Ben Saunders (singer)
Encyclopedia
Ben Saunders is a Dutch singer who won the first-ever title of the Dutch singing competition series The Voice of Holland
broadcast on RTL 4
. The final of 2010-2011 season was held live on 21 January 2011. Saunders is also a tattoo artist
and a Mixed martial arts fighter
. He is popularly known as "Tattoo Ben".
who on 22 January 2011, won the title of the third season (2010–2011) of the Dutch music competition Popstars
, notably only a day after Ben's victory on The Voice.
Brothers Ben and Dean Saunders both started applying to talent competitions early like for the series Daddy's Wish. They also took part in 1998 in Life is like a box of chocolates program.
's Alles voor de band: Follow that dream. They were part of the band Follow That Dream
(F.T.D.) (that included besides the two brothers Vanessa Eman, Rosa Vuik, Linda van Toornburg and Peter van der Meer. The band was signed to Dino Music record label.
Their debut single the self-titled "Follow That Dream" was released in November 2000 reaching #25 in the Dutch Top 40. 6 months later, the band split after the great popularity of the rival Starmaker show.
, a Dutch national music pre-selection contest for qualification to Eurovision Song Contest
to be held in Riga
, Latvia
. They performed the song "Stand As One" in the third heat under the name "The Brothers" getting just 10 points and finishing with 3% of the popular vote as seventh out of 8 participants.
singing competition proving to be very popular with both judges and the voting public, after singing in his audition "Use Somebody
" from Kings of Leon
. Ben was coached by Roel van Velzen. In the final, he sang his number one single, his cover version rendition of "If You Don't Know Me by Now
" and duetted with Welsh singer Duffy
on her song "Warwick Avenue
" and won by 59% of the votes against runner-up Pearl Jozefzoon.
Saunders has charted with 4 different songs in the top 15 of the Dutch charts, including attaining #1 position with his single "Kill For a Broken Heart".
, a municipality in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It is located 35 kilometers north of Amsterdam
.
Before applying to the competition, Ben Saunders worked as a tattoo artist
. He had a tattoo parlour in Hoorn. He was popularly nicknamed "Tattoo Ben" because of his extensive tattoos.
As The Brothers
Solo
The Voice of Holland
The Voice of Holland is a Dutch reality singing competition, created by media tycoon John de Mol, and currently airing on RTL4 in the Netherlands. Hosted by Martijn Krabbé and Wendy van Dijk it is currently the number 1 show in the Netherlands, with increasing ratings from 1.6 to 3.0 million viewers...
broadcast on RTL 4
RTL 4
RTL 4 is a commercial television station in the Netherlands. It is the most-watched commercial station in the country, popular especially with those aged between 20 and 49. The station has three sister tv channels: RTL 5, RTL 7 and RTL 8...
. The final of 2010-2011 season was held live on 21 January 2011. Saunders is also a tattoo artist
Tattoo artist
A tattoo artist is an individual who applies permanent decorative tattoos, often in an established business called a tattoo shop, tattoo studio or tattoo parlour...
and a Mixed martial arts fighter
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
. He is popularly known as "Tattoo Ben".
Early life
Saunders is of British origin. He is the younger brother of Dean SaundersDean Saunders (singer)
Dean Saunders is a Dutch singer. On 22 January 2011, he won in 2011 the Dutch version of Popstars in its third season in 2010-2011.-Career:...
who on 22 January 2011, won the title of the third season (2010–2011) of the Dutch music competition Popstars
Popstars (Netherlands)
Popstars is a singing competition series in The Netherlands. The first series started on 22 August 2008. A second series was aired for 2009-2010 and third series aired in 2010-2011. The winners in season 1 were RED! made up of the three finalist winners Brandi Russell, Steffie Zoontjes and Deon Leon...
, notably only a day after Ben's victory on The Voice.
Brothers Ben and Dean Saunders both started applying to talent competitions early like for the series Daddy's Wish. They also took part in 1998 in Life is like a box of chocolates program.
1998-2003: Follow That Dream
In 2000, Dean and Ben Saunders both took part in RTL 4RTL 4
RTL 4 is a commercial television station in the Netherlands. It is the most-watched commercial station in the country, popular especially with those aged between 20 and 49. The station has three sister tv channels: RTL 5, RTL 7 and RTL 8...
