Natalia Willy Druyts (born 3 December 1980), known mononymously as Natalia, is a Belgian singer. She became known in Flanders during the VTM program Idool 2003, in which she finished in second place. She has also served a coach in Flemish TV-programs The Voice van Vlaanderen, The Voice Kids and The Voice Senior.
Early life and career
Natalia was born on 3 December 1980 in Geel, Belgium. Her parents had always lived in Oevel, a village close by the Geel municipality. She graduated as a translator in English and Spanish.
Before 2003 Natalia was the singer of a small music group in Gierle (Belgium). This group was only known in the area of Turnhout (Belgium) and Westerlo (Belgium), where they had some performances. She got her breakthrough in 2003, which unfortunately meant she had to break up with her friends from 'Secret Me'.
In 2003 Natalia released her first single "Without You", the single peaked at number two in the Belgian charts and was certified gold in Belgium. Not much later, Natalia provided two songs for the Belgian movie Team Spirit II, releasing "I've Only Begun To Fight" as her second single and as part of the soundtrack for the movie. The song peaked at number one in the Belgian charts and was certified gold in Belgium. Shortly after, she recorded her first album, This Time. It was certified platinum in Belgium, and Natalia started her first tour, the This Time Live Tour. Originally planned as a 20 date tour, it was extended to 90 dates due to massive ticket demands. While on tour she performed at the pre-selections for the Eurovision Song Contest with "Higher Than The Sun", which was released as her third single. It peaked at number two in the Belgian charts. The fourth and last single of the This Time album was "I Want You Back", which peaked at number three in the charts.
In October 2005, Natalia released a single together with The Pointer Sisters, "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves", which reached number two in the Belgian charts. She performed 10 concerts with The Pointer Sisters in January 2006 during Natalia Meets The Pointer Sisters in the Sportpaleis, Antwerp, attended by more than 130,000 people.
Natalia released a single together with En Vogue called "Glamorous" in October 2007; it reached number two on the Belgian charts. In January 2008 she performed with En Vogue and Shaggy during Natalia Meets En Vogue, Feat Shaggy at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp.
In January 2011, Natalia planned a new concert series with an international superstar, this time she chose Anastacia. They recorded a single called "Burning Star", and in January 2011 toured as Natalia Meets Anastacia, selling over 75,000 tickets. In January 2014, Natalia was on the screen as a presenter for the first time. Together with Sam De Bruyn, she presented the Music Industry Awards on Eén. In the autumn of 2015 Natalia was a coach in the program The Voice Kids. A candidate from Natalia's team, Mentissa, eventually won the program. In 2015 she continued with her role as a coach in The Voice Kids. On 14 February 2015, Natalia was a guest at the Ladies of Soul in the Netherlands, singing the song Lady Marmalade.Natalia over toekomst: "Gedaan met boenke boenke", Het Laatste Nieuws, 13 February 2015 In August 2015, she presented her new single "Smoking Gun" during the Pop Up Live program on Eén.Natalia brengt verrassende single: "Dit is een nieuwe start", Het Laatste Nieuws, 6 August 2015Verrassende nieuwe single Natalia krijgt blijkbaar ook verrassende clip, Het Laatste Nieuws, 8 August 2015
Discography
Studio albums Year Title Chart positions Certifications BEL 2003 This Time 1st studio album Released: 3 November 2003 Formats: CD, digital download Versions: original version, New Version (including "Higher Than The Sun") Genre: Pop Label: Sony BMGBelgium: 2× Platinum 2004 Back For More 2nd studio album Released: 30 August 2004 Formats: CD, digital download Versions: original version, New Version (including "You Are" and "Heart Of Gold") Genre: Pop Label: Sony BMGBelgium: 3× Platinum 2007 Everything and More 3rd studio album Released: 28 May 2007 Formats: CD, digital download Versions: original version, New Version (including "Drop A Little (Single Version)", "All That I Am", "Where She Belongs") Genre: Pop Label: Sony BMGBelgium: 2× Platinum 2009 Wise Girl 4th studio album Released: 17 April 2009 Formats: CD, digital download Versions: original version, New Version (including "Feeling", "Soul Divided", "Mind, Body and Soul") Genre: Pop Label: Sony BMGBelgium: Platinum 2010 Acoustelicious 1st live album Released: 16 February 2010 Formats: CD Genre: Pop Label: Sony BMGBelgium: Platinum 2013 Overdrive 5th studio album Released: 26 April 2013 Formats: CD, digital download Genre: Pop, Dance Label: Universal Music BelgiumBelgium: Platinum 2016 In My Blood 6th studio album Released: 29 April 2016 Formats: CD, digital download Genre: Pop, soul Label: Natalia MusicBelgium: Platinum 2017 The Sound of Me 7th studio album Released: 9 June 2017 Formats: CD, digital download Label: Natalia MusicBelgium: Gold 2023 Hallelujah to the Beat 8th studio album Released: 21 April 2023 Formats: CD, digital download Label: Sony
