VI.BE

Ruben Bertrands started playing harmonica on the streets of Brussels when he was 21 years old. A decade later he has played his honky tonk music all over the world: from the beaches of Spain, to the French Quarter of New Orleans.

His music career started at Belgium's oldest independent radio station (Radio Scorpio), where he hosted an acclaimed weekly show called 'Bluesapalooza'. After a couple of years, the show culminated in the first Leuven Blues festival, which featured over 50 local and international musicians.

During the next couple of years, Ruben founded a non-profit under the moniker 'Leuven Live' and organized over 200 concerts and jam sessions. In 2019 RB hit the road and lived in Morocco and Italy, eventually settling down in Gran Canaria.

When the pandemic shook the world, RB stayed on the Canary Islands, busking beneath the Catedral de Santa Ana, right next to Columbus' House. During this time, he released two albums: 'After Hours' and 'Blues Messenger'.

In 2022 he got selected through ReverbNation for the Richmond International Film Festival, winning the Grand Jury Prize for Best Music. He also made it to the finals of Unsigned Only with his original song 'White Man Boogie'.

After a succesful Kickstarter campaign, he recorded his third album 'The Other Side Of The Coin' with Dirk Lekenne at Studio Fandango. In February 2023 he traveled to the USA to work on the record with NYC Blues Hall Of Famer Hugh Pool.

After two weeks in the Big Apple, RB traveled to New Orleans to experience his first Mardi Gras. He busked on Royal Street, went to local jam sessions and performed at the Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival. During this time, he was a steady fixture at Henry Turner Jr.'s Listening Room.

In 2024, RB was scouted by Spectra Music Group, and subsequently signed a record deal. 'The Other Side Of The Coin' will be released worldwide in September 2024.