1. Overview
Sanne Hans, commonly known as Miss Montreal, is a prominent Dutch singer-songwriter and guitarist. She gained recognition as a versatile artist, initially as a member of the musical formation Ysis from 2005 to 2008, and subsequently as the lead singer and driving force behind the popular pop and rock band Miss Montreal, which she founded in 2008. Beyond her band work, Hans has cultivated a notable solo career, engaging in various individual music projects, collaborating with other artists, and making significant appearances as a judge and coach on several television music programs. Her career spans successful album releases, extensive tours, and impactful television roles, solidifying her status in the Dutch music and entertainment landscape.
2. Early Life
Roos-Anne Hans was born on September 22, 1984, in Dedemsvaart, a town in the Netherlands. Details about her early family background and childhood are not extensively documented, but her birthplace marks the beginning of her journey that would later lead to a prominent career in music.
3. Music Career
Sanne Hans has engaged in a dynamic music career, marked by her involvement in two distinct bands and a parallel solo venture. Her activities include the formation and evolution of her bands, significant album releases, extensive touring, festival appearances, and special performances.
3.1. Ysis
From 2005 to 2008, Sanne Hans was a member of the musical formation known as Ysis. The band consisted of Hans on vocals and guitar, Inge van Calkar also on guitar and vocals, and Ilse Gerritsen on the cello. A distinctive characteristic of the band members, including Sanne Hans, was that they all experienced stuttering. However, this speech impediment notably did not affect their singing abilities, allowing them to perform without hindrance.
3.2. Miss Montreal
In October 2008, Sanne Hans founded and became the lead singer of a new band named Miss Montreal. The band's lineup included Hans on lead vocals and guitar, Kobus Groen on bass and backing vocals, Michi Schwiemann on guitar, Thijs Rensink on drums, and Peter Hendriks on keyboards. The band was signed to the label 8 Ball Music.
Miss Montreal's debut single, "Just a Flirt," was released shortly after their formation. This was followed by their self-titled debut album, Miss Montreal, in May 2009, which featured "This is my life" as its second single. The band quickly gained prominence, performing at various major festivals including Lowlands, Parkpop, Beatstad, and Zwarte Cross. A significant milestone for the band was opening for the acclaimed British rock band Coldplay at the Goffertpark, performing in front of a massive audience of 70,000 spectators. In 2009, Miss Montreal also released a joint EP with Dutch singer-songwriter Bertolf Lentink, featuring the song "Won't You Let Me Have My Way with You."
Their second album, So... Anything Else?, was released in July 2010. To promote the album, the band embarked on an extensive tour across 20 Dutch cities, which continued until April 2011. Miss Montreal's third album, I Am a Hunter, was released on April 13, 2012. This release was supported by another long tour titled "S-SS-SSS-Sanne," which ran until March 2013, showcasing their dedication to live performances and audience engagement.
3.3. Solo Work and Television Appearances
Beyond her band commitments with Ysis and Miss Montreal, Sanne Hans has also cultivated a robust solo career. After the disbandment of Ysis in 2008, she expanded her activities to include advertising features and appearances on various Radio and television shows. She collaborated with other Dutch artists, performing "Dansen aan zee" with the band BLØF and "I Am Sorry" with the band Only Seven Left.
A notable moment in her solo career was her performance of the intro song for the children's television program Huisje, Boompje, Beestje in 2009, which contributed to her growing recognition. Her television presence further expanded when she joined the jury of the series De beste singer-songwriter van Nederland in 2012. Demonstrating her expertise and mentorship capabilities, Sanne Hans later served as a coach on the sixth, seventh, and eighth seasons of The Voice of Holland. Her coaching role continued when it was announced on June 24, 2019, that she would be replacing Ilse Delange as a coach in the ninth season of The Voice Kids.
4. Discography
Sanne Hans's discography includes musical works released both under her own name and as part of the band Miss Montreal.
4.1. As Sanne Hans
This section lists singles and other recordings released by Sanne Hans under her own name.
Year | NLD Single Top 100 | Peak positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|
Dutch Album Top 100 | |||
2015 | "Neem me mee" (with Marco Borsato) | 56 |
4.2. With Miss Montreal
This section presents the complete discography of the band Miss Montreal, including studio albums, demo albums, compilation albums, EPs, and singles.
;Albums
Year | Album | Peak positions |
---|---|---|
Dutch Album Top 100 | ||
2009 | Miss Montreal | 15 |
2010 | So... Anything Else? | 10 |
2012 | I Am Hunter | 5 |
2014 | Irrational | 3 |
2016 | Don't Wake Me Up | 2 |
;Demo albums
Year | Album | Peak positions |
---|---|---|
Dutch Album Top 100 | ||
2012 | The Home Recordings | 81 |
;Compilation albums
Year | Album | Peak positions |
---|---|---|
Dutch Album Top 100 | ||
2015 | The Singles Collection | 2 |
;EPs
- 2009: Miss Montreal / Bertolf (joint EP)
;Singles
Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NED Dutch Top 40 | NED Dutch Single Top 100 | BEL (Fl) | |||
2008 | "Just a Flirt" | 11 | 4 | - | Miss Montreal |
2009 | "This Is My Life" | Tip6 | 19 | - | |
"Seven Friends" | Tip3 | 31 | - | ||
"Addicted to Crying" | - | 19 | - | ||
"Being Alone at Christmas" | 5 | 7 | - | So... Anything Else? | |
2010 | "Swing the Night Away" | 34 | 23 | - | |
"Say What You See" | Tip13 | - | - | ||
2011 | "Wish I Could" | 35 | 31 | - | I Am Hunter |
"I know I Will Be Fine" | - | 41 | - | ||
2012 | "I Am Hunter" | 28 | 20 | - | |
"Wonderful Days" | 15 | 4 | - | Non-album release | |
"Better When It Hurts" | Tip8 | - | - | I Am Hunter | |
"Giving Up on You" | Tip12 | - | - | ||
2013 | "Hoe" (with Nielson) | 4 | 5 | 3* (Ultratip) | |
"Heavy Heart" | Tip5 | 69 | - | ||
"Say Heaven Say Hell" | 35 | 27 | - | ||
2015 | "Love You Now" | 23 | 82 | - | |
"Ik zoek alleen mezelf" (with Paskal Jakobsen) | - | 56 | 49* (Ultratip) | ||
2017 | "A Million Ways" | 26 | - | - | |
2019 | "Scared of Love" (with Wulf) | 31 | - | - | |
"Een stap terug" | 36 | - | - | ||
2020 | "Hier" | 37 | - | - | |
2021 | "Alles" | 33 | 64 | - |
Small text notes on the chart performance: "Tip" indicates that the release did not chart on the Dutch Top 40, but appeared on the Tipparade for "bubbling under" hits. An asterisk (*) indicates that the song did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.
;Other charting songs
Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NED Dutch Top 40 | NED Dutch Single Top 100 | BEL (Fl) | |||
2020 | "Door de wind" | 3 | 6 | 36 | From Beste Zangers 2020 |
"Laat me" (with Stef Bos) | - | 36 | - | ||
"Have You Ever Seen the Rain" (with Milow) | - | 66 | - |
5. External links
- [https://www.missmontreal.nl/ Miss Montreal official website]