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Dana Winner is the stage name of Chantal Vanlee (born in Hasselt, 10 February 1965). She is a Belgian singer who is famous especially in Flanders and the Netherlands.
In 1990 she released her first single Op het dak van de wereld, (Dutch: "On the roof of the world"), a cover of The Carpenters' Top of the World from 1973. In 1993 she became really popular with Woordenloos (Dutch: Without words"). However, it was only in 1995 that she released her only hit single so far to reach the Dutch Top 40, Westenwind. This was a cover of the former hit One Way Wind by the Volendam group The Cats.
After her first success, Dana Winner also became well known in Germany and South Africa. At the end of the 1990s, she began singing in other languages and did not release an album in Dutch between 2000 and 2006. It was also in 2006 that she got a permanent memento in Bornem, along the SIM-route.
It all started in 1988 when she was signed up for a sound-mix competition.
Dana won the contest with the song "Amour Défendu" from Mireille Mathieu.
In 1989 her first single, a Dutch cover of The Carpenter's hit "Top of the World" was released. The start of a wonderful career !
"Woordenloos" released at the end of 1992, was bull's-eye ! The single sold gold and was in the charts for months !
Her first full CD "Regenbogen" followed in October 1993.
A huge success. 5 platinum awards for more than 150.000 sold copies and a "Golden Eye" for Best Female Singer in Belgium.
The second album called "Mijn paradijs" sold 4 times platinum and again she won the "Golden Eye".
1995 was a fantastic year for Dana. "Regen van Geluk", the new album, sold more than 100.000 copies. A third "Golden Eye", the "Zamu Award" for Best Female Singer and a nomination for "The Brussels International Trade Mart Award", an award for the Best Dressed Woman in Belgium.
Also the CD, released in 1996, "Waar is het gevoel", turned platinum !
The highlight of that year was without any doubt Dana's appearance in "Forest National Brussels", where 8.000 people enjoyed Dana live in concert.
At the end of that year the 4th Golden Eye was a fact.
In 1997 first steps were taken for an international career.
In the Netherlands she scored a hit with the song "Westenwind". Germany released the album "Wo ist das Gefühl",
In Germany Dana received the "Schlagerdiamantpreis", an award for the best first appearance of a foreign artist, and she also received the "Diamond Award" for the best musical newcomer. During that year, you could find Dana in the hit lists in Austria and Switzerland too.
The last time "Golden Eye" was organised by Belgium Television Station VTM Dana Winner won again for best female singer.
In 1998 she made her appearance for the first time in South Africa, as a guest singer in the show "Steve Hofmeyr and friends". She was so surprised about the warm welcome of the South-Africans, that she decided to make an album especially for South Africa. In October EMI released "In love with you" (90.000 copies sold). Dana even recorded one song in South African language, "Droom van my geluk", a translation of her Dutch song "Regen van Geluk".
In 1999 Dana celebrated her jubilee: "10 Years Dana Winner".
In December of that year Dana performed twice in Forest National Brussels. And she appeared as Special Guest in the shows of "Holiday on ice".
Dana again travelled to South Africa where she performed twice at "The Super Bowl", more than 6.000 people a show. Some people travelled more than 16 hours to hear and see Dana live on stage. After the South Afrika tour, Dana received a platinum award for "In love with you", and a golden award for "Yours forever". And after the concerts, every newspaper wrote about Dana, with headlines such as "Winning the day", "Dana is a queen of song", and "Die mooi nooi gee jou gemoed vleuels".
In 2000 EMI Belgium released the album "Licht en Liefde" :again platinum !
In October, the "Originele hits.", was released with all Dana's most famous hit singles.
In February 2001 Dana again travelled to South Africa for a promotion trip for her new album "Rainbows of Love". In one week, 20.000 copies were sold.
It was clear that here appearance works on an audience. Her presence always lifted the sales..
At the start of October 2001, Dana surprised everyone with her new album "Unforgettable". Dana had chosen for a cover album with songs like "Moonlight Shadow", "I'll Always Be There", and "Morning Has Broken". December 2001 Dana performed another live concert in Forest National Brussels. For the first time Dana sang "Amour Deféndu" during her concert. She performed this song with Fernando Gonzalez, a fantastic international guitar player.
In January 2002 the concert tour in Belgium started.
As well as a big tour in South Africa . Dana performed for 25.000 people in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and Pretoria.
During the concert tour in South Africa, Dana received an award from EMI Music: 4 times platina for the sale of 250.000 copies of her albums. She also received a golden award because she already sold 42.000 copies of "Unforgettable" at that moment, but still before Dana went back to Belgium, 50.000 copies were sold.
Back in Belgium, Dana also received a platinum award for "Unforgettable".
In November 2002 her latest album "Unforgettable too" was presented to the press, in full cooperation with EMI, at the Galaxy studios in Mol Belgium. "Unforgettable too" is the second full cover cd with songs like "Conquest Of Paradise" and "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". In January 2003 Dana received a golden award for selling 30.000 copies of "Unforgettable too".
At this moment Dana is concentrating on her international career with live concerts in Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa and hopefully many other countries.
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