Ishtar (band)

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Ishtar in the semifinals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008

Ishtar is a Belgian folk band . The band is named after the Babylonian goddess of love Ištar .

Ishtar was founded in 2003 around the guitarist Michel Vangheluwe and the singer Soetkin Baptist and consists of ten members. They released their debut album TroubAmour in 2005. The band sings its own compositions and adaptations of medieval minnesongs that go back to the 11th century in various West and East European languages.

Ishtar won on March 9, 2008 with the song O julissi na jalini the Belgian preliminary decision for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 and represented the country in May of that year at the international competition. The title consists of a freely invented language and has no concrete meaning, but according to the composer Vangheluwe it is intended to represent a child's stroll through a fairytale forest.

Two weeks after its release in Belgium on March 14, the song rose to number one in the Flemish-Belgian charts . In the first semifinals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 on May 20, 2008, Ishtar did not succeed in placing 17th place among the ten most popular entries.

Members

Only the first six represented the band at the Eurovision Song Contest, as only up to six people are allowed to perform on stage:

  • Michel Vangheluwe, guitar, composer
  • Soetkin Baptinst, singer (mezzo-soprano)
  • Ann Vandaele, singer
  • Marleen Vandaele, violin
  • Els Vandaele, singer
  • Hans Vandaele, cello, singer
  • Lode Cartrysse, oboe
  • Korneel Taeckens, alto violin, drums
  • Frank Markey, clarinet, saxophone
  • Karel Vercruysse, guitar

Discography

album
  • TroubAmour (2005)
  • O Julissi (2008)
Singles
  • O julissi na jalini (2008)

Web links

Commons : Ishtar (Belgian band)  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files