When Heaven met Earth release new single "Third time's a charm" (ft. Peter Broderick)

Following their debut single “Building a windmill”, which was picked up for airplay rotation by Radio 1, Paulien Rondou (Catbug) and Gaëtan Vandewoude (Isbells) return with their second single, “Third time’s a charm”. The song tells the story of the third time they truly met: a meeting that changed everything, even if they didn’t realize it at the time.

Their paths had crossed twice before: a brief hello at a show and later a collaboration where Paulien contributed as a guest vocalist. During their third encounter in Gaëtan’s studio, nothing extraordinary seemed to happen and yet everything shifted. The song captures that moment of unexpected connection, when the heart feels something the mind has yet to understand.

As with their debut, Rondou and Vandewoude collaborated with Peter Broderick (Efterklang, M. Ward, Laura Gibson) for the string arrangements. His sensitive and emotionally layered approach amplifies the intimacy of their vocals and adds subtle, cinematic depth, without ever overshadowing the song itself.

“Third time’s a charm” continues the story of “Building a windmill”: a project about unexpected encounters, openness and surrendering to what comes your way. With their harmonies and Broderick’s strings, Paulien and Gaëtan create a delicate, ethereal intensity that draws the listener in completely.

Fans of Sam Amidon, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and Laura Marling will find in this track a warm, organic sound where music and emotion seamlessly intertwine.

PETER BRODERICK

Once the foundation of the album was in place, Paulien and Gaëtan immediately thought of Peter Broderick for the string arrangements. Not just because of his technical skill, but because his work always starts from a place of emotion and subtlety, exactly what the songs needed. His ability to let melody and silence speak to each other made him the ideal musical partner.

They reached out to Peter without any expectations. The fact that he said “yes” felt like a small victory and at the same time, almost unreal. Because Broderick is no ordinary name: over the past years, he’s built an impressive track record as a composer, musician, and multi-instrumentalist, collaborating with artists like M. Ward, Zooey Deschanel, Laura Gibson and Efterklang.

“Peter Broderick understood the essence of the songs and amplified it without ever overpowering anything,” Paulien and Gaëtan explain. “His arrangements lift the songs to a higher level, bringing both depth and layers, and a certain cinematic richness, yet always in service of the song.”