K3 (band)


K3 is an all-female Belgian-Dutch music group with a Dutch repertoire primarily enjoyed by pre-adolescent children. The group's name is derived from first letters of the three original members' first names: Karen Damen, Kristel Verbeke and Kathleen Aerts, but the current line-up is composed of Hanne Verbruggen, Marthe De Pillecyn and Klaasje Meijer.
Kathleen Aerts left the group in 2009. Josje Huisman was chosen as K3's new member on October 3, 2009. Their music is produced by the production company Studio 100 and is written by Miguel Wiels, Alain Vande Putte and Peter Gillis. K3 was founded by Niels William.
The band's rise to fame surprisingly came without any airplay from the regular music television channels like MTV. K3 is a band directed towards kids and chose to market itself directly to children via cartoon channels.
Their signature style is that all three girls in the group mostly wear the same outfit, and each girl's hair is one color of the Belgian flag.

Career

Rise to fame (1998–2002)

The band K3 was started by Niels William. Initially, their intention was to be the Flemish version of the British all-female group "Spice Girls." Following the same formula K3 was composed of all females in their twenties, and like the Spice Girls, women in their twenties as their target audience. The original target is noticeable in their early song lyrics including their first single, "Wat ik wil". This release was not very successful.
In 1999, K3 participated in live television shows that selected the Belgian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Heyah Mama". The song was not well received by one of the judges, Marcel Vanthilt, who referred to the band members as "assorted meat products".
Notwithstanding, "Heyah Mama" was released as a single and became the first big hit for the band, staying at the number one spot of the Flemish Ultratop 50 chart for 25 weeks.
Their next two singles also earned the number one spot on the charts, resulting in an uninterrupted period of 32 weeks of K3 in the number one spot. About a year after becoming famous in Flanders, K3 also became famous in the Netherlands.
Their songs are written by Miguel Wiels, Alain Vande Putte and Peter Gillis. This trio previously collaborated as songwriters for Flemish singer Isabelle A.
K3 is noted for being the first pop act to break through to the top of the charts without receiving any airplay from the regular music television channels, such as MTV and TMF. Niels William's new marketing concept was based on promotion via children and cartoon channels such as Fox Kids.

Joining Studio 100 (2002–09)

In 2002, Niels William sold the band to Studio 100, a Flemish television production company for Dutch and Belgian children's programs.
Songs like "Heyah Mama", "I love you baby", "Alle Kleuren", "Blub, ik ben een vis!", "Tele-Romeo", "Toveren", "Verliefd" , "De 3 biggetjes", "Oya lélé", "Hart verloren", "Liefdeskapitein", "Kuma He", "Ya Ya Yippee", "Dokter Dokter", "10.000 Luchtballonnen " and "Kusjesdag" were hits for the band. K3 has released nine albums. Their eighth album Ya Ya Yippee sold more than 50,000 copies in pre-sales within the Benelux. The ninth album, Kusjes, sold 20,000.
K3 has a children's television program called De wereld van K3. Originally, there were Dutch and Flemish versions, but only the Dutch version remains.
The band has released several DVD's with video clips, musicals, films and with specially recorded footage like K3 in de Ardennen.
In 2007, a team from Madame Tussauds in London took measurements of the band members for wax statues.
K3 unveiled these wax statues at Madame Tussauds Amsterdam on 4 July 2007.
On 10 May 2008, the band celebrated their 10-year anniversary with a new show 10 jaar K3. It was also celebrated in Plopsaland, a popular theme park for kids. They opened the K3 museum, in which there is an overview of their career. The museum's pieces include show outfits, interviews, and props from the movies, like the flying scooters from K3 en het magische medaillon, and their numerous gold and platinum records.

Line-up change (2009–10)

On Monday, March 23, 2009, Kathleen announced her departure at a press conference. "It was a tough decision, after all, I gave the best years of my life to K3. People change and life is constantly in motion; I'm 30 now and after ten years it's time to move on". She made her last two appearances with K3 in June at a Studio 100 showcase at the Rotterdam Ahoy. Karen and Kristel then searched for a replacement on television.
Belgian news program De Rode Loper reported that two celebrities were auditioning for the vacant spot but this turned out to be an April Fool's joke. Meanwhile, Kathleen has signed up for UNICEF ambassadorship and appears to have quit singing altogether.
The two remaining members of K3 kept searching for a new member through a talent show called 'K2 zoekt K3'. In the final episode, the Dutch Josje Huisman was chosen as the newest member of K3.

