De Onvoltooiden - Always on the road, sincere and never finished.

Tom Van Damme and Brecht Ranschaert, also known as De Onvoltooiden (“The Unfinished”), are two seasoned musicians with a keen ear for the unspoken.

In Tom’s observations, small, honest, and sometimes painfully precise, you might easily recognize yourself. You hear songs about love, loss, self-mockery, and hope, without neatly rounded answers. De Onvoltooiden move between jazzy pop, unadorned cabaret-style songwriting, and a touch of reggae, placing themselves effortlessly within the rich tradition of Dutch-language pop.

Tom (°1971) breathes music. Over the past three decades, he has performed on countless stages, at home and abroad. He was the frontman of several bands and paid homage to Dutch pop as the singer and guitarist of the Doe Maar tribute band De Bom. In 2006, Doe Maar frontman Henny Vrienten invited him to perform in Doe Maar, De Musical, a production in which he appeared more than 200 times in Dutch theaters. That experience became a crossroads in his musical journey. It was there that he discovered the power of his mother tongue and of telling his own story. Working with Vrienten inspired him to write mature, personal songs.

Brecht (°1977) spent many years both in front of and behind the scenes of the music world. As a music journalist, he wrote for Klara, De Standaard, and Focus Knack, and as an organizer he was active for many years at festivals such as Gent Jazz. But with just as much conviction, he steps onto the stage himself. Brecht played in various pop and jazz projects such as Monkey C, Brotherhood of Peace, Elbow Grease, and Les Pornographes. His subtle, thoughtful guitar playing supports the narrative and creates a warm foundation in which everything comes together effortlessly.

With De Onvoltooiden, they fully commit to original work: honest lyrics, layered vocals, and rich arrangements that carry you along with ease. At the Wintercircus, Brecht and Tom present an intimate, acoustic New Year’s concert that gently works its way under your skin, unfiltered and close.

Tom: vocals and guitar

Brecht: guitar and vocals