Ks Choice

K's Choice is a Belgian rock band from Antwerp. The core of the band is formed by Sarah (vocals, guitar) and Gert Bettens (guitar, keyboard and vocals), who are brother and sister. Eric Grossman (bass guitar), Koen Lieckens (drums), Reinout Swinnen (keyboards) and Thomas Vanelslander (guitar) complete the lineup.

In the early 90s, Sarah and Gert played in an amateur band, The Basement Plugs . This led to Sarah being discovered. She was given a chance at a record label because of her husky, enigmatic voice. Under the English-sounding name Sarah Beth, she appeared on several film soundtracks with covers, including I'm so lonesome I could cry (originally by Hank Williams) for the film Vrouwen willen trouwen and a duet with Frankie Miller Why don't you try me (originally by Ry Cooder) for the film Ad Fundum . She was offered a contract and formed a band with her brother Gert. Under the name The Choice, they recorded their debut album The great subconscious club in 1993.

In 1994, the band had five more or less permanent members: Sarah and Gert, Jan van Sichem Jr (guitar), Koen Lieckens (drums) and Erik Verheyden (bass guitar), who had been with them since 1991. The five of them toured through Germany and the US, as the opening act for the Indigo Girls, an American band. When they arrived in the US, they were forced by another group that also went by The Choice to change their name; they decided that K's Choice captured the spirit of the band. K comes from Jozef K. from Kafka's The Trial . Jozef K. has no choices, so the name is meant ironically, as a strange, incomprehensible impossibility, which recurs in a number of their songs.

In 1995, K's Choice recorded Paradise In Me . Not an Addict , a single from this album, was hugely successful and brought international recognition. At that point, Bart van der Zeeuw took over drums from Koen Lieckens and there was no longer a permanent bassist. The following year (1996-1997), they were part of the opening act for Alanis Morissette, who had seen K's Choice at one of many European festivals. In 1998, their third album Cocoon Crash was completed. Meanwhile, American Eric Grossman had become the permanent bassist. In 1999, they released the 'extra' album Extra cocoon: all access . In 2000, they completed their last studio album Almost Happy . Koen Lieckens had returned as drummer by then. In 2001, Live appeared (a 2-CD collection of live recordings) and in 2003 they released 10 - 1993/2003, Ten Years Of (a collection of ten years of singles and a number of songs that did not appear on any of the albums). They also released a DVD with the same name.

Besides four albums, a live album and a best of, the band also released 3 fan club CDs: 2000 seconds live , Home and Running backwards . For fans, a limited edition double vinyl (LP) of Almost Happy was also released.

In 2003, the band decided to take a break. Both Gert and Sarah wanted to pursue solo work. Gert was producer of an album (for Venus In Flames) and also played guitar in that band for a while. Sarah sang for various film soundtracks: All of this past for Underworld and Someone to say hi to for Zus & zo . In 2004, Go appeared, an EP with 5 songs ( Go , Fine , Grey , Follow Me and Don't Stop ). In March 2005, Sarah Bettens' first solo full-length album came out, titled Scream . Gert began his solo career in 2005 with the band Woodface and on August 25, 2005, his single Something to break was released. His solo debut album Good morning hope came out on September 19, 2005.

In early November 2007, Gert Bettens said in an interview that K's Choice was recording new material for a new album due to come out around 2009. On January 12, 2008, the band was seen in the Netherlands for the first time in four years. As an encore to Sarah Bettens' performance at the Parkstad Limburg Theater, K's Choice played the songs Not an addict and Everything for free . On June 8, 2009, the band announced on their website that they would play at the 35th edition of Folk Dranouter. It was also indicated that the new album would likely come out in late March 2010. In December 2009, the single When I lay beside you was released; the song became the theme song for the Music For Life fundraising campaign.

To celebrate K's Choice's return to the international stage, Sony Music released the compilation album The Essential K's Choice in 2009. On March 26, 2010, the new studio album Echo Mountain came out in the Benelux. On March 29, 2010, the rest of the world followed.

In 2013, Sarah and Gert Bettens released under the name Bettens the partially instrumental soundtrack to the documentary film Beyond The Challenge by Dixie Dansecoer about Antarctica under the title Waving at the Sun . In 2015, a new album by K's Choice was planned.