PROJECTS
FESTI
As a song-writer, Fien loves to colour, sketch and play whilst singing and playing the piano, inspired by musical soul seekers such as Nina Simone, Feist, Joni Mitchell, ...
In 2022 she started a new band with these new gathered melodies, alongside Wout Gooris (piano), Sophie Verdickt (vocals), Gerben Brys (double bass) and Anke Verslype (drums).
TUMLA
Fien met double bassist Anneleen Boehme at the Royal College of Music of Antwerp, where they studied together. They found each other in a mutual taste in music, humor and literature, combined with their passion for jazz music. They have been working together as composers for theatre, and they composed and arranged the music for the play 'Bloemen van een autist' of Tutti Fratelli, led by Reinhilde Decleir and Jan Sobrie.
Next to that, they formed their own band 'tumla', a never-ending musical adventure which they love to share with the audience. One voice (sometimes even two), one double bass and a lot of artistic fun.
© Jan Dewyn
THEATRE
Fien is working as a freelance composer/musical leader for theatre productions. She has been working with author/actor/director Jan Sobrie on numerous occasions.
Together with Anneleen Boehme, she composed, arranged and lead the music for 'Bloemen van een autist', a play of the Antwerp based theatre company Tutti Fratelli which was written and directed by Jan Sobrie and co-directed by Reinhilde Decleir (2018-2019).
Also with Anneleen Boehme she played and composed music for the performance 'Liefde in tijden van Corona' by Joke Emmers and Daan Van Bendegem (2021).
In 2021, she composed music for a Dance Film by Fée Roels, commissioned by Jeugdtheaterhuis Larf! and performed as a musician in 'Coupe Familiale' by Theater Antigone at the Theaterfestival in deSingel, Antwerp.
In 2022 she wrote music for the performance 'Verenig u!' by Theater Antigone.
The production played in May 2022.
© Tutti Fratelli
WOLF
Wolf Trio is a jazz trio led by alto saxophone player Marjan Van Rompay, with Wout Gooris on piano and Fien Desmet on vocals. Marjan and Wout write beautiful tunes filled with bright melodies, challenging voice and saxophone to grow towards each other, creating an intimate atmosphere. Fien adds lyrics, trying to integrate the music in different stories.
© Pull & Over photographs
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS
In working together with other disciplines you're able to enrich yourself as a musician. Apart from theatre and dance, Fien also worked together with visual artist Sofie Van den Bril (Sofelie). Together they created 'Raamwerk', an interactive city walk presenting art and music. Alongside Anneleen Boehme she created the music for 'Bonnie', an interdisciplinary project by ZandZand in Oostende.
© Jolien Desmet
DUO WITH HANNE PEETERMANS
During the Covid 19-period, Fien and fellow singer Hanne Peetermans started to perform in residential care centres. They gathered a collection of beautiful songs in order to entertain the people living there, singing together and sharing the music.
© Benoit De Freine
DEKALOG WITH FIEN DESMET & AMAZUMI
DEKALOG comprises of Producer Sonny Dhanowa and Songwriter Dan Roberts. This partnership’s signature sound runs through the core of their music with a style that heralds creativity, craft and artistic dynamism.
Just add talent in the form of singer Fien Desmet and rapper Amazumi to deliver a new musical chapter, their first album – ‘Een’.
DEKALOG encompasses a hybrid sound that puts a flavorful spin on the Alt/Pop and Hip Hop/Trip Hop genres; delving into different elements in each song to showcase every angle of the band’s talent and craft. Their music puts a dark spin on the Pop genre and really explores the full spectrum of raw emotion. Their musical style and lyrical content juxtapose the visceral aura that the sound articulates and makes a connection with every listener in ways that they can and can’t identify with. It’s an edge-of-your seat listening experience for all those who want to delve into what lies beneath.
BIRDS ON A WIRE
Birds on a Wire is a strong female vocal ensemble, consisting of vocalists Amanda Kovac, Kimberly Dhondt, Hanne Peetermans and Fien Desmet. Together they arrange and rewrite pop-, jazz-, soul- and world-melodies for four voices, building their own repertoire. The fun of singing (together) is what binds them, and without avoiding big and little emotions, the four birds try to spin a yarn between fragility and power.
© Studio Brussel
JOHNI STOKERS
In 2018, double bass player Federico Stocchi and drummer Daniel Jonkers won the Toots Thielemans Jazz Award, when graduating from the jazz department of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Out of that opportunity, they built a band consisting of themselves, Sylvain Debaisieux on saxophone, Leo Engels on guitar and Fien Desmet on vocals. They create their own music that balances between rock and jazz.
MAY
From 2017 tot 2020, Fien played and performed with her own band, MAY.
Together with soulmates, friends and fantastic musicians Lukas Somers (guitar), Gerben Brys (bass) and Olivier Penu (drums) she sang her own compositions.
MAY equals sunday every day. A bunch of friends playing songs that shake your soul and invite you to listen to all the colours of the rainbow.
MAY released their first EP, called 'happily lost at sea', in November 2018.
Currently Fien pressed the pause button on MAY, in order to explore her own musical adventure.
© Hung Yu
© Hung Yu