Meet Ruth Bootsma

Ruth only started to delve into music as an art form at a later age. At the age of 13, Ruth heard Within Temptation's single 'Mother Earth' for the first time, which sparked her interest in music and singing. But it wasn't until 13 years later that Ruth decided to get involved with music in a professional way. At the time, she had just graduated as a teacher of Latin and Greek and was given the opportunity to supervise students in making music theater performances. From that moment on, Ruth started to study composing, music theory, singing technique, etc. And from that moment on, Ruth discovered how easily certain music could transport her to another world. And that is what Ruth also does with her own work. She takes the listener to a dream world, where there is always a bright spot, no matter how dark the situation sung about is. With this, Ruth lets you escape your own thoughts for a while.

Ruth often gets her inspiration from nature. She wrote her first single (which you can listen to here) after walking through the woods on a cold day and seeing litter everywhere. Ruth believes that this should change, and that is why she wants to make people more aware of the beauty of nature and the importance of preserving it. Preserving nature is in the best interest of all of us, but for Ruth, nature is also a way to clear her mind, process emotions, and really unwind. And because Ruth believes that music can encourage people to take action, she always wants to convey a message with her music. Many of the songs Ruth writes are about mental health. Ruth herself has been through a lot in her life, and knows that you can overcome anything, that there is always hope, that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. But Ruth also knows how difficult it sometimes is to see that bright spot. With her music she wants to make people aware of that light that is hidden somewhere in yourself. Ruth has a lot of empathy for other people and their situation and she believes that everyone is good just the way they are, that everyone matters, that everyone is of value, and that everyone can be themselves always and everywhere. And that is what Ruth also wants to convey with her music.

Ruth used to (and still does) listen to various kinds of music, in all kinds of genres. The cabinet contains CDs (yes, really!) in various genres and from various artists. From ABBA to Brainpower, from classic to solid rock. However, Ruth's musical preference lies in symphonic metal: a combination of solid beats, classic lines and a powerful soprano. This music fits Ruth like a glove. What appeals to Ruth is the way in which stories are told in symphonic metal: the text and the composition are one. The music is often complex, but feels comfortable and takes you to another world.

The first time Ruth experienced this was at the Freedom Festival in Wageningen, where Within Temptation gave a show. This was Ruth's first time hearing the band play live. She was impressed by the music, by the story told with that music and by Sharon den Adel's vocals. Soon after, she also discovered the beautiful voices of Simone Simons (Epica), Floor Jansen (After Forever, ReVamp, Nightwish), Charlotte Wessels (Delain) and Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering). What appealed to Ruth so much was that all these women have a powerful voice that can tell a story, and that remains standing between all the musical (metal) violence.

To get somewhat close to that, Ruth has studied hard, and she has learned both a classical and a more contemporary sound. But the most important thing for Ruth is getting the story across. Partly for this reason, she has also studied a lot of music from the musical world. In addition, Ruth loves classical music (Mozart and Bach are her favorite composers). Mozart and Bach are greats when it comes to telling a story with a composition. All those influences have helped shape her own music. Her own work is mainly inspired by symphonic metal bands such as Nightwish and Epica, but also by musical legend Andrew Lloyd Webber, and by the great composers Mozart and Bach. In terms of vocals, Floor Jansen is an example and source of inspiration.

"Ruth is a good singer with a lot of expression and emotion!"

By listening to others - copying the art works! -, by taking singing lessons and experimenting a lot, Ruth has grown to be the lead vocalist of two metal bands: Mother Earth and Maida Vale. With Mother Earth, Ruth brings covers from bands such as Within Temptation, Evanescence and Nightwish, but she also goes back in time with songs from Heart and Genesis, among others. Maida Vale plays original songs. Maida Vale's work closely resembles that of Ruth herself. Mental health is an important topic for Maida Vale.
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Music is a way of life for Ruth, and she wants to share that passion with everyone around her. To reach as many people as possible, Ruth has recorded covers and shared them on her YouTube channel. Ruth shares songs in various genres, because she finds it important to see her musical quest as much as possible as a journey of discovery, as an adventure. Ruth shares the passion for music not only when she is on stage, when she shoots a video, or when she writes songs; Ruth is also active as a vocal and songwriting coach. You can also contact her for recording a demo. You will find more information about this on this page.