Further success (2010–14)

In 2010, K3 shot new episodes for their kids-talkshow and also started their own sitcom called "Hello K3", in which they portray fictional versions of themselves living in the same building and trying to balance a normal life with being superstars. This creates comic situations reminiscent of the television series The Monkees and also Friends. The first season of sitcom aired on television in fall 2010. A new single with the same name was also released on 15 September, on the album Eyo!. Their sitcom was also renewed for a second season which premiered in the Netherlands and Belgium in September 2011. In 2012 they released their album Engeltjes accompanied by their fourth movie K3 Bengeltjes. In 2013, they released their album Loko Le and their fifth movie K3 Dierenhotel.
In 2014 they also started a new unscripted TV-show, 'K3 kan het!', in which they travel through Belgium and the Netherlands to help children fulfill their dreams.

The new K3 (2015–present)

On March 18, 2015, it was announced that all current members were leaving the group. K3's label has announced that they'll look for new members in late 2015. A televised competition to determine who would become the new K3 started airing in the Netherlands and Belgium in August 2015. In November of that same year Hanne Verbuggen, Marthe De Pillecyn and Klaasje Meijer had been chosen as Karen, Kristel and Josje's successors and would become the new K3.
Later it had also been revealed that Kristel Verbeke, one of the original members, would become their new manager. In June 2017 Verbeke announced that she would quit her role of manager.
An animated series based on the band was released in 2015.

Members

;Former members
NameDate of birthPlace of birth
Kelly CobbautMechelen, Belgium
Kathleen AertsGeel, Belgium
Karen DamenWilrijk, Belgium
Josje HuismanHeusden, Netherlands
Kristel VerbekeHamme, Belgium

Timeline

Musicals

K3 has performed in several musicals. In Doornroosje, during 2002, they played three good fairies and in De 3 biggetjes in 2003. They played the eponymous three pigs, Knirrie, Knarrie and Knorrie and reprised these roles in 2007 for a tour of both Belgium and the Netherlands.
In 2011, they came back with a new musical, Alice In Wonderland with Josje Huisman, who had joined the group the previous year. The musical is the first live musical to use 3D projections. The production toured Belgium and the Netherlands in 2011.

K3 Museum

On 10 June 2006, a party was held at Plopsaland to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Studio 100. At the event, the band members opened the K3 Museum which provides an overview of their career. There are interviews, clothes, and props from the films to be seen, including the air scooters from the film K3 en het Magische Medaillon. Their gold and platinum certifications can also be seen.

Projects in other languages

In 2002, K3 recorded English, French and German-language versions of their third album, Tele-Romeo.
After K3 founder Niels William sold the act to Studio 100 in 2002, he moved to South Africa and started his own music studio. In March 2007, he launched X4, a four-member girl group that sang translations of K3 songs in Afrikaans and English. This group released Heyah Mama, which featured a single of the same name.
In May 2007, Studio 100 launched Wir 3, a German version of K3 which sang translated versions of K3 songs and emulated the original band's style by casting a redhead, a brunette, and a blonde.

My3

In October 2017, Studio 100 launched My3, a Polish version of K3 with production group Tako Media and television broadcaster Polsat. Unlike the other versions, My3 has not covered any K3 songs; their four albums comprise 32 original songs and 13 covers of Polish hits. They debuted with the song "Mammaje".
The three performers from My3 host videoblogs on YouTube and the children's programme My3 which premiered on 11 October 2017 on TV Polsat.
On 26 January 2018, My3 released their debut album with 12 songs previously shown on television and YouTube.
Their second album was released on 25 May 2018, with three original songs and seven covers of old Polish hits.
On 2 November 2018, My3 released their third album, which contained all-original songs honouring Poland; a deluxe extended version was released on 16 November with bonus Christmas songs.
On 31 May 2019, My3 released their fourth album, which consists of five original songs and five covers of Polish hits.
One of the covers is "Anyone I want to be" from Roksana Węgiel, the winner for Poland at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018. The album was promoted with the song "Różowe Okulary" recorded with participation of Anna Wyszkoni and her daughter Pola.
In 31 July 2018 confirmed the participation of the My3 team in Polish version the Dutch youth film "Misfit", which will be their acting debut. The film is expected to hit cinemas in Poland on 8 November.
On 16 August 2019 My3 performed in Young Choice Awards concert with young pop artist from Poland..
In the fall of 2019, the My3 team focused more on online activity by publishing two feature films on YouTube - including a parody of the comedy "Home Alone" in which one of the members played the main role and at the same time..
During the winter holidays in 2020, the My3 team twice organized in the Węgierska Górka for their fans the "My3Camp" camp, where children and teenagers could combine leisure with getting to know the band and having fun with it during a several-day stay.
On February 5, 2020, My3 girls announced the end of the band's activities on May 1. Until then, the farewell tour of "Przyjaciółki na zawsze " and a lot of surprises and memories on social media and YouTube will take place. A rather unexpected decision on the part of the girls to dissolve the band caused sadness and quite a stir in the comments under the farewell material posted by the trio of vocalists. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the "Przyjaciółki na zawsze" concert tour was postponed to September, as a result of which the band will be functioning until October 1, 2020.

