Frontwoman Bea Van der Maat from Belgian Belpop act Won Ton Ton is no more
Belgian singer Bea Van der Maat from the Belgian pop act Won Ton Ton has passed away. Her family confirmed her passing in a concise statement: “She passed away on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at UZ Leuven. Béatrice, as she was known in full, was diagnosed with ALS in June 2022. Last Thursday, she chose euthanasia.”
Besides being a popular TV presenter and actress, Van der Maat was best known as the lead singer of Won Ton Ton.
Won Ton Ton achieved significant success in Belgium and the Netherlands in the late 1980s with their hit single “I Lie and I Cheat” (’87). Unfortunately, their subsequent (excellent!) singles “Hey Marlene” and “Can I come near you” (both ’88) didn’t enjoy the same level of success. In 1989, the band released their debut album, “Home.”
The group had aspirations for an American adventure as well. The success of “I Lie and I Cheat” brought them to New York, where they were invited to perform a showcase in front of numerous American record companies. While one company showed interest, Van der Maat discovered she was pregnant with her first child just as the US tour was about to begin. Consequently, the planned tour did not come to fruition.
Before Won Ton Ton, Van der Maat was part of the group Chow-Chow, which was active in the mid-1980s. With Chow Chow, she reached the finals of Humo’s Rock Rally in 1984.
In 1996, Van der Maat also released a solo album: “Thin Skinned”. She bid farewell to the music world definitively in 2010, after a final tour with Guy Swinnen. Our condolences to the family of friends, a true talent is gone.
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