It wasn't his initial intention to become a singer. Ruben Hein, born and bred in Gelderland, the Netherlands, was a gifted pianist and for that reason he went to study at the Amsterdam Conservatory. But when he entered a vocalist concourse in 2007, just for the heck of it, he turned out to have a golden voice. Because Hein also wanted to build a career as a jazz pianist, a combination of both talents was the best choice in the end. He signed  with the famous Blue Note label and in the meantime shared the stage with Hans Teeuwen's jazz band and, at Lowlands, with Pete Philly & Perquisite. Last year saw the release of his debut album Loose Fit. On it, Hein shows he has a knack for many styles and it is an amalgam of the influences of Radiohead, Miles Davis and Paul Simon. A live performance of Ruben Hein is a hot melting pot with pop, jazz and singer-songwriter elements.