On Friday, August 21, Brandstof will once again transform into an intimate venue for live music during the Songwriter Circle. This edition will feature country and country pop, with two special acts.
Melanie Ryan
Singer-songwriter Melanie Ryan is the standard-bearer of country pop in the Netherlands. She is a dream chaser and fills her songs with a healthy dose of positivity, because she believes that with
hard work and a positive mindset, you can surpass yourself and make your biggest dreams come true. This sentiment resonates in her country pop music, through which she aims to
inspire and challenge her audience to do the same. With her single “Eye of the Storm,” she was a guest on Edwin Evers’ show on 538, and her follow-up singles “Buckle Down” and “Bless Your Heart For Breaking Mine” were added to the NPO Radio 5 playlist. She opened for the international country-pop star “Dasha” at a sold-out Melkweg, followed by a great series of Popronde shows and a compelling performance at the Zwarte Cross. In the fall of 2025, she took her “Buckle Down” club tour to well-known pop venues such as Luxor Live Arnhem, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, Mezz Breda, and De Pul in Uden, with a sold-out show in Breda. Melanie’s mission is to bring country-pop songs to a wider audience.
The Orange Blossoms
Antoinette and Kimmy are both singer-songwriters, blond, best friends, cat lovers, and true country girls! Under the motto “it’s more fun together” and “this is too much fun to keep to ourselves,” they decided during a vacation in Greece to join forces and form the duo The Orange Blossoms. The result: warm harmonies, authentic lyrics, and a fresh, contemporary take on country music. The chemistry, the joy, and the interaction on stage—combined with their voices, which are often associated with so-called “blood harmonies”—make every show a special experience. Since October 2024, Antoinette and Kimmy have been traveling regularly to Texas and Nashville. During the well-known writer’s rounds, they consistently leave a lasting impression with their self-penned songs and distinctive harmonies.
