At the Flanders Folk Awards during Belgian Music Week, Vera Coomans received a Lifetime Achievement Award. This was a crowning achievement for the unique career she has built with her band Madou since the 1980s.

Madou is timeless and cult. In 1981, they released their debut single Witte Nachten, pure Belpop gold, followed by the amazing Niets is voor altijd, which every year earns a place in Radio 1's Belpop 100. In 1982, they released their self-titled debut album. ‘Anyone who is not moved by Vera Coomans' voice is dead inside. She is the Marianne Faithfull of Flanders,’ says Belpop expert Jan Delvaux.

Madou made a comeback in recent years and rose again thanks to the next generation. The driving force was Thomas Devos, son of Jan and Vera. He brought in fresh material that rekindled the fire and made new arrangements for older songs. Wiet Van De Leest, co-founder of Madou, rejoined the band and his son, Louis Van De Leest, was also brought in. Mattijs Vanderleen (Marble Sounds and Tommigun, among others) took care of the rhythm section and Marc De Maeseneer, one of the country's best saxophonists, joined the band on stage. Thus, after four decades, Madou was finally continued.

This year, that story will get a special chapter. Vera Coomans is celebrating her prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, Wiet Van De Leest is saying goodbye to the band after many years and will play his last three concerts in Belgium in January 2027. And finally, a vinyl box set will be released in the autumn.

Line-up:

Vera Coomans: vocals and backing vocals
Wiet Van De Leest: violin, keyboards
Louis Van De Leest: keyboards, Wurlitzer
Thomas Devos: guitar and backing vocals
Marc De Maeseneer: saxophone
Mattijs Vanderleen: drums