Sergio & the Ladies

Sergio’s Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Sergio (born Serge Quisquater in 1965) grew up in Leuven, Belgium. He recorded his first song in 1988. The next year he got his first taste of fame on a popular TV music show with a catchy pop tune. These early experiences shaped his passion for the stage and set the foundation for his musical career.

Music Career Before Eurovision

Sergio became well-known in the 1990s as half of the pop duo Taste of Joy with singer Sandy Boets (who later performed as Xandee). The duo released several singles and albums, later rebranding as Touch of Joy, and they even achieved international success. In 1999 Sergio branched out and began hosting television entertainment shows. That same year, Touch of Joy scored a big hit with the dance-pop track “I Can’t Let You Go”. In 2000, Sergio also found solo success with “Allez Allez Allez”, a cheerful football anthem recorded for the European Championships. By the early 2000s he was a familiar face in Belgian pop music and on TV.

Eurovision 2002: Sergio & The Ladies

In 2002, Sergio set his sights on the Eurovision Song Contest. He entered Belgium’s national selection with an upbeat song called “Sister” and a team of three female vocalists (billed as “The Ladies”) backing him. They won the Belgian final and earned the ticket to Eurovision. For the international contest, the act’s name was modified from “Sergio @ The Ladies” to “Sergio & The Ladies” to avoid any confusion in English. At the Eurovision 2002 final in Tallinn, Estonia, Sergio & The Ladies delivered a lively, retro-styled performance of “Sister.” Belgium finished in 13th place out of 24 countries with a total of 33 points. Sergio was somewhat disappointed with that result. However, the exposure paid off back home. “Sister” became a hit in Flanders and even earned a gold record.

After Eurovision, the group enjoyed a brief moment in the spotlight. They released an album titled Road to Freedom in 2002, riding on their Eurovision fame. The album reached the top 10 in the Belgian charts and showcased the group’s pop and dance influences. Sergio & The Ladies also released follow-up singles, including “Love on a Lonely Day” and the uplifting title track “Road to Freedom” (recorded with the famous Scala choir). Despite these releases, Sergio & The Ladies was a short-lived project mainly centered around the Eurovision experience. By the end of 2002, Sergio had moved on to new solo opportunities.

Sergio’s Later Career

Sergio continued to have a dynamic career after Eurovision. In 2004, he took on a managerial role for his former partner Xandee when she represented Belgium at Eurovision. He also returned to television presenting. In 2006, he co-hosted the adventure game show Fata Morgana, entertaining viewers with fun challenges. That same year, Sergio competed in (and won) the singing show Just the Two of Us. He then signed with the VTM network and hosted programs like De Foute Quiz, a comedy quiz show, as well as celebrity reality shows. In 2010, Sergio even joined the reality adventure series Expeditie Robinson, where his laid-back approach on a remote island became a talking point. He further showed his versatility by acting in stage musicals. In 2015 he played a comical villain in Wickie, de Musical.

Music remained a constant thread in Sergio’s life. Starting in 2013 he began releasing new pop singles in Dutch on a regular basis. Several of these songs found chart success. In 2014, his single “Alleen bij jou” (“Only With You”) hit number one on the Flemish Top 50 chart. Sergio celebrated over three decades in show business with a double album, Ik ben Sergio, released in 2020. The album showcased his past hits and new material, and it spent eight weeks on the Belgian charts. In 2021, Sergio made a TV comeback as a presenter of De Sterkste Handen, a talent show, alongside pop singer Natalia. 

Ingrid Simons (The Netherlands)

Ingrid Simons (born 17 November 1963 in Paramaribo) is a Dutch singer and a leading backing vocalist. She built a long career in pop and dance. Ingrid sang with T‑Spoon, and her voice can be heard on hits like “No Time 2 Waste.” She also performed with the vocal group Ebonique. In 1995 she recorded the title theme for the TV soap Goede tijden, slechte tijden. In 2002 she stood on the Eurovision stage as one of Sergio & The Ladies for Belgium’s entry “Sister.” She is also the mother of international pop artist Eva Simons.

Ibernice MacBean (The Netherlands)

Ibernice MacBean is a Dutch singer and vocal coach. She graduated from Codarts (Rotterdam Conservatory) in 1998 and later qualified at the Complete Vocal Institute in Copenhagen. She performs jazz, pop and soul, and toured Europe with Zap Mama. Her first solo album, Little Black Curls, appeared in 2013. She teaches pop vocals at KASK & Conservatorium in Ghent and at Codarts. She is also a long‑running vocal coach on TV shows such as The Voice van Vlaanderen, Belgium’s Got Talent and The Masked Singer. In 2002 she performed as one of Sergio’s Ladies at Eurovision.

Jody Pijper (The Netherlands)

Jody Pijper (born 17 May 1952 in Ter Aar) is a renowned Dutch backing and session singer. She began in the 1970s and became the female voice on the global Stars on 45 medleys in 1981–82. She also led the studio choir Jody’s Singers and worked widely in TV and studio sessions. Jody has a long Eurovision record: she sang backing vocals for the Netherlands in 1982, 1990, 1994 and 1996. In 2002 she joined Sergio & The Ladies as one of the three Dutch vocalists supporting Belgium’s “Sister.”