Only after winning the Grote Prijs van Nederland (category singer/songwriter) in 1998 did Marjolein van der Klauw realize that maybe she should do something with her talents. Playing the guitar, singing and writing songs have always been her passions.
In high school she performs every now and then, playing covers of among others Joni Mitchell, Michelle Shocked and Kate & Anna McGarrigle, next to her own songs. However, despite all the encouragements, reaching the finals in talentscoutings and repeatedly winning poetrycontests at the local gymnasium, getting on stage feels strange.
Winning the Grote Prijs changes this.
Radio attention and festivals follow, and she works hard on new material and more and more developes her own style. This style is, among other things, determined by her clear voice; a sound that brings back memories.
When she meets guitarist Jac Bico in 1999, their co-operation works so well that a year later they decide to record a demo with her songs. These recordings end up at Theo van der Schaaf of Basta Music, who is so enchanted by the material that he wants to put it out.
This debut, entitled So Much To Cover, is released in February 2002, under the artist name Powderblue.
The cd receives excellent reviews, becomes Radio 2-cd and gets both regional and national airplay.
In the fall of 2002 a radio-dj in Texas, Eddie Russell, gets hold of the cd (through Jos van den Boom, of Radio BRTO) and picks Marjolein as both 'Female artist & Discovery of the year'.
This has more airplay as consequence and she receives very positive critiques from reviewers in France, Germany and Italy, as well as Ireland, where the cd is Album of the week in Joe Vincent's show.
February 2004 sees the release of the eponymous second Powderblue-cd.