Anyone who visited CineMusic’s The Special last May will have heard her sing: the Flemish An-Sofie Moons. Among other pieces, she sang the beautiful solo from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. In September, she can be heard again with the CineMusic choir. This time at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. “This is bucket-list material!”
How old were you when you started singing?
“I started taking lessons at the academy when I was ten, something I did after school, but I don’t think my mouth ever stopped moving before then either. I grew up with music. My whole family makes music.”
And so you decided to go to the conservatory?
“That went a bit differently. I first studied languages for a year. But I discovered it wasn’t for me. Because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, I started working. Eventually, a friend of mine asked if I shouldn’t go to the conservatory after all. You see, I had never stopped singing. I actually thought I would be too old, but the seed was planted and eventually I decided to audition at three different conservatories. To my surprise, I was accepted at all three. I wasn’t prepared for that at all.”
Singing professionally also means you have to go on stage. Is that something that always appealed to you?
“Yes, at the academy we did a performance every year. I loved doing that. Even as a child, I thought it was wonderful to be able to perform a song and touch people with it. That’s what I still look for in music. I want to tell a story, to immerse myself, so that I can connect with the audience.”
Did you want to go in a classical direction?
“At the academy, it was a bit of a requirement that you also did classical. I didn’t mind that; I grew up with it and thought it was very beautiful. Although I enjoyed doing everything—classical, musical, pop music—I did feel that I was good at the classical side. I found my feet there quickly.”
How did you get in touch with CineMusic?
“I saw a call for choir members for a film choir on Facebook. It seemed great to me. Of course, it’s quite a long drive from Belgium. But I had just done another audition in the south of Belgium and thought: whether I cross the border and drive 2.5 hours or stay in the same country and have to drive 2.5 hours for a project, it doesn’t really make a difference. So I decided to audition.”
Did you know CineMusic before that?
“It was completely new to me. But once I looked up some information, I thought: wow, how is it possible that I’ve never heard of this? The orchestra was already doing so many concerts. Besides, it’s a really large orchestra.”
How do you prepare for an audition like that?
“For the first audition, I was allowed to choose which song I wanted to perform. I wanted to sing a song where I could really express myself. But it had to be a song that I knew I could still do even if I was nervous or hadn’t slept well. So I sang ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ from My Fair Lady. A bit of a musical vibe, but classical musical. That way, I could also make the audition a little bit theatrical by immersing myself in the music.”
When did you hear that you were allowed to sing a solo?
“That was a very funny moment. During the lunch break on the first rehearsal day with the choir, Rob (the choir leader) asked if everyone was okay with finishing half an hour early. Then he mentioned a few names of people who did have to stay longer. I was one of them, but we didn’t know why we had to stay. It wasn’t until later that we heard he wanted to choose who would sing the solos.”
Your first CineMusic performances in the Netherlands were at the PHIL. and in Amare. How was that for you?
“Oh wonderful, it was such a breath of fresh air to be allowed to sing in a hall like that. The acoustics of those venues… everything is designed to let the music come into its own as much as possible. In a concert hall like that, the music carries to the very back. Even when you’re singing solo. You have very direct contact with the audience.”
And in September you’ll be at the Concertgebouw with CineMusic!
“Oh, when I heard I was allowed to sing solo, the first thing I said was: oh my god, I’m going to sing solo in the Concertgebouw! Truly unbelievable, this is bucket-list material. Such a famous, beautiful hall. You hope that you might get to sing in a hall like that one day, but you also know the chances aren’t very high.”
What do you personally find special about CineMusic?
“The incredibly nice and professional people who work at CineMusic. That’s something I constantly tell people when they ask me how it was in the Netherlands. It’s unbelievable how pleasant everyone is to work with. On stage, I really feel: I am surrounded by very talented people. Not just the musicians and choir members, but also the technicians and everyone in production.”
What is your favorite CineMusic piece to sing?
“Ah, that’s a tough one. We do a piece from Tintin. And Tintin is, of course, Belgian in origin. I grew up with the cartoon myself. But my solo is right after Tintin during the concert show. Because of that, I have to leave the stage and wait backstage just before Tintin starts. But that means I can’t sing along with Tintin, and I find that such a shame. That’s why I asked if I could sing along backstage, and that’s what I do now.”
Will you be participating again next season when CineMusic plays The Special?
“Absolutely. I’m already keeping my schedule free for it. Whatever I have to do, I want to be there regardless.”
Where else can we hear and see you this coming season?
“I have a few projects abroad coming up. And besides that, I mostly do smaller concerts. Like singing at a wedding or for private occasions. The biggest project currently in my diary is in March 2026. I’ll be playing the role of Lucy in the musical Jekyll and Hyde. That’s for the company ‘De Speling’ in Antwerp.”