Laïs

The Flemish vocal trio Laïs, whose members hailed originally from Kalmthout, rose from modest origins to rank among the leading acts in Belgium’s late-1990s folk resurgence. Their formation traces to a folk workshop in Gooik, where an a cappella performance of an Italian folk song by two of the future members prompted an ovation from those present. The group consists of vocalists Annelies Brosens, Jorunn Bauweraerts, and Nathalie Delcroix; their first significant public performance occurred at the Dranouter Folk Festival in 1996. Fellow artist Emmylou Harris offered the young singers strong praise at the event, providing motivation for the demanding years ahead. Laïs later joined the established ensemble Kadril for a national tour, after which they cut their self-titled debut album, Laïs. That recording, sung primarily in Dutch, received steady critical approval and ultimately surpassed 12,000 copies sold. In the ensuing months the trio played to capacity crowds across Belgium. Even as numerous comparable acts appeared, Laïs distinguished themselves through compelling concerts and radio tracks such as “Het Smidje.” A return to the Dranouter Festival in 1999, along with several French support dates for Sting, further elevated their profile, and the debut album achieved gold status that same year. Their sophomore effort, Dorothea, was tracked throughout 2000 and issued in November; the subsequent tour reached China and broadened their following well past their core Belgian and French listeners. In 2007 the group released its third album, The Ladies’ Second Song, which remained in the European World Music Charts Top 20 for several months.