Hannelore Bedert

HANNELORE BEDERT

A comet seems to have passed, with in its wake the meteorite shower of Hannelore Bederts’ third album Iets Dat Niet Komt which left the press thunderstruck. Following her two previous LPs - just as impressive - expectations were high. But Bedert met those effortlessly. For De Morgen newspaper, it was the Dutch-language album of 2013. Enola wrote: “Iets Dat Niet Komt is a catchy masterpiece of delicate rawness that just evokes foreign references. (...) a personal, deep melancholy sound that is unparalleled in its authenticity.”

But the singer is also showered with superlatives whenever she performs live. De Morgen headlined a review of her concert “Hannelore gives goose bumps” and called it a “blood-curdling concert”. “In just five years, Hannelore Bedert - still only 29 - has become a figurehead of the Dutch language song. Someone who does not mince words in her lyrics, is constantly reorganising her internal world, and at times sprinkles salt lavishly into an open wound.” (De Morgen)

In Ghent - her home town - she is performing with an extended entourage, including strings and wind instruments in addition to her regular backing band. She cultivates contrast. She is, on the one hand, solo – fragile and simple –, and, on the other, supported by a complex ensemble which gives her songs even more depth.

Hannelore Bedert will have as her supporting act an old group member, And They Spoke in Anthems aka Arne Leurentop, who, according to De Standaard newspaper critique Peter Van Tyghem, released the most beautiful Belgian album of the moment.