page_title: Toni Willé
section_title: 1985 – Going solo
hierarchical_section_title: Toni Willé / 1985 – Going solo
caption_attribution_description: English: Colored picture of the final line up of Pussycat members in the early 80s
context_page_description: Toni Willé is a Dutch country pop artist who was lead vocalist of the band, Pussycat.
context_section_description: By 1981, it became popular for artists to perform with a tape instead of backing band as this was much cheaper and more attractive for venue owners. So Toni and her sisters had no choice but to part with their backing band reducing the group to only Toni, Betty, Marianne and Toni's husband Lou Willé. Their new producer was now Pim Koopman.
  A few more hits and in the meantime, family life started to take effect within the band.  Betty had a little child and so had Toni.  This was partly the reason they were unable to accept invitations to visit Japan, Australia and Singapore, although they managed to schedule a one-month trip to South Africa.  The group finally disbanded in the year 1985.
  Toni had a successful solo career covering songs by Chris Rea and Anne Murray on her albums. Three solo albums appeared: "Privilege" in 1985, "Working Girl" in 1987, and "New Words to an Old Love Song" in 1989. She recorded a number of solo albums and recorded duets with famous artists like Marco Bakker, Benny Neyman and Major Dundee Band. She recorded two singles with singer and songwriter Dick Van Altena of Major Dundee Band: "It turned Out To Be You" in 1990 and "Raised on Love" in 1995. In 1999 she recorded "Mama", a single written by Dick Van Altena that appeared on many albums including Diverse Artiesten – De Geschiedenis Van De Limburgse Popmuziek 3, a compilation of songs from Dutch artists from Limburg. The Rarities bonus CD contains part of Toni's solo work.  Besides "Love in a Heatwave", the theme of the film De Flat starring Rene Soutendijk, it also contains "Heart Half Empty", the duet with Danny Vera.
  In 2007, Toni sang "I Wanna Love You" from her new album "Fantastic Stores" as a duet with Jess Robin on the Slovenian breakfast TV show.
  With her album Pussycat – The Collection and More she re-recorded the hits of Pussycat with "I'll be your woman" along with new songs like the ballads "Desperado", "Still on my mind" and the Elkie Brooks hit, "Pearl's a Singer".
caption: Marianne, Lou, Toni and Betty as the final line up of Pussycat in 1982
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