TWENTY 4 SEVEN THE STORY
When in 1989 successful Dutch producer, remixer and owner of the “Twenty 4 Seven” concept Ruud van Rijen started with this dance group, he couldn't foresee it's enormous success both nationally and internationally.
TWENTY 4 SEVEN Feat. MC Fixx-It
In the beginning he started out with rapper MC Fixx-it. The single was called “I can’t stand it”. This was a hip-hop track (100 BPM). The chorus was made by Ruud himself with a vocoder.
Because it was just a little hit in the Dutch Tip-Parade Ruud decided to make the track more commercial. He started working out a Hip-House version (124 BPM) which was totally different from the original. This time he changed the chorus vocoder and used a female vocal. This was the first time Nance was introduced in the group. This Record went top 20 in Holland.
TWENTY 4 SEVEN Feat. Captain Hollywood
After a few months there was interest by a record company in Germany. They love the record but asked Ruud to re-record the record in Germany and use a different rapper. Ruud decided to do that.
He started out with rapper Captain Hollywood and vocalist Nance joined by 2 dancers Jacks and Hanks.
This re-recorded single became a smash hit all over Europe, claiming the number 1 spot in various countries. This led to worldwide success. The second single, "Are You Dreaming", from the debut album "Street Moves", appeared to be a good follow up in view of the chart positions it gained. After finishing the album “Streetmoves” Captain Hollywood decided to start his own career.
Captain Hollywood eventually left the group. His place was filled by Stay-C in 1992. Until 1995 he and Nance formed Twenty 4 Seven.
TWENTY 4 SEVEN Feat. Stay-C and Nance
Their first single together was called "It Could Have Been You", but unfortunately for them this single didn't have the impact as they hoped it would have!
Twenty 4 Seven went back into the studios and recorded the single "Slave To The Music". This single became an enormous success, claiming the number 1 spot in Australia, Czechia, most Latin-American countries and South Africa, hitting Top 5 in Holland, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Portugal and Top 10 in Finland, , Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand.
The next singles (Is it love, Take me away, Why don’t you leave them alone, Oh baby) and album, also entitled "Slave To The Music", were just as successful and helped Twenty 4 Seven to become a worldwide top-act. In several countries all over the world Twenty 4 Seven received Golden and Platinum Awards for both singles and albums.
The third album, "I Wanna Show You", was released in December, 1994, at times when the first single from this album, "Oh Baby", made it high in the charts in a big part of Europe. The second single "Keep On Trying" saw its release in March, 1995. The same year in which Twenty 4 Seven proudly received the Dutch Export Award of 1994. In spring 1996 they received a Golden Award for the album "I Wanna Show You" (South Africa) and double Platinum for the album "Slave To The Music" (also in South Africa).
ANOTHER CHANGE
TWENTY 4 SEVEN Feat. Stay-C and Stella
The Twenty 4 Seven fans had to wait more than a year for a new single. In that year Nance was replaced by Stella. During the summer of 1996 Twenty 4 Seven released a new single “We are the world” and a couple of months later the release of "If You Want My Love" was a fact. The release of this track was delayed a couple of times because "We Are The World" suddenly did very well in many countries. After “If you want my love” they released "Friday night" and the new fourth album “Twenty 4 hours 7 days a week”. The release of the single “Ne Ne” came a few months later. It was recorded with Stay-C. Stella wasn't part of the group anymore at that moment.
After this release Ruud decided to stop for the moment.
TWENTY 4 SEVEN Feat. Elle
After a period of 11 years of silence Ruud decided to pick up the pieces and proceed with the group. In 2005 he met “Elle” and was impressed of her voice. After working a while in the studio, Ruud decided to record the new Twenty 4 Seven single with her. In September 2007 the recording of “Twenty 4 Seven - Like flames” was a fact. A great video was shot, in which Ellen showed her talent as well as her beauty. The hectic life of showbusiness drove her back to her former job, away from the spotlights.
TWENTY 4 SEVEN Feat. Stay-C and Li-Ann
Right after Elle left the group, Ruud bumped into this marvelously talented and beautiful young female singer Li-Ann. She was one of the winners of a very popular Talent TV show in Holland, in which she competed with thousands of other talented people. The winners of this contest formed the Girl group named RAFFISH. A group of 5 cautiously selected beautiful and talented young girls. After several hits the group split up and Li-Ann started her solo career. She released 2 singles, Pop The Cherry and Friday, both accompanied by great video’s.
When Ruud approached her to be the female singer of Twenty 4 Seven and told her about the upcoming plans and activities of the group, she grabbed the chance to travel around the world and do concerts in all regions where Twenty 4 Seven is still very popular.
All Ruud had to do now is get Stay-C back on the train, which wasn’t very hard after he heard about the plans and the cooperation with a talent like Li-Ann.
Ruud produced a new 2010 version of their classic Slave To The Music and the voices of Li-Ann and Stay-C matched perfectly in the studio.
Slave To The Music 2010 will be released in November 2010 and the video of this track is already shot with one of the most sophisticated camera’s that is currently around.
Ruud and Stay-C are working on the follow up single, which is planned for early 2011 and a brand new album that will follow shortly after.
Stay-C and Li-Ann will be working 24/7 all around the world again. They started off in October in Latin America, where they had some very successful concerts, proving the everlasting popularity of Twenty 4 Seven.
