Biography

Cole biography

Cole van dais (pronounced Colay van day) is a South African singer who has been performing as an independent artist for over 15 years. As a child she was very shy, but her mother (who is blind) inspired her to sing when she noticed her talent and love for music. The fist time Cole sang on stage as a teenager, she won a singing contest. At first her sister managed Cole booking her shows at furniture stores, modeling events, and weddings, where she was soon spotted by a promoter who made her part of the girl band, ‘Simply Irresistable’. They became a very successful act in the 90s and toured schools, festivals, shopping malls, casinos and corporate events in South Africa, Namibia and Swaziland, at
times as part of the KTV roadshows. Cole also performed as a solo artist and appeared on TV shows such as The Toasty show, Teleschool, Jam Alley, KTV and NBC. After some years of performing at 100’s of shows a year, Cole needed a break from her demanding schedule and made a decision to turn down a major recording deal as she felt she needed to fulfill her dream of travelling the world. She moved to UK which was her base while she toured and sang in England, Scotland, The Isle of Skye, The Mediterranean Islands, The Seychelles and Europe selling her CDs independently. Her songs are currently distributed online by her own Independent label, COLE MUSIC, to online stores that include iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Youtube, Googleplay, eMusic, Xbox, Rdio,Wimp, RN Direct, Omnifone, Seezer and Music Unlimited.
She has performed solo, as a band and in production shows at corporate functions, casinos, festivals, theatres, schools, hotels and many other venues; and has had the privilege of sharing the stage with popular artists such as Village people (The Carousel), Julian Marley (World peace concert), George Harrison from the Beatles (Hari Krsna centre in Watford), Peter Strycher (ex partner of Freddie Mercury – at Pizza on the Park, Hyde Park, London), Conchita Wurst and Basim (Eurovision song contest 2014
in Copenhagen, Denmark), Michaela (Malta’s pop idol, at The world song contest 2006), Rushlana(Eurovision 2004 winner from Russia), and popular South African artists such as Ladysmith Black Mambaso, Malaika, Watershed, Mango groove, Cucumber Zoo, Henry Ate, Just Ginger, Boo (Chris Chameleon), Patricia Lewis, Steve Hofmeyer, and many more. Highlights include performing at the 35th Anniversary of the Independence of Seychelles (Freedom Park, Seychelles), and in the UK at the Ukkasie festival , Earlscourt festival, Nottinghill carnival (Europe’s largest street festival), Edinburgh festival, Pizza on the Park, Hilton hotels, and a holiday resort tours Sun City, Aventura, ATKV and Park & Haven resorts (UK). Cole has also toured the music festivals in Namibia including Grootfontein-, Swartkopmund, Windhoek, and in South Africa at The Zululand trade expo, Ladysmilth-, Newcastle-, Secunda, Portshepstone-, Dundee-, The Rainbow show (Bloemfontein), Kimberly, Pretoria -,Rand Easter show, Rustenburg-, Nelspruit-, Tzaneen-, Welkom-, Springs-, Lichtenburg-, Vaal-, Bredasdorp-, Swellendam-, Dias festival (Mosselbay), Kriel-, Brits-, Westrand-, Queenstown-, Phalaborwa-, Kuruman-, Lowfeld-, Nelspruit-, and The Rand Easter show.

Cole and her band, Cole & Ruby Tuesday, won The Battle of the Cover Band 2012, and has performed at many events. More details about Ruby Tuesday at www.rubytuesday.co.za
On 28 March 2014, Cole performed as a guest artist in TV show ‘Noot vir Noot’, and in May 2014 Cole performed at The Eurovision song contest in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was selected as the first South African artist ever booked as a guest artist to sing at Eurovision and performed at the Vega Euro club on the same stage as participants from 39 countries, for 8 nights. Her presence game her much exposure as she got interviewed by radio and TV channels in many countries who came to film this exciting event in it’s 59th year. It was a big honour for Cole to perform at Eurovision as guest artist are usually only winners from previous years such as ABBA, Celine Dion, Johnny Logan and Julio Eglesias who launched their international career on the Eurovision stage.
As a songwriter Cole has written many songs including the number one Afrikaans hit ‘Daai tipe meisie’, ‘The Human Rights song’, and ‘Heartless’, The Anti-Rhino Poaching song (2013). She released ‘The James Bond Golden hits tribute’ album, and recently her first Afrikaans Album, ‘Daai tipe meisie’ (titled after her first hit). Her 2nd album will be a variety of duets with international artists.
Cole has covered some Eurovision songs in Afrikaans, including some other languages including Zulu, Spanish, Danish, Aruba, Tsonga and German. Her version of these songs were on display at the Fan Stands at Eurovision 2011 in Dusseldorf (Germany), and in Azerbaijan 2012, which has increased her international fanbase. In 2012 she presented a show for OGAE Rest of the World (Eurovision fanclub of 150 countries) called The Eurovision 2nd chance competition 2012 broadcasted in many countries around the world.
Cole also has original songs available online in genres such as adult contemporary, world music, jazz and pop. She enjoys singing cover songs by artists such as Shakira, Celine Dion, Abba, Vaya Condios, Pat Benator, Laura Branigan, Jennifer Rush, The Pretenders, Cher, Adelle, Amy Winehouse and many more. Cole is not only a great singer but an accomplished TV presenter. Her TV show, ‘Mind, body, spirit’, broadcasted from London’s SKY TV for 2 years, had over 1 million viewers and was broadcasted in a prime spot on a Friday night, before she decided to return home to South Africa after 7 years abroad.
As an actress, Cole has toured Scotland in the musical ‘Grease’, as Rizzo. She played Cinderella in the pantomime ‘Cinderella’ and starred as Prince Harry’s girlfriend in his TV documentary, ‘Prince Harry laid bare’. In ‘The Conversation Collector’ she acted as Gloria (the singer) for Surrey Film Institute; In ‘Ant and Dec’s Alien Autopsy’ as the South African TV channels representative who buys film footage of proof of Alien life on earth. She featured smaller roles in TV programs such as Midsummer Murders (The Fisher King), The Rotters club and Family Affairs as well as acting in corporate videos for Sheraton Skyline Hotel (Heathrow) and doing voice over work for various radio adverts such as Charade, SASETA and EQ Tickets . Cole was also the spokes model for ‘London Heart Radio’, representing them at major events across the UK; and she modelled for Anne Summers and La Femme as well as featuring in two of the exclusive collector’s art books by Italian photographer, Marco Sanges. After winning a national contest, Cole won a bursary to study drama at Whitehall college in England, but due to work commitments she decided to remain in London where she studied ‘Rock, pop & soul singing’ at Citylit college in Holborn, and then started touring in production shows in UK. With a vocal range from Lower E to top C, and the versatility to express herself in a variety of music genres, Cole comfortably performs jazz, blues, contemporary, pop, rock, country, theatre, Latin or dance music, accompanied by either backing tracks (solo or with dancers), a pianist, or guitarist