Ben Saunders (singer) explained

Ben Saunders
Birth Date:1983 7, df=yes
Birth Place:London, England
Origin:England
Alias:Tattoo Ben
Instrument:Vocals
Occupation:Singer, tattoo artist
Years Active:1998–present
Label:8ball Music
Associated Acts:Dean Saunders
Follow That Dream (band)
The Brothers (band)

Ben Saunders (born 9 July 1983) is a Dutch singer who won the first-ever title of the Dutch singing competition series The Voice of Holland broadcast on RTL 4. The final of 2010–2011 season was held live on 21 January 2011.[1] Saunders is also a tattoo artist. He is popularly known as "Tattoo Ben".

Early life

Saunders is of English origin. He is the younger brother of Dean Saunders who on 22 January 2011, won the title of the third season (2010–2011) of the Dutch music competition Popstars, notably only a day after Ben's victory on The Voice.[2]

Brothers Ben and Dean Saunders both started applying to talent competitions early like for the series Daddy's Wish. They also took part in 1998 in Life is like a box of chocolates program.

Career

1998–2003: Follow That Dream

See main article: Follow That Dream (band). In 2000, Dean and Ben Saunders both took part in RTL 4's Alles voor de band: Follow that dream. They were part of the band Follow That Dream (F.T.D.) (that included besides the two brothers Vanessa Eman, Rosa Vuik, Linda van Toornburg and Peter van der Meer. The band was signed to Dino Music record label.

Their debut single the self-titled "Follow That Dream" was released in November 2000 reaching No. 25 in the Dutch Top 40. 6 months later, the band split after the great popularity of the rival Starmaker show.

2003: Eurovision Song Contest entry

On 15 February 2003 the Saunders brothers took part in the 2003 Dutch Nationaal Songfestival, a Dutch national music pre-selection contest for qualification to Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Riga, Latvia. They performed the song "Stand As One"[3] in the third heat under the name "The Brothers" getting just 10 points and finishing with 3% of the popular vote as seventh out of 8 participants.

2010–present: The Voice of Holland

In 2010, Ben Saunders applied to The Voice of Holland singing competition proving to be very popular with both judges and the voting public, after singing in his audition "Use Somebody" from Kings of Leon. Ben was coached by Roel van Velzen.[4] In the final, he sang his number one single, his cover version rendition of "If You Don't Know Me by Now" and duetted with Welsh singer Duffy on her song "Warwick Avenue" and won by 59% of the votes against runner-up Pearl Jozefzoon.[5]

Saunders has charted with four different songs in the top 15 of the Dutch charts, including attaining No. 1 position with his single "Kill For a Broken Heart".

Personal life

Ben Saunders was born in England in 1983, but moved to the Netherlands in 1986, aged three. He resided in Hoorn, about 35 kilometres north of Amsterdam.

Before applying to the competition, Ben Saunders worked as a tattoo artist. He owned a tattoo parlour in Hoorn.[6] He was popularly nicknamed "Tattoo Ben" because of his extensive tattoos.

In 2014 Saunders joined the notorious Satudarah motor club;[7] club meetings are occasionally hosted in his tattoo parlour since.[8] In May 2015 Saunders was arrested for assaulting a traffic warden.[9] [10] [11]

Discography

Albums

YearTitleChart positionsAs
NL
[12]
2000The Albumalign="center" valign="top"-Band: Follow That Dream
2011You Thought You Knew Me By Now1Solo: Ben Saunders
2012Heart & Soul7

Singles

YearTitleChart positionsAs
NL 40
[13]
NL 100
[14]
TR 100
2000Follow that dream2513align="center" valign="top"-Band: Follow That Dream
2001One night in Shanghaialign="center" valign="top"-align="center" valign="top"-align="center" valign="top"-
2003Stand as onealign="center" valign="top"-align="center" valign="top"-align="center" valign="top"-Duo: The Brothers
2010I'm in love with a girlalign="center" valign="top"-19align="center" valign="top"-Solo: Ben Saunders
If you don't know me by know111align="center" valign="top"-
Dancing in the street (ft. Alain Clark)align="center" valign="top"-28align="center" valign="top"-
When a man loves a woman431align="center" valign="top"-
2011I heard it through the grapevinealign="center" valign="top"-6align="center" valign="top"-
Kill for a broken heart41align="center" valign="top"-
Dry your eyes178align="center" valign="top"-
All over4372align="center" valign="top"-
Heart strings (this is love)5830align="center" valign="top"-
2012Heart strings – International versionalign="center" valign="top"-97align="center" valign="top"-
No cure339align="center" valign="top"-
2014What you do (feat. Glowinthedark)align="center" valign="top"-align="center" valign="top"-1

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Die Telegraaf: Ben Saunders wint TVOH . 26 February 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121010204451/http://www.telegraaf.nl/prive/8805224/__Ben_Saunders_wint_TVOH__.html . 10 October 2012 . dead .
  2. Web site: Ben Saunders – Kill For A Broken Heart – The Voice of Holland Winner. https://archive.today/20120910024937/http://www.rickey.org/ben-saunders-kill-for-a-broken-heart-the-voice-of-holland-winner/. dead. Rickey.org. 10 September 2012.
  3. Web site: Performance during Nationaal Songfestival. YouTube. 25 July 2020.
  4. Web site: Ben Saunders audition to The Voice of Holland. YouTube. 25 July 2020.
  5. Web site: 404 - Page not found. Rtlgroup.com. 25 July 2020.
  6. Web site: All the news from Hounslow - getwestlondon. Mylondon.news. 25 July 2020.
  7. http://www.nu.nl/achterklap/3950938/ben-saunders-lid-van-motorclub-satudarah.html Ben Saunders lid van motorclub Satudarah
  8. http://www.rtvnh.nl/nieuws/162707/grimmige-sfeer-in-hoorn-tijdens-confrontatie-satudarah-en-hells-angels Grimmige sfeer in Hoorn tijdens confrontatie Satudarah en Hells Angels
  9. http://www.rtvnh.nl/nieuws/163895/ben-saunders-slaat-verkeersregelaar-tegen-de-vlakte Ben Saunders slaat verkeersregelaar tegen de vlakte
  10. http://nos.nl/artikel/2034095-ben-voice-of-holland-saunders-opgepakt-voor-mishandeling.html Ben 'Voice of Holland' Saunders opgepakt voor mishandeling
  11. http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1022/Celebs/article/detail/4001406/2015/05/05/Ben-Saunders-opgepakt-voor-mishandeling.dhtml Ben Saunders opgepakt voor mishandeling
  12. Web site: Dutch Charts > Rumer. Dutchcharts.nl/.
  13. Web site: Radio 538. https://web.archive.org/web/20090228204442/http://www.radio538.nl/web/show/id%3D44685. dead. 28 February 2009. Radio 538. 25 July 2020.
  14. Web site: Dutch Mega Single Top 100 . 22 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140306092030/http://www.dutchcharts.nl/ . 6 March 2014 . live .