Mama's Jasje

The project of Peter Vanlaet, the ever-changing Flemish pop/rock outfit Mama's Jasje have sold over 1.4 million records, making them one of the best-selling Belgian acts of all time. Vanlaet formed Mama's Jasje in 1990, and the band soon scored a platinum hit with the single "Zo Ver Weg." Their debut album, 1991's Paradijs op Aarde, was similarly successful, as was that year's single "Doe het Licht Maar Uit," which remained in Belgium's Ultratop 50 Flemish chart for eight weeks. Arriving in 1992, Mama's Jasje's second full-length, Letters en Lawaai, achieved gold sales and spawned hit singles including "Zonder Verhaal" and "Teken van Leven." After the release of the project's third album, 1993's Testament van een Jaarget, Mama's Jasje experienced some lineup shifts. Vanlaet continued the act as a duo, and they scored the 1995 hits "Wunderbar" and "Madeleine." In 1997, Mama's Jasje began their Hommages album series, the first volume of which reached number one and remained on the Ultratop 200 Flemish Albums chart for 44 weeks. Meanwhile, the singles "Als de Dag Van Toen" and "Laat Me Alleen" were Top Five hits. Hommages II appeared in 1998 and peaked at number two on the Ultratop Flemish 200. Two years later, Mama's Jasje returned with Pop Model, which they followed with the 2002 greatest-hits collection Als de Dag Van Toen: Het Beste Van. The next year, they issued Zwart op Wit, an album of new material that included the Top Ten single "Het Is Over." After the 2005 single "Beestjes," the project resurfaced with Hommages III, a number 12 hit that featured the single "Laat Je Hart Slaan." Mama's Jasje spent most of 2008 touring, then issued Morgen Zal Het Anders Zijn, an album including the Top 40 single "Rainbow," in 2009. For much of the 2010s, Mama's Jasje were quiet. In 2016, Vanlaet formed another group, Peter Vanlaet en de Wolven, that released a pair of singles. By 2018, however, Mama's Jasje were back with the album Nieuwe Jas, which reached 53 on the Ultratop 200 Flemish Albums chart. In 2020, Mama's Jasje celebrated their 30th anniversary with special live performances and the TV special Liefde voor Muziek. That May saw the release of 30 Jaar Mama's Jasje... de Jaren Verstand, a collection of old and new songs as well as excerpts of Liefde voor Muziek. ~ Heather Phares