And I’m so happy that I got the chance to do it because many people would love to do what I do – I’m really thankful for it.”
Her following singles stormed the charts, with her cover of Mylene Farmer’s ‘Désenchantée’ sitting on the top spot for five weeks and going double platinum in Belgium. Aside from its success at home, ‘Désenchantée’ was a true international success reaching the following peak positions in national singles charts across Europe: 2 in Germany (gold!!), 3 in Austria, 3in Norway, 4 in Holland, 4 in Sweden, 7 in Spain, 11 in Switzerland, 11 in Denmark, 12 in France, 12 in Portugal and 9 in the European Top 100 singles. Kate’s debut album ‘Different’ went on to sell more than 250,000 copies in Europe alone and generated 2 further international hits with ‘Libertine’ (another cover of Mylene Farmer) and ‘Scream For More/Mon Coeur résiste Encore’. Now, Kate and her team are amongst Belgium’s most respected dance singer-songwriters. And as well as her own material Kate writes and composes for other artists, working with producers across a wide of genres. “It’s great because I don’t have to write in one style, I write R&B, pop, rock; it’s nice for me to explore such a varied scope.”
Indeed, much of the depth of Kate’s tracks can be found in the diverse range of her natural talents – her passion for rock feeds into her dance tracks to give a unique and credible sound. Her strong and evocative voice soars over the sort of peak time tracks that would bring a dance-floor to its knees anywhere in the world, and she is equally comfortable singing in French or English. Her lyrics are a far cry from the often sparse or inconsequential chorus’ of lesser quality dance tracks, something that is hallmarked by her strong album sales.
“All the songs that I write are about my own emotions, my own feelings, and things that I see in other people – sadness, happiness - I went through a lot of things in my life, sad things, happy things, and all the lyrics and songs I write are about things I experience. I think that’s really important. Sometimes people think you just write something about the sun or the birds and the bees but it’s really about things I feel myself.”
Indeed, Kate’s life has been touched by an unrelenting mix of highs and lows, most visibly in 2001 when in November, at the end of a breakthrough year and top chart success, her mum, whom Kate describes as her biggest fan, tragically lost her battle with cancer. Though heartbreaking for Kate, she remains a pillar of professionalism, and the thoroughly upbeat, bubbly and down to earth girl that she has always been. “My mum always believed in me”, says Kate.