Ann Christy (singer)

Belgian singer

Ann Christy

Background information
Birth name| Christiane Leenaerts
Born| (1945-09-22)22 September 1945
Origin| Antwerp, Belgium
Died| 7 August 1984(1984-08-07) (aged 38)
Jette
Genres| Pop
Occupation(s)| Singer

Musical artist

Ann Christy (born Christianne Leenaerts, 22 September 1945 in Antwerp – 7 August 1984 in Meise) was a Belgian singer who enjoyed success in her native country and is best known internationally for her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975.

## Early career

[edit]

Christy began a singing career with The Adams Orchestra, whose drummer, Marc Hoyois, she later married. Her first solo recordings met with little success. During this period she toured in Belgium and France with Salvatore Adamo. In 1968 she won the Knokke Cup singing contest.[1]

## Eurovision Song Contest

[edit]

Christy's first attempt to represent Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest came in 1970 with the song "Le temps, le vent" ("Time, Wind"), which failed to progress past the semi-final stage. She did better the following year, when "Dag vreemde man" ("Hello Stranger") finished in second place. A third attempt in 1973, when each of five chosen acts performed two songs, ended in third place for "Bye Bye". (Christy's other song, "Meeuwen" ("Seagulls"), was unplaced).[2]

Christy was finally successful in 1975, when "Gelukkig zijn" ("Being Happy") was chosen as Belgium's representative in the twentieth Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 22 March in Stockholm. Christy sang the first half of the song in Dutch and the second half in English, and although the song had been tipped to do well, it ended the evening in a very disappointing 15th place out of 19 entries.[3]

## Later career

[edit]

In 1977 Christy played in 152 performances of a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in the town of Mechelen.

She had a major hit in Belgium in 1980 with "De Roos", a Dutch-language version of Bette Midler's "The Rose". In 2008 this track topped a list of 1,000 classics voted for by the general public in a poll for Belgian radio channel, Radio 2.[4]

Compilations of Christy's work have been issued regularly in Belgium since her death, and recently these have included previously unreleased recordings.

## Death

[edit]

Christy was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1982, and died on 7 August 1984, aged 38.[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Knokke – Heist songfestival contestants 1959–1973". Europopmusic.eu. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
2. ^ "Eurovision Song Contest National Finals archive". Natfinals.50webs.com. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
3. ^ "Gelukkig zijn". Diggiloo.net. 21 March 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
4. ^ Radio2.be – 1,000 Classics (in Dutch) Archived 24 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ "Biography (in Dutch)". Houbi.com. Retrieved 24 September 2013.

Preceded by

Jacques Hustin
with "Fleur de liberté"

|  Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
1975  | Succeeded by

Pierre Rapsat
with "Judy et Cie"

|
|

* v
* t
* e

Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest

Participation|

* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1995
* 1996
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* ~~2020~~
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Artists|

* Roberto Bellarosa
* Bob Benny
* Blanche
* Lily Castel
* Vanessa Chinitor
* Ann Christy
* Clouseau
* Robert Cogoi
* Mélanie Cohl
* Copycat
* Lisa del Bo
* Barbara Dex
* Tom Dice
* Dream Express
* Eliot
* Frédéric Etherlinck
* Serge and Christine Ghisoland
* Gustaph
* Axel Hirsoux
* Hooverphonic
* Jacques Hustin
* Ingeborg
* Iris
* Ishtar
* Sandra Kim
* The KMG's
* Philippe Lafontaine
* Fud Leclerc
* Linda Lepomme
* Claude Lombard
* Jérémie Makiese
* Micha Marah
* Mony Marc
* Lize Marke
* Morgane
* Mustii
* Louis Neefs
* Nicole and Hugo
* Loïc Nottet
* Pas de Deux
* Pierre Rapsat
* Jacques Raymond
* Nuno Resende
* Reynaert
* Kate Ryan
* Liliane Saint-Pierre
* Bobbejaan Schoepen
* Sennek
* Sergio and the Ladies
* Nathalie Sorce
* Emly Starr
* Stella
* Telex
* Laura Tesoro
* Tonia
* Urban Trad
* Jean Vallée
* Witloof Bay
* Xandee
* Jacques Zegers

Songs|

* "1 Life"
* "À la folie ou pas du tout"
* "Als het weer lente is"
* "L'Amour ça fait chanter la vie"
* "Avanti la vie"
* "Baby, Baby"
* "Because of You"
* "Before the Party's Over"
* "City Lights"
* "Copycat"
* "Dis oui"
* "Door de wind"
* "Envie de vivre"
* "Euro-Vision"
* "Fleur de liberté"
* "Geef het op"
* "Gelukkig zijn"
* "Goeiemorgen, morgen"
* "Le Grand soir"
* "Hey Nana"
* "Hou toch van mij"
* "Iemand als jij"
* "Ik heb zorgen"
* "J'aime la vie"
* "Je t'adore"
* "Jennifer Jennings"
* "Judy et Cie"
* "Laat me nu gaan"
* "Laissez briller le soleil"
* "Liefde is een kaartspel"
* "Like the Wind"
* "Love Kills"
* "Love Power"
* "Ma petite chatte"
* "Macédomienne"
* "A Matter of Time"
* "Me and My Guitar"
* "Messieurs les noyés de la Seine"
* "A Million in One, Two, Three"
* "Miss You"
* "Mon amour pour toi"
* "Mother"
* "Nous, on veut des violons"
* "O Julissi"
* "Un peu de poivre, un peu de sel"
* "Le Plus beau jour de ma vie"
* "Près de ma rivière"
* "Quand tu reviendras"
* ~~"Release Me"~~
* "Rendez-vous"
* "Rhythm Inside"
* "Samson"
* "Sanomi"
* "September, gouden roos"
* "Si tu aimes ma musique"
* "Sister"
* "Soldiers of Love"
* "Straatdeuntje"
* "Ton nom"
* "Viens l'oublier"
* "La Voix est libre"
* "Waarom?"
* "Wake Up"
* "What's the Pressure"
* "With Love Baby"
* "Would You?"
* "The Wrong Place"

* Note: Entries scored out signify where Belgium did not compete

* v
* t
* e

Eurovision Song Contest 1975

Countries|

* Belgium
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Ireland
* Israel
* Italy
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Monaco
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Portugal
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* United Kingdom
* Yugoslavia

Artists|

* Shlomo Artzi
* Lasse Berghagen and the Dolls
* Ann Christy
* Simone Drexel
* Joy Fleming
* Géraldine
* Duarte Mendes
* Ellen Nikolaysen
* Pepel in kri
* Pihasoittajat
* Renato
* Nicole Rieu
* Sergio and Estíbaliz
* The Shadows
* Sophie
* The Swarbriggs
* Teach-In
* Wess and Dori Ghezzi
* Semiha Yankı

Songs|

* "At Va'Ani"
* "Une chanson c'est une lettre"
* "Dan ljubezni"
* "Ding-a-dong"
* "Era"
* "Et bonjour à toi l'artiste"
* "Gelukkig zijn"
* "Jennie, Jennie"
* "Let Me Be the One"
* "Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein"
* "Madrugada"
* "Mikado"
* "Old Man Fiddle"
* "Seninle Bir Dakika"
* "Singing This Song"
* "That's What Friends Are For"
* "Toi"
* "Touch My Life (with Summer)"
* "Tú volverás"

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* Germany

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

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