Nicole & Hugo
Encyclopedia
Nicole & Hugo are a singing duet from Belgium
Nicole Josy (born as Nicole Van Palm, Wemmel
, 21 October 1946) and Hugo Sigal (born as Hugo Verbraeken, Kinshasa
, 10 November 1947) met in 1970. They become romantically involved and formed a singing duet. In 1971, they entered into the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest
. They won the final with "Goeiemorgen, morgen
" ("Good morning, morning" in Dutch
) Prior to their departure to Dublin for the contest, Nicole fell ill with jaundice
and the duet were unable to attend. They were replaced in their absence by Jacques Raymond and Lily Castel
. Jacques and Lily finished in 14th place from a field of 18 contestants.
On 1 December 1971 Nicole & Hugo were married at Wemmel
.
Two years later they succeeded in participating in the Eurovision Song Contest
with "Baby, Baby" winning the Belgian national preselection. The song became a hit in the Flanders
region of Belgium
, but it was not a success in the rest of Europe
. At the Eurovision Song Contest (held in Luxembourg
on 7 April 1973) they finished in last place. Their performance was memorable, however, because of their purple flared jump suits and also their dance routine.
In the World Song Festival in Tokyo
, Japan
their fortunes improved: They came 2nd with the song "With the summer" in 1974. They also received the Outstanding Composition Award at the same festival. During the 1970s they toured extensively internationally.
In 1984, they accepted an offer to entertain on cruise ships, sailing around the world in the process.
On 20 October 1990 they were awarded with a medal by the Belgian Authors Society SABAM
for their contributions to the Flemish entertainment industry.
In 2004, they tried again, after 29 years, at the Eurovision Song Contest, the Flemish preselections for Eurovision, with "Love is all around". They placed second in the first round, but scored lowly with the jury, so failed to make it to the final round.
In 2005, they appeared on Congratulations
, the 50th anniversary show of the Eurovision Song Contest
. They appeared in all of the compilation videos and finally appeared on stage in the 1973 costumes. They then sung a shortened version of "Baby, Baby".
Nicole & Hugo are still recording and bringing out new CDs on a regular basis.
In 2008 the couple released their latest album "Eeuwig Geluk" including the hit singles "Pastorale", "Olé Ola" and others. Most of the lyrics have been written by singer/songwriter Hans Lambrechts.
Official site:
http://www.nicole-en-hugo.com
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Nicole Josy (born as Nicole Van Palm, Wemmel
Wemmel
Wemmel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality only comprises the town of Wemmel proper. On January 1, 2006 Wemmel had a total population of 14,774. The total area is 8.74 km² which gives a population density of 1,690 inhabitants per km².The...
, 21 October 1946) and Hugo Sigal (born as Hugo Verbraeken, Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
, 10 November 1947) met in 1970. They become romantically involved and formed a singing duet. In 1971, they entered into the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
. They won the final with "Goeiemorgen, morgen
Goeiemorgen, Morgen
"Goeiemorgen, morgen" was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1971, performed in Dutch by Jacques Raymond and Lily Castel....
" ("Good morning, morning" in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
) Prior to their departure to Dublin for the contest, Nicole fell ill with jaundice
Jaundice
Jaundice is a yellowish pigmentation of the skin, the conjunctival membranes over the sclerae , and other mucous membranes caused by hyperbilirubinemia . This hyperbilirubinemia subsequently causes increased levels of bilirubin in the extracellular fluid...
and the duet were unable to attend. They were replaced in their absence by Jacques Raymond and Lily Castel
Lily Castel
Lily Castel is a Belgian singer, best known for her participation with Jacques Raymond in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest.- Early career :...
. Jacques and Lily finished in 14th place from a field of 18 contestants.
On 1 December 1971 Nicole & Hugo were married at Wemmel
Wemmel
Wemmel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality only comprises the town of Wemmel proper. On January 1, 2006 Wemmel had a total population of 14,774. The total area is 8.74 km² which gives a population density of 1,690 inhabitants per km².The...
.
Two years later they succeeded in participating in the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
with "Baby, Baby" winning the Belgian national preselection. The song became a hit in the Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
region of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, but it was not a success in the rest of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. At the Eurovision Song Contest (held in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
on 7 April 1973) they finished in last place. Their performance was memorable, however, because of their purple flared jump suits and also their dance routine.
In the World Song Festival in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
their fortunes improved: They came 2nd with the song "With the summer" in 1974. They also received the Outstanding Composition Award at the same festival. During the 1970s they toured extensively internationally.
In 1984, they accepted an offer to entertain on cruise ships, sailing around the world in the process.
On 20 October 1990 they were awarded with a medal by the Belgian Authors Society SABAM
SABAM
SABAM is the Belgian association of authors, composers and publishers. The acronym stands for "Société d’Auteurs Belge – Belgische Auteurs Maatschappij"....
for their contributions to the Flemish entertainment industry.
In 2004, they tried again, after 29 years, at the Eurovision Song Contest, the Flemish preselections for Eurovision, with "Love is all around". They placed second in the first round, but scored lowly with the jury, so failed to make it to the final round.
In 2005, they appeared on Congratulations
Congratulations (Eurovision)
Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest was a television programme organised by the European Broadcasting Union to commemorate the Eurovision Song Contest's fiftieth anniversary and to determine the Contest's most popular entrant of its fifty years. It took place at Forum,...
, the 50th anniversary show of the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
. They appeared in all of the compilation videos and finally appeared on stage in the 1973 costumes. They then sung a shortened version of "Baby, Baby".
Nicole & Hugo are still recording and bringing out new CDs on a regular basis.
In 2008 the couple released their latest album "Eeuwig Geluk" including the hit singles "Pastorale", "Olé Ola" and others. Most of the lyrics have been written by singer/songwriter Hans Lambrechts.
Official site:
http://www.nicole-en-hugo.com