An Pierlé
Encyclopedia
An Pierlé is a Belgian pianist
and singer-songwriter
.
and enrolled at the age of 17 at the art school Studio Herman Teirlinck in Antwerp. In her third year there she made a solo-programme with songs of her own, alone at the piano. Shortly after she became known to a moderately wide audience in 1996 when she entered Humo's Rock Rally
with a tape of her own version of Are 'Friends' Electric?
, originally sung by Tubeway Army
. The song ended up on a number of albums, including Random, a tribute album
to Gary Numan
(of the Tubeway Army) composed of covers of Gary Numan songs.
After this, An toured for two years with a theatre group, and starred in a Belgium
television series ("Moeder, waarom leven wij"), gave a few solo performances and collaborated with DAAU
on their song "Broken", where she sings all of the vocals.
fashion. Most of the album was recorded on electric piano
in the winter of 1998 and 1999 in the attic of a theatre in Ghent
(in some songs, with high quality audio equipment, very faint background car noises can be heard). The extra acoustic piano
parts were done in the spring of 1999. This resulted in a range of songs with very little production, essentially An and her piano, plus an occasional accordion
.
The record sold over 25,000 copies in Belgium
and the Netherlands
.
and France
. Most of the songs here were co-written by Koen Gisen.
Following the release of Helium Sunset was a live album named Live Jetset with Orchestra, an album with back up from a full orchestra. The album was first released only as the second CD of the Belgian double release. It was later released as a separate disc, including original artwork. This album was apparently very limited in release numbers and sold out pretty quickly.
2005 saw a new release of Helium Sunset, complete with a new cover featuring An Pierlé (unlike the first releases). In France, a 2-disc version of this was released. The second disc contained the cover "Il est 5 heures (Paris)", which was a moderately successful radio hit in France and Belgium, plus a few live tracks recorded during a radio session in the United Kingdom
.
Compilations:
Ep's:
Singles:
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
.
Career
She studied classical pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and enrolled at the age of 17 at the art school Studio Herman Teirlinck in Antwerp. In her third year there she made a solo-programme with songs of her own, alone at the piano. Shortly after she became known to a moderately wide audience in 1996 when she entered Humo's Rock Rally
Humo's Rock Rally
Humo's Rock Rally is a Belgian contest for rock bands, organized every second year since 1978. It is organized by the Belgian magazine HUMO.Every band that has not yet released an official recording, may enter the Rock Rally, by submitting a demo to HUMO. Humo then selects 100 bands to compete in...
with a tape of her own version of Are 'Friends' Electric?
Are 'Friends' Electric?
"Are 'Friends' Electric?" is a 1979 song written by Gary Numan, released under the name of his then-band Tubeway Army as a single and on the album Replicas...
, originally sung by Tubeway Army
Tubeway Army
Tubeway Army were a London-based punk rock and new wave band led by lead singer Gary Numan. They were the first band of the post-punk era to have a synthesizer-based hit, with their single Are 'Friends' Electric? and its parent album Replicas both topping the UK Album Chart in mid-1979.-Line-up:The...
. The song ended up on a number of albums, including Random, a tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
to Gary Numan
Gary Numan
Gary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
(of the Tubeway Army) composed of covers of Gary Numan songs.
After this, An toured for two years with a theatre group, and starred in a Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
television series ("Moeder, waarom leven wij"), gave a few solo performances and collaborated with DAAU
DAAU
DAAU is a music group from Antwerp, Belgium. The band was founded in 1992 and borrowed its name from the novel Der Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse....
on their song "Broken", where she sings all of the vocals.
Mud Stories
In 1998 she signed a record deal with Warner Music Benelux. This resulted in her first album titled Mud Stories, completely in singer-songwriterSinger-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
fashion. Most of the album was recorded on electric piano
Electric piano
An electric piano is an electric musical instrument.Electric pianos produce sounds mechanically and the sounds are turned into electrical signals by pickups. Unlike a synthesizer, the electric piano is not an electronic instrument, but electro-mechanical. The earliest electric pianos were invented...
in the winter of 1998 and 1999 in the attic of a theatre in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
(in some songs, with high quality audio equipment, very faint background car noises can be heard). The extra acoustic piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
parts were done in the spring of 1999. This resulted in a range of songs with very little production, essentially An and her piano, plus an occasional accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
.
The record sold over 25,000 copies in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Helium Sunset
In 2002 An Pierlé released her second record, Helium Sunset. Unlike the previous album, this album was also released outside of the BeneluxBenelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Most of the songs here were co-written by Koen Gisen.
Following the release of Helium Sunset was a live album named Live Jetset with Orchestra, an album with back up from a full orchestra. The album was first released only as the second CD of the Belgian double release. It was later released as a separate disc, including original artwork. This album was apparently very limited in release numbers and sold out pretty quickly.
2005 saw a new release of Helium Sunset, complete with a new cover featuring An Pierlé (unlike the first releases). In France, a 2-disc version of this was released. The second disc contained the cover "Il est 5 heures (Paris)", which was a moderately successful radio hit in France and Belgium, plus a few live tracks recorded during a radio session in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
White Velvet
Pierlé and band released the album An Pierlé & White Velvet in early May 2006. An and the band are now also performing under the same name. As of late April 2006, the first single named "How Does It Feel?" was already available for download in online stores, including two studio live covers. After the release, the follow-up single in the Benelux and France was "Jupiter". April 8, 2007, 'It's Got to be Me' was released as a digital single, backed with a French version of the song.Discography
Albums:- Hinterland, 2010
- An Pierlé & White Velvet, 2006
- Helium Sunset, 2-disc French edition, 2005
- Helium Sunset, 2002
- Mud Stories, 1999
Compilations:
- Singles & Rarities + Live album, 2008
Ep's:
- Live Jetset with Orchestra, 2002
- Tower, 2000
Singles:
- "It's got to be me", 2007
- "How does it feel", April 2006
- "(Il est 5 heures) Paris s'éveille", 2004
- "Sing Song Sally", June 2002
- "As sudden tears fall", February 2002
- "Tower", 2000
- "Mud Stories", 1999