Chef'Special

Formed in Haarlem, The Netherlands, in 2008, the five-piece Chef'Special wove ska, rap, and funk into an upbeat indie pop style suited to lively gatherings. The lineup featured lead vocalist Joshua Nolet alongside guitarist Guido Joseph, keyboardist Wouter Heeren, bassist Jan Derks, and drummer Wouter Prudon. After crisscrossing Western Europe aboard a tour bus they dubbed "The Mrs.," the group issued the EP Hungry in late 2009. The next year brought a festival audience award for the video of their single "Too Far Gone," which secured them a slot on the Dutch television program De Wereld Draait Door. Their first full-length release, One for the Mrs., appeared in 2011, and they returned to the same show as its Friday-night house band throughout the 2011-2012 season. The follow-up album Passing Through arrived in 2014 and entered the Dutch charts at number one. Another EP, Shot in the Dark, surfaced in spring 2015.