Maribel Pérez (born 29 January 1976), known as Belle Perez, is a Belgian-Spanish musician and songwriter. Born in Neerpelt to Spanish parents, she was discovered at a local talent show in 1997. In 1999, she participated in the Belgian preselections for the Eurovision Song Contest. Initially performing pop music, she shifted to Latino/pop in 2002 with her "Baila Perez" band, releasing an album that topped Belgian charts for several weeks.
By 2006, Belle Perez had gained recognition in Belgium and the Netherlands and became a presenter of a Dutch music show. She placed third in the 2006 Belgian Eurovision tryouts and released the album Gotitas De Amor on 23 August 2006. The single "Hoy (Le pido a dios)" was released in December 2006. She performed at a "Mega Latino" concert in Antwerp before planning a CD release in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in summer 2007, with "El mundo bailando" as the first single. In June 2007, Gotitas De Amor and the single "El Mundo Bailando" were released in those countries. Later that month, she released "Djolei! Djolei!" in Belgium and the Netherlands. She posed twice for FHM magazine.
In 2008, Belle Pérez and her husband Mario Winters ended their marriage. She later began a relationship with Dutch jewel designer Wouter van der Horst. That year, she released the album Gipsy, which reached the top 10 in Belgium and the Netherlands. In 2009, marking her 10-year career, she published a book and released a concert DVD. A large concert planned for fall 2009 was downsized, and she changed her management, aiming for new international directions. She appeared as a special guest in Holiday on Ice shows in Belgium (2008) and the Netherlands (2009) and planned a theater tour called Latino Mundial in the Netherlands.
Belgium
