Gustaph (singer)

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Gustaph
Caers in 2014
Caers in 2014
Background information
Birth nameStef Caers
Also known asSteffen
Born (1980-07-05) 5 July 1980 (age 43)
Leuven, Belgium
OriginAntwerp, Belgium
GenresDance music[1]
Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter
  • producer
  • vocal coach
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • drums
Years active1999–present

Stef Caers (Dutch pronunciation: [stɛf ˈkaːrs]; born 5 July 1980), known professionally as Gustaph (stylised as GVSTΛPH), is a Belgian singer-songwriter, producer and vocal coach.[2] He represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom with the song "Because of You" and finished 7th place.[3]

Biography

Caers was born on 5 July 1980 in Leuven, Flemish Brabant.[4] He started his musical career while studying at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, initially using the stage name Steffen.[5] In 2000, he scored a hit with his debut single "Gonna Lose You", which reached number 22 on the Flemish singles chart.[6] He subsequently released a second single, titled "Sweetest Thing".

Following these releases, Caers began focusing more on songwriting and producing.[7] He also became active as a backing vocalist, providing backing vocals for, among others, Lady Linn and Willy Sommers. In the early 2010s, he joined the band Hercules and Love Affair as one of the lead vocalists.[7]

Caers (right) performing with Hercules and Love Affair in 2012

Caers performed as a backing vocalist for Sennek at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 and for Hooverphonic at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.[8] In addition to his career as a singer, he works as a vocal coach, and as a teacher at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent.[8]

In November 2022, Caers was announced as one of seven participants in Eurosong 2023, the Belgian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest.[9] His entry "Because of You" won the final on 14 January 2023 and represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom, finishing 7th place.[8]

Personal life

Caers is gay, and came out at the age of 14. He chose his stage name based on his father's godfather's name, Gustav.[10]

Discography

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
BEL
(FL)
[11] 		AUS
Digital
[12] 		LTU
[13] 		SWE
[14] 		UK
[15]
"Gonna Lose You"[a] 2000 22 — — — — Non-album singles
"Sweetest Thing"[a] —[A] — — — —
"Same Thing" 2011 — — — — —
"Jaded" — — — — —
"Second Coming" (with Adam Joseph) 2020 — — — — —
"Call" (with Lady Linn) 2022 — — — — —
"Because of You" 2023 2 40 15 82 63
"The Nail" — — — — —
"Already Know" 20 — — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
  1. ^ a b Credited as Steffen.

As featured artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
BEL
(FL)
"Running" (Blende featuring Gustaph) 2014 —[B] Non-album single

Notes

  1. ^ "Sweetest Thing" did not enter the Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 11 on the Flemish Ultratip chart.
  2. ^ "Running" did not enter the Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 51 on the Flemish Ultratip chart.

References

  1. ^ "Gustaph gaat naar Eurovisiesongfestival voor België". HLN (in Dutch). 14 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  2. ^ Sande, Wendy van de (10 January 2023). "Maak kennis met 'Eurosong 2023'-kandidaat Gustaph: "Ik wil vooral een positief signaal geven"". Showbizz24.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Gustaph wins 'Eurosong 2023' in Belgium with 'Because of You'". Eurovision.tv. EBU. 14 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  4. ^ "Lien De Greef Stef Caers 'Emotie overheerst alles. Wij zijn samen euforisch en samen triest.'". De Morgen (in Dutch). 18 February 2012. Archived from the original on 15 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Ex-conservatoriumstudent Stef Caers". Guido.be (in Dutch). 7 November 2004. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Stef Caers". Ultratop (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Eurosong 2023 : portrait de Gustaph". L'Eurovision au Quotidien (in French). 12 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Bonneure, Kristien; Vanhelden, Valerie (14 January 2023). "De stemmen zijn geteld: Gustaph zal ons land vertegenwoordigen op het Eurovisiesongfestival in Liverpool". VRT NWS (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  9. ^ Paelinck, Gianni (8 November 2022). "Nog eens Tom Dice op het Songfestival of wordt het Loredana? Deze 7 kandidaten wagen hun kans in Eurosong 2023". VRT NWS (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Gustaph from Belgium: "My Eurovision performance will be very different"". Eurovisionworld. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  11. ^ "Gustaph – Because of You" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  12. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 22 May 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1733. Australian Recording Industry Association. 22 May 2023. p. 9.
  13. ^ "2023 20-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 20". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Gustaph | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 May 2023.

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
2023 		Succeeded by
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