Biography

Riema worked as a freelancer for Eurovox Music and Cardinal Records, among others. In 1967, she founded her own music publishing, production, and distribution company with Ben Gyselinck. In the 1970s, she collaborated extensively with composer Peter Laine. They co-produced the music for Paul Collet's film "Louise, een woord van Liefde," for which Ann Christy sang the title song.

Riema started translating during the Second World War, but soon started writing her own texts.

A biennial award for cabaret, stand-up comedians and singer-songwriters from SABAM, the Golden Poppy, has borne her name since 2000.

She made revues with, among others, The Woodpeckers, Jef Cassiers, Robert Marcel, Jos Gevers, Marius Mac Phail, Yvonne Lex and Anton Peters. Examples from this period include the Commediantenrevue at the K.V.S. in Brussels in 1954-1955, the revues at the Alhambra Theatre in Brussels, and the Cabaret Folies in Antwerp with productions including Caroussel and En voiture (with the participation of Joris Collet and Anton Peters, Alma Blanca, Denise De Weerdt, Jef Burm, Marc De Corte and Jo Crab).

She received French-language education at 'Les filles de Marie - Paridaens', a renowned girls' school in Antwerp at the time, and also took English language courses at a young age.