Milk Inc.

Milk Inc.
Regi Penxten (left) and Linda Mertens in 2008
Background information
Origin	Belgium
Genres	Eurodance, techno, electronic, vocal trance
Years active	1996–present
Labels	ARS Entertainment Antler Subway Zooland Records
Members	Regi Penxten Filip Vandueren Linda Mertens Merel Cappaert Michael Schack Peter Schreurs
Past members	Ivo Donckers Nikkie van Lierop Sofie Winters John Miles Jr. Karine Boelaerts Ann Vervoort
Website	www.milkinc.be

Milk Inc. is a dance music group that formed in the commercial dance scene in Belgium in 1996. The discography of the group includes a total of seven studio albums and 41 singles.

History

The group started out as "Milk Incorporated" ("La Vache" for French-language releases), later shortening their name to "Milk Inc." In its early days as Milk Inc., the band also had a guitarist and harpist, John Miles Jr.

The band has had many line-up changes throughout its history. The band has found much success in Europe, with many of their singles charting in countries such as the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France and Spain. They are most successful in their native country Belgium, where they have 27 hit singles which have been in the Ultratop Chart, 22 of them being in the top ten and four of them being number ones. Furthermore, all of their seven albums have charted there, with two of them reaching number one. Milk Inc. is the current record holder for the number of TMF Awards in Belgium and the Netherlands, with a total of 17 awards received.

In 2004, they released “Whisper”, Linda’s first #1 hit on the Ultratop Charts in Belgium.

Early in 2005, Milk Inc. performed at the Tsunami 1212 benefit festival in Belgium. That year, they released “Blind” and the iconic “Go to Hell”, both reaching the top 5.

On June 9, 2006, they released a version of “Tainted Love” fused with beats from Deep Zone’s 1995 track “It’s Gonna Be Alright.”

In September 2006, the album Supersized was released along with the single “Run.” The album reached #3 in Belgium, and “Run” peaked at #7. The song was widely played in Poland, which led to an invitation to perform at the Hity Na Czasie festival the following year.

On September 30, 2006, a concert celebrating the group’s 10th anniversary took place at Sportpaleis in Antwerp. It was fully recorded and released on DVD as “Milk Inc. Supersized Live at the Sportpaleis 2006” on December 8, 2006. The official video for the final Supersized single, “No Angel”, was filmed during the show.

The Sportpaleis concert marked a turning point, as dance groups were often associated with lip-syncing. Supersized was the first in a series of full-band live performances. Subsequent shows were titled Supersized 2, Forever, Blackout, Eclipse, Milk Inc. Fifteen, Miracle, and MilkFest. DVDs released from these shows include Best of Supersized 2, Forever Live At Sportpaleis, and Milk Inc. 15 – The Very Best Of.

On July 22, 2006, the single "Sunrise" was released, reaching number 3 in Belgium. Despite this, the version played on Belgian radios was the remix by Pedro Salazar, characterized by a guitar beat that was trendy at the time. The dance version of "Sunrise" was later popularized through the group’s live performances. In the Netherlands, the remix by Jeckyll & Hyde was the most played; at the time, Jump Style was very popular in the country, and the characteristic beats of this style incorporated into "Sunrise" boosted the single there (position 13 on the charts).

n October 2007, the album "The Best Of" was released, reaching number 2 in Belgium.

On October 19, 2007, the single "Tonight" was released in Belgium and also in the Netherlands. "Tonight" reached position 6 in Belgium. In the Netherlands, the single rode a residual wave following the success of "Sunrise" and was played on major radio stations, reaching position 44 on the charts.

On June 16, 2008, the album "Forever" and the single of the same name were released. With "Forever," Milk Inc. reached the top of the Belgian "Albums Top 200" chart for the first time. The single "Forever" was also voted by the public to be the first song played on the new Belgian radio station "MNM," where Regi later had his own show. A French version of the song "Forever" was also released in France.

