A small history: Astrid moved to Emmeloord (The Netherlands) when she was about 10 years old, at that time she started with her singing lessons at the 'Muzisch Centrum'. The first two years those lessons where mostly in classical singing, after that followed three years of light music. Actually Astrid has been singing all her live, growing up singing together with her sister. Her mother tried to give her piano lessons but she liked it better to just experiment herself. That way she made her own songs and when that became serious she recorded Beautiful Red.
Astrid also plays a bit of guitar, she has a nice acoustical one but would really like to have an electrical guitar. She saved up some money and now has a black Fender. The play isn't that superb (yet :) as she learned it herself just like the way she taught herself the piano's. But it's good enough to guide her own vocal expressions.

Astrid currently is part of theEndorphins!!!

In the summervacation of 2000, youthcentre 'de Klos' in Emmeloord (The Netherlands) was being redesigned into a kind of a studio (by Edwin Lubben, "Many thanks for everything!!). Under own management Astrid created her own CD. It contains 15 tracks, of which Astrid wrote all the lyrics and the music herself. The CD is not for sale in the store, but for fl 25,00 (guilders, excluding packaging) or about 12.50 euro's it can be bought from Astrid directly by sending her an email and asking for the further details. The music can be described as alternative easy listening pianomusic. Astrid is compared to Tori Amos, Kate Bush and Alanis Morisette, even though she only started to know these artists after she got compared to them. Though maybe she has been influenced by them after all due to childhood memories.
Aad van Steenoven had Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon) listen to Beautiful Red because he had heared rumours that Arjen was searching for a female vocalist for his new project Ambeon. When Arjen heared 'Beautiful Red' he got enthousiastic and send some of his music to Astrid to enquer her what she thought of it. Astrid had never heared any of Arjen's song before. As Astrid responded completely positive, Arjen asked her if she would like to sing a song for his new cd. This cd would become a collection of all kinds of new songs in new jackets. Astrid was going to sing was called 'Temple Of The Cat' (nr 5 on the cd). At that time Arjen also asked if she would like to work along with his new Ambeon project for which Astrid wrote all the lyrics and melodies herself. A preview of which can be found as track 11 (Cold Metal).
When Astrid had agreed to work along with Arjen's new 'ambeon' project, he send her all kinds of current work in progress mixes. Each time he finished something he sent them over to Astrid. Originally it was meant that Astrid wrote some lyrics and singingpaterns on those 'old' Ayreon songs which Arjen completely revamped. In the end most songs are completely unrecogizable. These songs would originally form the new album along with some guest performers. But when Arjen heared Astrid's voice he promptly got the idea that she would simply sing along with some numbers which wouldn't been written by Astrid. But as the work progressed very smoothly it changed and Astrid did all the lyrics and melodies herself. After all it all was quite a challenge but Astrid is proud of herself and satisfied with the end result.

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