Band members in non-K3 activities

Aerts played Snow White in the musical Sneeuwwitje and also played the lead role in De kleine zeemeermin.
From February to May 2008 Verbeke appeared in the musical Pinokkio as Nina de Ballerina, the title character's conscience.
Damen plays a PE teacher in television series Het Huis Anubis for the Dutch Nickelodeon channel.
In September 2007, Damen was a judge on the panel for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.
After quitting K3, Aerts has released several solo albums and singles.
The band members have occasionally, separately, or collectively, taken part in the television program De Notenclub, which allowed them to produce content for a more adult audience. Miguel Wiels, who is the co-author of most of the K3 songs, is one of the two regular piano players in the Flemish version of the programme. Another songwriter for K3, Alain Vande Putte, has also appeared as a singer on the show.
Karen Damen is also a judge on 'Belgium's Got Talent'.
In 2014, Josje Huisman played the main character of the TV-series "Fashion Planet," where she portrayed a young intern for a prestigious fashion magazine. The show was canceled after one season.
In 2018, former member Karen Damen played a role in a movie made by a popular Dutch YouTuber, Dylan Haegens.

Discography

;Studio albums
The members of K3 have also starred in several theatrical films and TV specials. They usually portray fictional versions of themselves, having all kind of adventures.
In 2004, they released their first theatrical film: K3 en het Magische Medaillon. The film premiered on 29 September 2004, and received favorable reviews. In the film, Dutch television celebrity Paul de Leeuw played the genie.
In 2006, the second theatrical film, K3 en het IJsprinsesje, was released. In this fairy tale film Carry Tefsen played the witch at the pancake house, Peter Faber played the king and famous Belgian comedian Urbanus played the wizard. More than half a million people in Belgium and the Netherlands bought tickets.
The third theatrical film, K3 en de Kattenprins had its Dutch premiere on December 20, 2007, and reached gold status in two weeks' time.
On December 12, 2012, a fourth theatrical K3 movie, K3 Bengeltjes was released in Belgium in the Netherlands. This was the first K3 movie without Kathleen, Josje's predecessor. The movie is connected to their sitcom, Hallo K3!, and stars some of the same actors and characters.
On February 12, 2014, a fifth theatrical K3 movie, K3 Dierenhotel, was released in Belgium and the Netherlands. This is the second movie featuring Josje Huisman and also includes actors and characters from the sitcom.
Recordings of their musicals and concert shows are also available on DVD.
It was announced on 14th May 2020 that K3 will be filming a new feature film called "Dans van de Farao".
TitleTranslationDVD release dateRemarks
Alle KleurenAll colours13-9-2001
Tele-Romeo17-6-2002
Doornroosje, de musicalSleeping Beauty, the musical23-1-2003First Musical
Toveren TourMagic tour2-5-2003
De 3 biggetjes, de musicalThe three piglets, the musical30-10-2003Second Musical
K3 in de ArdennenK3 in the Ardennes24-11-2003
K3 in WonderlandK3 in Wonderland16-2-2004
5 jaar K35 years of K310-3-2004
K3 en het Magische MedaillonK3 and the magic medallion27-1-2005First Bigscreen Movie
De wereld rondAround the world9-5-2005
K3 in AhoyK3 in Ahoy27-4-2006
K3 en het IJsprinsesjeK3 and the Little Ice Princess16-11-2006Second Bigscreen Movie
K3 in de sneeuwK3 in the snow10-01-2007
K3 ClipparadeK3 clip parade08-04-2007
K3 Superfan Quiz Game11-04-2007
K3 en het HeksenexamenK3 and the Witch's exam23-05-2007
K3 Karaoke12-11-2007
K3 en de KattenprinsK3 and the Catprince09-04-2008Third Bigscreen Movie
K3 en het ToverhartK3 and the magic heart12-11-2008
K2 terug K3K2 back K310-02-2010first DVD with Josje Huisman
K3 Show MaMaSé!19-05-2010
Hallo K3!Volume 1Hello K3, vol 12011with 3 seasons
K3 en het wensspel!K3 and the wish game2011clips of old and new songs
Alice in Wonderland, de musicalAlice in Wonderland, the musical2011Third Musical
K3 BengeltjesK3 Little Dangles2012Fourth Bigscreen Movie
K3 DierenhotelK3 Animalhotel2014Fifth Bigscreen Movie
K3 Love Cruise20-04-17
K3 Dans Van De FaraoK3 Dance of the Pharoah