On September 5, 2008, the last single from the album "Forever," titled "Race," was released, reaching position 18 in Belgium. It was the only Milk Inc. single since 2001 not to reach the top 10. At that time, the radio station "Top Radio," for example, chose to play "Morning Light" from the 2006 album "Supersized" instead of "Race." The song gained prominence because it was sung at the openings of the Forever tour shows. Its success led "Morning Light" to be included in the tracklist of the "Top Request 2009" album released by Top Radio. Having a song released over three years earlier played daily on the radio—even though it was not an official single—reflected Milk Inc.’s relevance and popularity in Belgium.

Also in 2008, the track "Guilty" from the album "Forever" was considered by the group as a possible new single and was even digitally released in Canada with previously unreleased remixes. However, the group abandoned the idea and on July 3, 2009, released the single "Blackout," which reached number one on the charts in Belgium. The track uses samples from the classic "Time Modulator" by Zolex, a Belgian dance project founded by DJ Maurizzio in 1995. The single was also released in the Netherlands with the "Dutch Radio Mix," reaching position 84 on the charts.

In 2009, Milk Inc. performed at the last edition of the TMF Awards, singing "Storm" and "Blackout." It was the ninth consecutive year the group won the award for "Best National Dance Group," as well as the "Best National Live Band" category. During the awards, the world-renowned DJ Bob Sinclar, who won the "Best International Dance Group," asked who Milk Inc. was—he was impressed because everyone was talking about them—and in an interview said in astonishment: "They are even more popular than me."

The group’s popularity was so great that they were invited to perform at Rock Werchter 2009, a huge rock event in Belgium. They performed simultaneously with the night’s main act, Metallica. The members of Milk Inc. were anxious because weeks before, groups on the internet threatened to riot and throw objects at the stage, refusing to accept a dance music group as one of the festival’s headliners. But to Regi and Linda’s surprise, the audience filled the arena and sang along from start to finish, making it one of the most memorable performances in the group’s career.

On February 15, 2010, they officially released the single "Storm," their second consecutive single to reach number one in Belgium. Although it was officially released only in 2010, the song had already been performed live in 2009 at the Sportpaleis. The song also reached the top 10 in Wallonia, the French- and German-speaking region of Belgium. "Storm" also enjoyed relative success on radio stations in Bulgaria.

In February 2010, the song "When the Pain Comes" was released. The song is not an official single and is part of the charity album "Te gek 4!?"

On July 9, 2010, the single "Chasing the Wind" was released, reaching number 10 in Belgium.

On January 31, 2011, the single "Fire" was released. At the time, Filip Vandueren commented that they like to test and experiment with styles and admitted that "Chasing the Wind" ended up being "too pop," but that "Fire" would be the group’s new "Go to Hell," with the strong beats characteristic of Milk Inc. "Fire" reached 5th position on the Belgian charts.

In March 2011, the album "Nomansland" was released, reaching number one in Belgium.

On June 27, 2011, the last single from the album "Nomansland," titled "Shadow," was released. The single was lukewarm in Belgium compared to the other singles from the album, reaching position 42.

On September 12, 2019, the group released the single "I'll Be There (La Vache)," with new lyrics; the song used samples from the beats of "La Vache." The song reached number 6 in Belgium.

In 2012, the group released the single "Miracle," which was composed by Regi as a tribute to his fiancée. The first performance of the song was an acoustic version sung by Linda during Regi’s wedding ceremony with Elke Vanelderen.

In 2013, the group released the album "Undercover," their first cover album, with the first single being "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life," which not only entered the top 10 in Belgium but also made it onto the French charts. Other singles from the album include "Imagination," "Sweet Child of Mine," and a new version of the group’s first successful single titled "La Vache 2013."

The album "Undercover" originated from a show called "Milk Inc. Friday," where every Friday Regi and Linda presented a cover on the radio station Qmusic. Besides the songs released on the album, the group also brought to the radio versions of "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" by Ultravox and the iconic "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, both available on Soundcloud.

In October 2014, Milk Inc. released the single Don't Say Goodbye. At the same time, the group announced that it would be taking an indefinite break. The reason for this was the birth of Linda's first daughter.

