Qeaux Qeaux Joans
With her debut “No Man’s Land” she went straight into the Dutch album charts. She shared the stage with Bobby McFerrin and toured with Beth Hart and Seasick Steve. In the Netherlands Qeaux Qeaux Joans (pron.: Coco Jones) has left the status of an insider tip far behind. Norah Jones, Feist and Leslie Clio are just some of the greats she has been compared with. However, Qeaux Qeaux Joans creates her very own style of singer-songwriter pop, full of blues and soul.
On stage, Qeaux Qeaux Joans lives her music. She becomes one with it, no matter if it’s a spontaneous jam session in the city of Amsterdam or a festival performance in front of thousands of listeners. She is always 100 percent musician. With her wistful voice and charismatic appearance Qeaux Qeaux Joans communicates emotions without literally singing about them. From fragile moods and a grounded force, this exceptional artist unleashes her stories – and lives the true beauty and power of music. Produced by the well-known Dutch producer Reyn Ouwehand (Vanessa Paradis, Ane Brun and others), she presents a sensational debut that was released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland by Blackbird Music on June 14th, 2013.
You might believe in fate or you might not. In the end it’s all about decisions that influence our lives. In 2009 Qeaux Qeaux Joans spontaneously jumped on stage in the Amsterdam Paradiso during a show of Seasick Steve. The U.S. blues musician was blown away and canceled all his booked opening acts for 2011 to give the place to Qeaux Qeaux Joans and her band. This subsequently also led to an appearance on the national TV program ‘De Wereld Draait Door’.
Qeaux Qeaux Joans always had one goal in mind: to make music. However, her songs give the impression as if she has already passed through many different lives.
When she was only seven years old she wrote her first song. At 17 she was admitted at the Amsterdam Conservatory – where she studied for 4 years, though not graduating. Instead of neatly following her 9-hour singing lessons, Qeaux Qeaux could be found jamming amongst blues musicians in the center of the Amsterdam nightlife. When you have such a strong conviction of the journey you must take, there is no structure or authority to tell you otherwise. Later on she toured with Beth Hart, shared the stage with Bobby McFerrin and took part at Popronde in 2008.
Having had 10 years of piano lessons as a child, Qeaux Qeaux started experimenting with guitar in 2010. In an act of frustration she wrote half of ‘No Man’s Land’ on the E string with some bass lines. For the recordings of her debut album she decided to work with the well-known Dutch producer Reyn Ouwehand (Ane Brun and others). The recordings took place over three days. Most of the songs were recorded in one take to emphasize the live feeling they strived to achieve. After the recordings she asked none other than artist Rahi Rezvani to create the artwork and press photos. Rezvani worked with personalities such as Willem Dafoe and Marina Abramovic.
Qeaux Qeaux Joans understands that the specific setbacks she has faced in her life are now mirrored in the depth and sensitivity of her music. Not as a conscious choice, but as a silent understanding – a belief. The darkness as well as the light, both shape an equal part in the layering and measure of her musical canvas. The result is her debut album ‘No Man’s Land’ – a place for everyone.