Fiocco

Fiocco is a Belgian dance project created in 1997 by producer and DJ Jan Vervloet. Originally conceived as a studio project, it quickly became one of the biggest dance sensations in Belgium, with success comparable to acts like Technotronic or 2 Unlimited on the local scene.

The first single, Afflitto, became a huge club hit, dominating the Belgian dance charts for nine weeks and reaching the top 5 of the Belgian Ultratop. It was later reworked and rebuilt by German DJ Kosmonova as Celebrate, which also achieved success in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

The project then evolved into a live formation. On stage, Fiocco was represented by Jan Vervloet (keyboards and vocals), Enzo Fumarola (keyboards), Ann Lomans (lead singer and dancer), and Anja Maesen (dance and choreography). However, in the studio, Jan Vervloet frequently collaborated with guest singers.

The second single, The Spirit, performed by Pascale Feront of the group Absolom, marked a turn towards a more commercial sound and allowed the group to sign internationally. It reached number 2 on the Belgian Ultratop and was the best-selling Belgian production of 1997 in that chart.

The series of successes continued with tracks like Spread The World Around (sung by Lieve Verbeeck), Straight Till The End (with Nathalie Van Gronsveld), and Miss You, in collaboration with Medusa, the alias of Evy Goffin, future singer of Lasgo. Almost all singles, as well as the group’s only album, achieved gold disc status in Belgium.

Fiocco was also linked to Scoop, another dance act to which Jan Vervloet contributed. Scoop’s single, Drop It, included a remix by Fiocco and reached number one on the charts in Belgium and the Netherlands in 1999.

In December 1999, Fiocco released The Music, a more trance-oriented track, with remixes by The Oblique and Razzle Dazzle, two aliases of Jan Vervloet. The last single to chart was The Crowd Is Moving in November 2000. Subsequently, interest in the group faded and Fiocco returned to being a studio project. Remixes of Afflitto were released in 2003 and 2005.

The group’s only album, titled Free, was released in 1998 on the Eurodance label Antler Subway. It reached number 18 on the Belgian Top 50 albums chart and was accompanied by a bonus CD containing numerous remixes.