In 2016, Milk Inc. resumed their career with a 20th-anniversary tour. To celebrate the occasion, they presented a new Drum and Bass style version of "Sunrise," which was played on Qmusic radio and during shows. The band was also preparing for another show at the Sportpaleis, but the celebration was interrupted by a tragedy in Linda Mertens’ life, leading the group to a new hiatus.

In April 2017, Linda Mertens' daughter died of cancer when she was only 2 years old. Regi stated that he wanted to give Linda all the time she needed to recover and that he did not want to pressure her to sing again. Regi continued composing and doing collaborations with other artists as well as solo. Linda did not return to music for several years.

In 2020, Regi announced that Linda’s return to Milk Inc. was unlikely. Meanwhile, he focused on his solo career, releasing hits like "Where Did You Go" and "Ellie." His solo trajectory gained momentum in Belgium, and in 2021, he sold out the Sportpaleis with his own show titled "Kom Wat Dichterbij," the same name as his first single in Dutch, which reached the top of the Belgian charts. There was much speculation about a possible appearance by Linda at the event, but she did not show up. Still, Milk Inc. classics were performed by other Belgian artists.

In 2022, Regi returned to the Sportpaleis with another solo show, and again the audience waited, unsuccessfully, for Linda’s presence. At the end of the performance, the next show was announced: "The Return." The title further fueled speculation about Linda’s possible comeback. When asked, Regi avoided giving a direct answer, explaining that the name referred to a return to the roots of eurodance and trance—as demonstrated by his latest single, "Horen, Zien En Zwijgen," which recalls the early years of Milk Inc.

After years of seclusion, Linda Mertens quietly returned to the stage in 2022, beginning her career revival outside Belgium. The singer participated in a "remember" festival in Blackpool, England, alongside other names from the Belgian dance scene, such as Evi Goffin, Jessy, and Dee Dee.

Since then, Linda has performed at festivals in the UK, Spain, and Ireland. She also made a one-time appearance in Canada, where she performed "Insomnia" by Faithless in a duet with Evi Goffin (ex-Lasgo). According to an interview with Nina magazine, the fact that the foreign audience was unaware of her personal story—marked by the loss of her daughter Lio—made these performances less emotionally charged. For her, these shows served as a kind of rehearsal for the much-anticipated return to her homeland.

This reunion with the Belgian audience took place in October 2023 during the show "The Return" at the Sportpaleis. After more than an hour and a half of the show, Linda entered the stage with her back turned, covered by a black cloak. The audience, already aware of her presence, greeted her with deafening shouts of “Linda! Linda! Linda!”. The moment was deeply emotional, as if her nearly decade-long absence had never happened.

Linda took a deep breath before starting "Whisper," accompanied by an ecstatic crowd. Then followed "Run" and "Blackout." Visibly moved and more reserved than usual, she had the unconditional support of the audience, who sang in unison and enthusiastically celebrated her return.

In the second part of "The Return" show at the Sportpaleis, Filip Vandueren joined Regi to perform "La Vache." Then Linda Mertens returned to the stage to perform the hits "Miracle," "Walk on Water," and closed the concert with "Go to Hell."

After the performance, Linda used her social media to express the meaning of that moment. “My return is not just a revival of my career, it is a tribute to the memory of my beautiful daughter,” she wrote on Instagram, moving the fans.

The end of the show also brought a big surprise: the official announcement of Milk Inc.’s return, as well as two concerts scheduled for 2024 at the Sportpaleis, under the title "Regi vs Milk Inc." Coincidentally, that same day, the single "Walk on Water" was voted by the Belgian radio station Qmusic’s audience as the best song of the 2000s.

The next night, Linda returned to the stage for the second "The Return" show. Even knowing what to expect, the audience welcomed her with the same enthusiasm, shouting her name as she appeared again, once more covered by a black cloak. Visibly emotional, Linda had to hold back tears and asked Regi to wait before starting "Whisper." After singing the first verses, she regained her emotional strength and delivered a much more confident performance than the night before.

The performance is available on the free streaming platform VTM GO.

