100-Year-Old’s First Clouseau: ‘Koen Has Beautiful Eyes’
Simonne Apers, a 100-year-old resident of Antwerp, attended her first-ever Clouseau concert on Thursday evening at the Cockerillkaai, part of the inaugural ‘Muziek aan ‘t Water’ festival. The centenarian, who has followed the Belgian pop group since their breakthrough hit ‘Anne’ in 1989, met frontman Koen Wauters and his brother Kris backstage—an encounter she described as the highlight of the night. “Koen is eenvoudig, joviaal en hij heeft mooie ogen,” she said with a laugh. “Koen is simple, jovial and he has beautiful eyes.”
A Lifelong Fan Finally Sees Her Idols Live
Simonne has been following Koen Wauters since his first hit ‘Anne’ in 1989, when she was in her early sixties. Despite her long-standing admiration for the band, she had never seen them perform live—a gap in her concert-going history that had a practical explanation. As her daughter Katelijne Baetens explained to VRT NWS, “Clouseau would have liked to see our mother too, but they play there for at least 3 hours and that’s much too long for her.”
The opportunity finally arrived when Katelijne discovered that the new ‘Muziek aan ‘t Water’ festival would take place just a few streets from their home. “When I read that they were playing three streets further, in the Scheldestraat, I immediately bought tickets,” she said. “Finally a music festival within walking distance where I can go with our mother.”
A Front-Row Seat and a Backstage Encounter
Simonne was given a front-row seat for the performance, where she enjoyed Clouseau’s set with visible delight. Reflecting on the experience, she said, “Prachtig. Het was af. Het zit vanbinnen.” (Beautiful. It was complete. It touches you inside.)
One of the evening’s most memorable moments came when she met Koen and Kris Wauters backstage. “I was a bit taken aback when I got to meet Koen and Kris,” she admitted. “But it happened and it was very nice.”
Simonne also shared her candid assessment of Koen Wauters’ fashion evolution over the decades. “What I found very ugly back then were his jeans with cowboy boots. Wow, that was really nothing,” she told House of Entertainment. “Fortunately, at some point he met Valerie and she took his styling well in hand. Since then he has dressed much more beautifully.”
The Secret to a Century of Life
Simonne, who has been past 100 for nearly half a year, remains remarkably vibrant. Her longevity secret is refreshingly simple: “I get up every day at 11 o’clock. In the morning I eat two slices of bread with fried bacon, so I can handle it.” She eats modestly—a small meal around 3 PM and one plate for dinner between 7 and 8 PM.
A devoted music lover, Simonne says music is always playing in her home. “You won’t hear silence there quickly,” her daughter noted. “In the background or prominently, there’s always a song passing by that you can quickly sing along to.” The musicality runs in the family: two of Katelijne’s brothers play guitar and another is in a band.
A New Festival on the Antwerp Waterfront
‘Muziek aan ‘t Water’ marked the first edition of a new city festival organized by JADA Events, held at the Cockerillkaai on Antwerp’s Scheldekaaien. The festival ran from 4 PM to 11 PM and featured a lineup including ICONS, ZITA, Crazy Sir-G, Michael Schack, and Laura Tesoro, with Clouseau headlining. Tickets were priced at €40 excluding service fees.
For Clouseau, the performance was their only concert in Antwerp city center in 2026. “Our ‘Water carriers’ Koen and Kris Wauters will provide with Clouseau a unique concert at the water,” said Jan de Wieuw, spokesperson for JADA Events. “Visitors can expect the same passion and intensity as during their legendary AFAS Dome series, but then in the atmospheric outdoors.”
A Celebration of Life and Music
Simonne’s evening also included sampling the festival’s food offerings. “I am certainly open to new things, as long as it’s tasty,” she said. “I want to taste as much of life as possible.”
Her daughter captured the significance of the evening perfectly: “Our mother is really looking forward to her first Clouseau. That’s really something special for her.” After decades of following the band from afar, Simonne finally experienced the magic of a live Clouseau performance—and proved that age is no barrier to enjoying life’s pleasures.
As the first edition of ‘Muziek aan ‘t Water’ comes to a close, Simonne’s heartwarming story serves as a reminder that music has the power to bring joy at any age. The festival organizers have expressed hopes of making it an annual tradition on the Antwerp waterfront, and if Simonne’s enthusiasm is any indication, there will be plenty of eager attendees ready for the next edition.