Marjan Welman

Answers Never Questioned @ Tivoli, Altitude Releaseparty (w/ my big sis Heleen!)



Liquid Under Film Noir @ Tivoli, Altitude Releaseparty



Marjan Welman hails from Lichtenvoorde, Holland. A natural born artist, she can't



remember a time when she wasn't busy singing. Inspired by a multitude of bands and



artists from various genres and being very much mood-driven when it comes to her choice



of music to listen to, she has developed into an open-minded and versatile vocalist.



Marjan on her broad musical taste: "Because of that, I love singing all kinds of music.



I'd hate to restrict myself to one particular genre." With a smile she adds she has ".



no ambitions in country, by the way."



Her love for singing eventually finds a focal point in the band Elister, which she has



been involved in from day one for approximately five years now. Elister's music is best



described as a mishmash of groovy rock with a hint of stoner. Furthermore, she's lent



her vocals to progressive rock project Elemental Journey and the band Dialogue, to name



a few. Throughout the densely populated Dutch rock music scene, the name Marjan Welman



slowly starts ringing some bells.



Fast forwarding to late 2007, she finds herself among a select group of internationally



renowned vocalists chosen to appear on Arjen Lucassen's latest Ayreon release, entitled



'01011001'. Marjan: "One of my personal highlights is being asked to sing on '01011001'.



Arjen Lucassen has always been one of my favourite artists and getting the chance to



work with him was an unbelievable experience for me." Upon release, Marjan joins



Lucassen to promote the album as the sole vocalist during numerous semi-acoustic



sessions.



Early 2008, opportunity knocks when Dutch rock band Autumn are looking for a new



vocalist and ask her if she'd like to audition for the job. After giving it some



thought, she gladly accepts the invitation. Marjan: "After I sang away some remaining



nerves I got the chance to enjoy it all. On my way back home I could only hope that they



would pick me, and so they did."



With Autumn's fourth album entering the pre-production stages soon, some major festival



appearances this Summer and new Elister recordings well on their way, 2008 promises to



be a year of new challenges for Marjan. She's looking forward to facing them head on!



Ayreon - Day Six: Childhood @ the Ayreon 01011001 Releaseparty



Ayreon - Castle Hall @ Instore gig @ Velvet Music Store Breda



What others say:



"I was already impressed by the very first recording I heard of Marjan back in 2003



when I was recruiting new talent for Ayreon. At that time she hadn't developed her own



style yet, but in the meantime she definitely has!



A wonderful combination of power and melody, excellent English pronounciation and most



important of all, a lot of attitude and emotion. And she's got the looks to go with it.



I am known to have a nose for talent, and my bet is on Marjan to be the next big thing.



I sure hope she will still be avaliable to work with me in the future!!"



(Arjen Lucassen, 2008)



"Even later neemt in de feesttent Elister het stokje over met een kittig zangeresje



en een aanslag op de trommelvliezen"



(De Gelderlander, 2006)