Following "The Return" performance, the audience’s enthusiasm translated into numbers: tickets for the first two "Regi vs Milk Inc." shows sold out quickly, leading to the announcement of five more dates—including an afternoon show, following the European trend of earlier concert times. With this, Milk Inc. surpassed its historic record of six consecutive shows at the Sportpaleis, set during the band’s peak in 2008.

During the shows, the repertoire focused on the band’s legacy, including 20 iconic songs: "Breathe Without You," "Living a Lie," "Sleepwalker," "Never Again," "Forever," "Run," "Whisper," "Blackout," "La Vache," "Tonight," "Storm," "Tainted Love," "Losing Love," "Promise," "In My Eyes," "I Don't Care," "Sunrise," "Walk on Water," and "Go To Hell." Despite the extensive setlist, some notable hits were left out, such as "Land of the Living," "Race," "Time," "No Angel," and "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life."

The reaction on social media was overwhelmingly positive, especially regarding Linda Mertens’s performance. Fans praised her stage presence and even requested exclusive Milk Inc. concerts without the participation of singers associated with Regi’s solo projects, such as Pauline Slange, Jaap Reesema, Arno, and Melanie.

For 2025, anticipation is growing with the announcement of a new single, "Unstoppable," which will also name the new series of shows scheduled for October at the Sportpaleis. This new phase promises to consolidate Linda’s and Milk Inc.’s return as one of the biggest electronic music events in Belgium in the decade.

Members

Current

Regi Penxten

Main article: Regi Penxten

Regi was born on 4 March 1976 at Hasselt in Belgium. At the age of 12, he got his first computer connected to a synthesizer. He studied at the music academy to learn to read music and he also played the guitar from an early age. Milk Inc's and Regi's hit success started with "La Vache" in 1996, which was a big hit successor. He has also worked with several singers and other producers.

Linda Mertens

Linda was born on 20 July 1978 in Wilrijk, Belgium. She studied art and after high school spent two years studying hairdressing. In 2000, Linda went to a club with some friends where Regi was deejaying, whilst there she asked him if he needed a singer for any of his projects and was asked to audition.

Filip Vandueren

Filip Vandueren was the last one that co-produced Milk Inc. along with Regi Penxten and played keyboards in the band's full live shows and concerts in the past.

Former

Ivo Donckers

Co-founder and member from the start of the project Milk Inc. until 2000. Studio technician at Antler Subway (EMI), he was responsible for many projects and remixes for 2Unlimited, Ace of Base, 2 Fabiola, and more.

Nikkie Van Lierop

Born 7 March 1963 in Simmern, Germany, Anita Dominika Cornelia van Lierop, better known as Nikkie Van Lierop, by her artist name "Jade 4U", and as a co-founder of Lords of Acid. In 1992, she had a UK Top 20 hit as the featured vocalist on Praga Khan's "Injected With a Poison". Five years later, in the spring of 1997 Praga Khan produced a remix of the song "La Vache" for the band (then known as Milk Incorporated), with the becoming a Top 40 hit in the UK under the name of "Good Enough (La Vache)". In the music video "La Vache" that was filmed in England, Jade 4U can be seen. Since then the singer Nikkie along with Praga Khan contributed parts in lyrics and melody. After the resounding success of the songs, she sang in the performances during the first tour of Milk Inc. In France, she left the band in order to concentrate on Praga Khan and Lords of Acid, which had gained a cult following in the United States.

Sofie Winters

Sofie Winters was born 22 May 1976 in Leuven, Belgium. She replaced Van Lierop for a few months. During her time at Milk Inc, Winters was a singer in the song "Free Your Mind". Winters was also a model and actress.

Ann Vervoort

Graphic designer Ann Vervoort (10 March 1977 – 22 April 2010) was a dancer for Pat Krimson before she joined Milk Inc. She was brought in by Regi Penxten in 1997 as a replacement for Sofie Winters as a singer for appearances. Karine Boelaerts, a Belgian studio singer, who was already working for other projects such as 2 Fabiola was hired to record all the songs.