's Alles voor de band: Follow that dream. They were part of the band Follow That Dream
Follow That Dream (band)
Follow That Dream also known as F.T.D. or FTD was a Dutch pop band made up of Vanessa Eman, Rosa Vuik, Linda Burg Wrath, Peter van der Meer, Ben Saunders, Dean Saunders. Vanessa Eman was the lead singer of the band....
(F.T.D.) (that included besides the two brothers Vanessa Eman, Rosa Vuik, Linda van Toornburg and Peter van der Meer. The band was signed to Dino Music record label.
Their debut single the self-titled "Follow That Dream" was released in November 2000 reaching #25 in the Dutch Top 40. 6 months later, the band split after the great popularity of the rival Starmaker show.
2003:Eurovision Song Contest entry
On February 15, 2003 the Saunders brothers took part in the 2003 Dutch Nationaal SongfestivalNationaal Songfestival
Nationaal Songfestival is the name for the Dutch preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest. It started in 1956. It was organized until 1969 by Dutch television Nederlandse Televisie Stichting . Then the broadcaster Nederlandse Omroep Stichting took over the event...
, a Dutch national music pre-selection contest for qualification to Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
to be held in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. They performed the song "Stand As One" in the third heat under the name "The Brothers" getting just 10 points and finishing with 3% of the popular vote as seventh out of 8 participants.
2010-present: The Voice of Holland
In 2010, Ben Saunders applied to The Voice of HollandThe Voice of Holland
The Voice of Holland is a Dutch reality singing competition, created by media tycoon John de Mol, and currently airing on RTL4 in the Netherlands. Hosted by Martijn Krabbé and Wendy van Dijk it is currently the number 1 show in the Netherlands, with increasing ratings from 1.6 to 3.0 million viewers...
singing competition proving to be very popular with both judges and the voting public, after singing in his audition "Use Somebody
Use Somebody
"Use Somebody" is a song by the American alternative rock group Kings of Leon. It was the second single from the band's fourth studio album Only by the Night , released on December 8, 2008....
" from Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
. Ben was coached by Roel van Velzen. In the final, he sang his number one single, his cover version rendition of "If You Don't Know Me by Now
If You Don't Know Me By Now
"If You Don't Know Me by Now" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and recorded by the jersey soul musical group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, which became their first hit after being released as a single in 1972 topping the R&B chart and peaking at number three on the Pop chart.The...
" and duetted with Welsh singer Duffy
Duffy (singer)
Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
on her song "Warwick Avenue
Warwick Avenue
Warwick Avenue may refer to:*Warwick Avenue, London, residential avenue in London* Warwick Avenue tube station, a London Underground station on the Bakerloo line located on the avenue...
" and won by 59% of the votes against runner-up Pearl Jozefzoon.
Saunders has charted with 4 different songs in the top 15 of the Dutch charts, including attaining #1 position with his single "Kill For a Broken Heart".
Personal life
Ben Saunders was born in England in 1983, but moved to the Netherlands in 1986, aged three. He resided in HoornHoorn
-Cities :* Purmerend * Enkhuizen * Alkmaar * Amsterdam * Lelystad * Den Helder * Leeuwarden -Towns :* Edam...
, a municipality in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It is located 35 kilometers north of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
Before applying to the competition, Ben Saunders worked as a tattoo artist
Tattoo artist
A tattoo artist is an individual who applies permanent decorative tattoos, often in an established business called a tattoo shop, tattoo studio or tattoo parlour...
. He had a tattoo parlour in Hoorn. He was popularly nicknamed "Tattoo Ben" because of his extensive tattoos.
Singles
As part of band Follow That Dream:- 2000: "Follow That Dream"
- 2001: "One Night in Shanghai"
As The Brothers
- 2003: "Stand As One"
Solo
- 2010: "If You Don't Know Me by NowIf You Don't Know Me By Now"If You Don't Know Me by Now" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and recorded by the jersey soul musical group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, which became their first hit after being released as a single in 1972 topping the R&B chart and peaking at number three on the Pop chart.The...
" - 2011: "I Heard It Through The Grapevine"
- 2011: "Kill For a Broken Heart"
- 2011: "Dry Your Eyes"
- 2011: "All Over"