered a crowd of fans and press and even the Flemish Hollywood lady Astrid Bryan and her husband John were present in spite of the very bad weather conditions. The long expected Motown album is now available in the record shops.
Sandrine also presented her marvellous video clip of the single ‘You keep me hanging on’ (the Supremes), one song out of her album ‘Get Ready’. This album can be downloaded via iTunes.
Lola & Liza
Aside her song career Sandrine has her own dress line, she is the ‘face’ of the campaigns of L&L (Lola & Liza) and she has become a real dress designer for this dress chain, her glamorous feast collection is available in all the L&L shops (see the website of L&L).
Actually Sandrine is on a Motown tour in the Flanders (40 shows), she is performing together with Brahim, Jim Cole and Elke Bruyneel. Nearly all the shows are sold out!!! Get your tickets quickly!!!
