Colin Benders, known professionally as Kyteman, was born on December 5, 1986, in Utrecht, Netherlands. He began his musical journey at age three, receiving his first trumpet from uncle Jacky Terrasson. Benders' early training included classical trumpet and jazz, influenced by the North Sea Jazz Festival and education at local music schools. Benders gained initial recognition as a member of Six of Your Best Friends. He released his debut album The Hermit Sessions in 2009, which he composed, produced, and performed entirely himself. The album reached number 5 in the Dutch charts and was certified platinum. To perform The Hermit Sessions live, Benders formed Kyteman’s Hip-hop Orchestra in 2009, which later evolved into The Kyteman Orchestra. He received the Zilveren Harp award in 2009 for his contributions to Dutch music.