Singles Title Year Peak chart positions Album BEL "Without You" 2003 2 This Time "I've Only Begun to Fight" 1 "Higher Than the Sun" 2004 2 "I Want You Back" 3 "Risin'" 2 Back For More "Fragile, Not Broken" 11 "Shelter" 2005 28 "Ridin' By/You Are" 12 "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves"(with The Pointer Sisters) 2 rowspan="2" "Rid of You" 2006 14 "Gone to Stay" 2007 9 Everything & More "Glamorous/Where She Belongs"(with En Vogue) 2 "I Survived You" 2008 26 "Drop a Little" 7 "All or Nothing" 13 Wise Girl "Heartbreaker" 2009 48 "Feeling" 36 "Still with Me" 63 "Hallelujah"(with Gabriel Rios) 2010 1 "On the Radio" — Wise Girl "Burning Star"(with Anastacia) 45 rowspan="3" "1 Minute" 2011 58 "Angel"(Lionel Richie featuring Natalia) 2012 32 "Overdrive" 2013 19 Overdrive "Boom" 10 "A Girl Like Me" 52 "Ride Like the Wind/Cavalgaré" 2014 55 "Downtown"(with Paul Michiels) 41 "A Singer's Heart"(Paul Michiels) "Smoking gun" 2015 13 In My Blood "You Are So Beautiful" 9 "In My Blood" 2016 16 In My Blood "Razorblade"(with Lara Fabian) — "Anyone Out There" — "Synchronize" — The Sound of Me "You've Got a Friend" (live) 2017 9 "How I Danced" (live) 31 "Conqueror" — "Hear That Sound" 2018 — "When You Came By" 2023 — Hallelujah to the Beat "Ready for the Ride" 23 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Notes A. "I Survived You", "Heartbreaker" and "Still with Me" were only released digitally. B. "Razorblade" did not enter the Flemish Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 5 on the Ultratip chart. C. "Anyone Out There" did not enter the Flemish Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 15 on the Ultratip chart. D. "Synchronize" did not enter the Flemish Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 12 on the Ultratip chart. E. "Conqueror" did not enter the Flemish Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 16 on the Ultratip chart. F. "Hear That Sound" did not enter the Flemish Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 2 on the Ultratip chart.
DVDs Back For More live (2005) (#1) Natalia Meets En Vogue feat. Shaggy (2008) Natalia Live in Hasselt – 10 Year Anniversary Concert (2013)
Awards Year Award-Show Award Result2003 TMF Awards Best New Artist National 2003 Tien Om Te Zien summer (vtm) Best song ("Without You") 2003 Tien Om Te Zien winter (vtm) Best song ("I've Only Begun To Fight") 2003 Jommeke's Newspaper Best Female Singer 2004 Tien Om Te Zien summer (vtm) Best Song ("I Want You Back") 2004 Tien Om Te Zien summer (vtm) Best Song ("Risin'") 2004 ZAMU Music Awards Most Popular 2004 TMF Awards Best Female Artist National 2004 TMF Awards Best Pop Natinonal 2004 Jommeke's Newspaper Best Female Singer 2004 één Best Song of the year ("Risin'") 2004 Online Men Magazine "Feliks" Most Desirable Woman of Belgium 2005 Tien Om Te Zien summer Best Song ("You Are") 2005 TMF Awards Best Female Artist National 2005 TMF Awards Best Pop National 2005 TMF Awards Best Album National ("Back For More") 2005 Online Men Magazine "Feliks" Most Desirable Woman of Belgium 2005 Kids Awards Chick of the Year 2006 ZAMU Music Awards Best Live Act 2006 TMF Awards Best Female Artist National 2006 TMF Awards Best Pop National 2006 Radio 2 Best Concert ("Natalia meets The Pointer Sisters") 2007 Radio 2 Best Summer Song ("Gone To Stay") 2007 Radio 2 Best Performance 2007 Tien Om Te Zien summer Best Song ("Gone To Stay") 2007 TMF Awards Best Pop National 2007 TMF Awards Best Album National (Everything & More) 2007 TMF Awards Best Female Artist National 2007 TMF Awards Best Live National 2007 Golden Flip Award Best Female Singer '2007 Showbizz-Site of 2007 Best website https://www.nataliamusic.be 2008 Music Industry Awards Best Live act 2008 Music Industry Awards Best Solo Artist 2008 Music Industry Awards Best Pop 2008 Music Industry Awards Best Song (Gone to Stay) 2008 Kids Awards Music of the Year 2008 Kids Awards Chick of the Year 2008 TMF Awards Best Female Artist 2008 TMF Awards Best Live Act 2008 TMF Awards Best Pop Act 2008 Radio 2 Best Song (I Survived You & Drop a Little) 2008 Radio 2 Best Performance (Natalia meets En Vogue ft. Shaggy) 2008 Radio 2 Best Video Clip (I Survived You) 2009 Radio 2 Best Performance (Glamorous Arena Tour) 2009 Radio 2 Best Song (All Or Nothing, Heartbreaker) 2009 TMF Awards Best Album (Wise Girl) 2009 TMF Awards Best Live Act 2009 TMF Awards Best Female 2009 TMF Awards Best Pop 2009 Music Industry Awards Best Pop 2009 Music Industry Award Best Female solo 2009 Music Industry Award Best Song (All Or Nothing) 2014 Music Industry Award Best Female solo 2014 Music Industry Award Best Pop
Autobiography Met Hart En Soul (English: With Heart and Soul) was written by Natalia and a ghost-writer. It is about her early life and career. The book was released on 8 October 2007.
References
External links
Official sites: NataliaDruyts.be NataliaMusic.be NataliaMusic.nl Natalia at My Space
Official site for Natalia Meets Anastacia Nataliameets.be