Mai Tai (band)

1984–1988; classic line-up

Their debut single, Keep On Dancin' (1983) was only a hit in the Dutch nightclubs. In the summer of 1984 they released a second single, What Goes O. It became their first hit in the Dutch Top 40, peaking at number 30. Following tracks like "Body And Soul" and "Am I Losing You Forever" also hit the charts, but never managed to reach the Top 20 in the Netherlands.

In 1984, they released their self-titled debut album which won a Dutch Edison Award and a Silver Harp. Their international breakthrough came with History from the debut album. This song was successful all over Europe, and became a No. 8 hit in the UK Singles Chart^[3] and reached the Top 30 in Germany. It was also a hit in New Zealand and Australia and entered the U.S. Billboard dance chart, peaking at #3 in 1985.

Body and Soul was re-released in the UK and became their second UK Top 10 hit, peaking at No. 9.^[3] Their international breakthrough translated onto broke Mai Tai's popularity in the Netherlands.

In 1986 their song Female Intuition became a Top 40 hit across Europe, and made Top 10 in Denmark. The follow-up single, Turn Your Love Around from the second album, 1 Touch 2 Much, went straight into the Top 10 of the Dutch Top 40. In 1987 Mai Tai released their modestly successful third album, Cool Is The Rule with the singles Bet That's What You Say and Fight Fire With Fire; were much less successful. After releasing one last single, Dance In The Light, and a Best Of compilation in 1988, the group broke up.

Jetty Weels released a few solo singles in 1989 and 1990 under the name Oscare. Mildred Douglas released a solo album, Face One, in 1990; she went on to collaborate with other artists including her guitarist brother Franky and the supergroup J.A.M. with Angela Groothuizen and Julya Lo'ko.

1993–present; reformations

In 1993, Weels and de Windt re-teamed with new member Lisa Noya (niece of the acclaimed percussionist Nippy Noya). Over the next three years they released several moderately successful Eurohouse singles.

From 2001 onwards Mai Tai occasionally reformed for various performances. Douglas appeared at selected dates and was replaced in 2004 by Marjorie Lammerts (later known as B-Yentl). This line-up participated in the Dutch heat of the Eurovision Song Contest and made it to the semi-finals.^[4] Nevertheless, as a result of this exposure they recorded and released several singles, both in English and Dutch, over the next couple of years, as well as the album Onder Voorbehoud in 2007. Despite the success of the singles they split up.

Mai Tai members pose for group photos in 2013; Jetty Weels is in the middle

In 2010, Weels re-recorded and released a remix of "Body and Soul" and enlisted two new members, Maureen Pengel and Edna Proctor. They released a new version of The Pointer Sisters' "Automatic", and preiered this line-up in 2011 at the Disco legends Festival. The song History was featured on Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City (2009), which has an exclusive radio station called Vice City FM.

Body and Soul was remixed by the production duo 7th Heaven for a 2010 release.

Since the return of singer Carolien De Windt, the group consists of two original singers joined by Maureen Fernandes as a replacement for Eve L'Kay.

In 2016 Weels appeared on an episode of the Ali B op volle toeren-programme which saw her daughter exchanging songs with Ruth Jacott, an acknowledged contemporary of Mai Tai.

Albums

• Mai Tai ["History" in some countries] – LP – 1984 – NL#12 / UK#91
• 1 touch 2 much – LP – 1986 – NL#24
• Cool is the rule – LP – 1987
• Onder Voorbehoud – CD – 2007

Compilations

• The Very Best Of Mai Tai – CD – 1991
• History 1996 – CD – 1996
• Mai Tai History – The Essential Collection – CD – 1998
• 25 jaar Mai Tai – CD – 2009

Singles

1983–1996