SA Music News Magazine Blog: Colé van Dais & Ruby Tuesday

Colé van Dais

Singer/songwriter, Colé van dais, has come a long way from small town girl to well travelled international singer and presenter of TV shows viewed all over the world.

As a child, growing up in the coastal town of Natal, Amanzimtoti, Colé spent most of her time on the beach where she felt happy and free to sing out loud! Her mother, who is blind, and knowing that Colé was a very shy child, inspired her to develop and pursue her vocal talent in an effort to grow her confidence,.

She won her 1^st music award in primary school, after which many would follow throughout her life. The stage would become her ‘beach’, where she felt happiest and could express herself freely.

After winning a in national singing competition, Colé got the lead role as Cinderella in the musical in Ladysmith, Natal, where she attended High school. The show was so popular that they performed it 2 weeks longer than originally booked. She then got noticed by an agent who made her part of the popular teen girl band, ‘Simply Irresistible’. They performed tributes such as ‘The Spice girls’ and ‘Divas’, as well as their own songs, performing at corporate functions, festivals, holiday resorts, and doing KTV road shows around South Africa, Namibia & Swaziland.

She regularly appeared on TV shows (The toasty show, KTV, CCTV & Telleschool), before making the move to London (UK) a few years later, to pursue her dreams of an exciting future, performing in London theatre.

After winning a bursary to study at Whitehall Arts College in England, Colé decided to rather remain in London, where an abundance of auditions offered more possibilities for work in show business. With much experience she felt confident that she is good enough to qualify for the roles she was after.

Auditioning when she could, she worked as a social support worker specialising in children & disabilities (using Makaton sign language & sound therapy), studied ‘Rock, pop & soul singing’ at the Citylit college in Holborn, and worked as a body double in big screen films, as well as playing some smaller featured roles (Ant & Dec’s Alien Autopsy, Colour me Kubrick, Midsummer Murders, The Rotter’s club, Family Affairs).

Standing in long queues and competing against well-trained actors and singers, did not deter Colé from believing that she can be in the spotlight that she had her eye on. Her determination eventually paid off when she landed a lead role in Grease, The Musical, and went on a 3 month tour throughout Scotland.

The success of the show, lead to her being booked for more tours with bands, with dancers, and at times as a solo singer, doing lengthy road shows at clubs, music festivals, casinos, resorts, hotels and corporate functions all over Scotland, England, Cyprus and The Isle of Skye.

As a model, Colé worked with Marco Sanges on his collector’s art books of bizarre stories; modelled for Anne Summer’s and La Femme, and was celebrity spokes model for London Heart radio attending high profile events.

Her role as Prince Harry’s girlfriend in his ITV documentary, "Price Harry laid bare", lead to more popularity leading to her next job as researcher & TV presenter for SKY TV in London. Her show, ‘Mind body spirit’ aired on Friday evenings and was broadcasted in over 100 countries, as Colé interviewed alternative health professionals from all over UK.

Many of her original songs feature on radio and she has won awards and had many number one hits on Independent Superstar Radio, featuring Independent artists worldwide. In 2006, she sang ‘Tears with Champagne’ which reached the top 20 in The World Song Contest.

With performances at Ukkasie festival (London), Earscourt festival, Nottinghill Carnival, Edinburgh festival, and singing at the 35^th Anniversary of the Independence of Seychelles, and performing with other credible artists both locally and internationally – including Village People (YMCA), Peter Strycher (singer & ex-partner of Freddie Mercury from Queen), Michaela (Malta’s pop idol), Rushlana (Eurovision 2004 winner from Russia), Ladysmith Black Mambaso, Watershed, Coleske, Mango Groove, Patricia Lewis & Steve Hofmeyer, BOO, Dozi, Bobby Angel, (SA artists) and WWF Wrestlers The Wrecking crew and many more -; and with audience attendance by famous names such as George Harrison (The Beatles) and Stefanie Powers (Heart to Heart) & Dana Winner, Colé’s career has been an incredible journey so far.

She is currently in South Africa performing with her live band, Ruby Tuesday. After winning The Battle of the Cover band 2012, they are known as SA’s top band, after competing against 50 top SA bands.

In 2012 she was once again seen in 26 countries as the presenter of the Eurovision 2^nd chance competition! She has been elected as vice President for Africa for OGAE Rest of the world for 2013.

A widely experienced singer of covers and original songs, and genres ranging from jazz, to blues, pop and rock Colé is as excited about her next performance as the first day that she got on stage!