In the middle of September 2000, Vervoort left Milk Inc. and moved to Ibiza with her boyfriend Patrick Claesen (alias Pat Krimson) producer of 2Fabiola, Nunca and Leopold 3, where they founded the record label Beni Musa Records. Vervoort was replaced by Linda Mertens. On 22 April 2010, Vervoort was found dead at her house in Houthalen-Helchteren. According to the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, an amount of alcohol and drugs were involved.

Timeline

Note: Dates are approximate.

Discography

Albums

Year	Title	Chart positions			Certifications (Ultratop)
		BEL (FL)	NLD	UK
1998	Apocalyps(e) Cow	5	—	—
2000	Land of the Living	26	58	—
2001	Double Cream	39	—	—
2002	Milk Inc.	—	—	47
2003	Closer	11	—	—
2004	Best of Milk Inc.	—	—	—
2005	Essential	—	—	—
2006	Supersized	3	—	—	Platinum
2007	Best Of	2	—	—	Gold
2008	Forever	1	—	—	2× Platinum
2011	Nomansland	1	—	—	Gold
	15: The Very Best Of	4	—	—
2013	Undercover	1	—	—

Singles

Year	Song	Album	Chart positions
			BEL (FL)	BEL (WA)	BEL (Dance)	AUS	FRA	GER	NLD	SPA	SWE	UK
1996	"Cream"	Apocalypse Cow	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"La Vache"		–	24	18	–	3	–	86	–	26	23
1997	"Free Your Mind"		–	–	–	–	19	–	–	–	54	–
1998	"Inside of Me"		–	–	6	–	62	–	–	–	–	–
1999	"In My Eyes"		2	–	2	29	–	–	–	–	–	9
	"Promise"		3	–	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Oceans"		8	–	2	74	–	–	–	8	–	–
	"Losing Love"	Land of the Living	2	–	1	–	–	–	–	4	–	–
2000	"Walk on Water"		1	–	1	70	–	47	3	1	–	10
	"Land of the Living"		2	–	2	–	–	–	16	7	–	18
2001	"Livin' a Lie"		3	–	3	–	–	56	44	4	–	–
	"Don't Cry"		Promotional single only
	"Never Again"		17	–	2	–	–	–	69	1	–	–
	"Wide Awake"	Closer	2	–	9	–	–	–	50	1	–	–
2002	"Sleepwalker"		6	–	2	–	–	–	–	5	–	–
	"Breathe Without You"		7	–	7	–	–	92	45	5	–	–
2003	"Time"		10	–	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"The Sun Always Shines on T.V."		5	–	2	–	–	71	82	–	–	86
2004	"I Don't Care" (featuring Silvy)		3	–	7	–	–	–	66	–	–	–
	"Whisper"	Supersized	1	–	14	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2005	"Blind"		5	–	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Go to Hell"		4	–	7	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2006	"Tainted Love"		7	–	2	–	–	–	37	–	–	–
	"Run"		7	–	14	–	–	–	56	–	–	–
	"No Angel"		10	–	12	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2007	"Sunrise"	Forever	3	–	–	–	–	–	13	–	–	–
	"Tonight"		6	–	–	–	–	–	44	–	–	–
2008	"Forever"		7	–	–	–	–	–	91	–	–	–
	"Race"		18	–	10	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2009	"Blackout"	Nomansland	1	67	–	–	–	–	84	–	–	–
	"Guilty"	Forever	Canadian digital single only
2010	"Storm"	Nomansland	1	7	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Chasing the Wind"		10	–	17	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2011	"Fire"		5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Shadow"		42	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"I'll Be There (La Vache)"	15: The Very Best Of	6	86	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2012	"Miracle"	Undercover	16	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2013	"Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life"		3	32	–	–	48	–	–	–	–	–
	"Sweet Child o' Mine"		5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Imagination"		3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2014	"Don't Say Goodbye"		7	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Filmography

Music videos

Year	Title	Director
1997	"La Vache"	Caswell Coggins
	"Free Your Mind"
1998	"Inside of Me"
1999	"Oceans"	Steven Buyse
2000	"Land of the Living"	Filip Vandueren
2001	"Walk on Water"	Frank Schneider
	"Livin' a Lie"	Peter van Eyndt
	"Never Again"
	"Wide Awake"
2002	"Walk on Water"	Stuart Fryer
	"In My Eyes"	Damian Bromley
	"Land of the Living"	Andreas Tibblin
	"Sleepwalker"	Peter van Eyndt
	"Breathe Without You"
2003	"Time"
	"The Sun Always Shines on T.V."	Alex Diezinger
2004	"I Don't Care"	Raf Verbeemen
	"Whisper"	Peter van Eyndt
2005	"Blind"
	"Go to Hell"	—
2006	"Tainted Love"	The Black Sheep
	"Run"	Peter van Eyndt
	"No Angel"
2007	"Sunrise"
	"Tonight"
2008	"Forever"	Alex Diezinger
	"Race"	—
2009	"Blackout"	Peter van Eyndt
2010	"Storm"	Peter van Eyndt
2010	"Chasing the Wind"	—
2011	"Fire"	—
2011	"Shadow"	—
2012	"Miracle"	—

DVDs

Year	Title	Notes	BEL DVD Chart
2004	Milk Inc. - The DVD	Acoustic sessions and a collection of Music Videos.	3
2006	Milk Inc. - Supersized	Contains footage of a concert.	4
2008	Milk Inc. - Forever in Sportpaleis	Footage of a Concert in Sportpaleis.	1

Concerts in Sportpaleis

Year	Title	Date
2006	Supersized	Saturday Sept. 30th 2006
2007	Supersized 2	Friday Sept 29th 2007 Saturday Sept. 30th 2007
2008	Forever	Friday Sept. 26th 2008 Saturday Sept. 27th 2008 Friday Oct. 3rd 2008 Friday Oct. 10th 2008 Friday Oct. 17th 2008 Saturday Oct. 18th 2008
2009	Blackout	Friday Sept. 25th 2009 Saturday Sept. 26th 2009 Thursday Oct. 1st 2009 Friday Oct. 2nd 2009 Saturday Oct. 3rd 2009 Friday Oct. 9th 2009
2010	Eclipse	Fri Sept. 24th 2010 Sat Sept. 25th 2010 Fri Oct. 1st 2010 Sat Oct. 2nd 2010 Fri Oct. 8th 2010
2011	15	Friday Sept. 23th 2011 Saturday Sept. 24th 2011 Saturday Oct. 1st 2011
2012	Miracle	Friday Oct. 12th 2012 Saturday Oct. 13th 2012
2013	Milkfest	Saturday Oct. 19th 2013
2024	Regi vs Milk Inc.	Friday Oct. 18th 2024 Saturday Oct. 19th 2024 Saturday Nov. 2nd 2024 Sunday Nov. 3rd 2024 Friday Nov. 8th 2024 Saturday Nov. 9th 2024 Sunday Nov. 10th 2024

Awards

Year	Award
2010	MIA Award – Beste Dance/Elektro
2009	MIA Award – Beste Dance/Elektro Kids Awards 2009 TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National TMF Awards Belgium – Best Live Act National
2008	MIA Award – Beste Dance/Elektro TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National TMF Awards Belgium – Best Live Act National TMF Awards Belgium – Best Album National
2007	TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National
2006	TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National
2005	TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National BelgaDance Awards Belgium – Best Producer Regi Penxten
2004	TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National TMF Awards Belgium – Life Time Achievement
2003	TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National
2002	TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National
2001	Hitkrant The Netherlands – Best International Artists Hitkrant The Netherlands – Best International Single "Walk on Water" TMF Awards The Netherlands – Best Dance Act International TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National TMF Awards Belgium – Best Video "Never Again"
2000	Top Radio Awards Belgium – Best Vocalist Ann Vervoort Radio Donna Awards Belgium – Best Holidaysong of the year "Oceans" TMF Awards Belgium – Best Single National "Walk on Water"
1999	Radio Donna Awards Belgium – Peper Award "In My Eyes" Move X Dance Awards Belgium – Best Dance Single "In My Eyes" TMF Awards Belgium – Best Dance Act National

External links

• Official site
• Linda Mertens official site
• Regi Penxten official site
• Milk Inc. at discogs.com