THE NETHERLANDS 1997


[Song 8] "Mrs. Einstein" was formed in 1990 by Saskia van Zutphen (Amsterdam, 4 February 1959), Paulette Willemse (Utrecht, 6 December 1961) and Suzanne Venneker (Alkmaar, 2 April, 1959). Their training in the Cabaret Academy and their predilection for song - their specialty is what they themselves call show music which is a large dose of pop music adapted to their own musical arrangement performed as a stage show, plus lyrics combined with a personal style.

Two years earlier, in 1988, as the three-strong group De Meisjes (The girls) they represented The Netherlands at the Knokke Festival. They also went on a theatre tour winning a "Silver Harp" award for their show Stuck with a Fantasy. The girls also worked with a number of other artists: Suzanne worked with Andre van Duin (from 1990-1993), and Paulette with Karin Bloemen in her theatre show Bosje Bloemen (A bunch of flowers) in 1989.

The group performed two theatre shows: Cherchez la Femme in 1991 and Mrs. Einstein makes passes in 1993. After the tours ended they accompanied Gerard Joling (ESC 88) during his theatre tour. Every Sunday evening in April 1994 they sang a love song composed especially for various politicians, including PM Kok and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Van Mierlo on the current affairs' television programme Brandpunt.

The song was then adapted and sung for the Dutch football team. Recently the song was adapted for a meeting of the European top at the request of the Minister of Transport and Public Works Jorritsma.

Mrs. Einstein also collaborated on the Jubilee CD of the Dutch Swing College Band to commemorate its fiftieth anniversary. They also performed with the band on a number of occasions.

In 1996 the group introduced the stage show Mrs. Einstein Op Verzoek (Mrs. Einstein on request). Two new vocalists were signed up for this show: Marjolein Spijkers (Amsterdam, 30 May 1961) and Linda Snoeij (Ouderkerk a/d Ijssel, 8 June 1968). Marjolein had previously sung with "Het Goede Doel" (The Good Cause) and with singer Rene Froger. She was also involved in various Disney films and sang in the musical Les Miserables. Linda has already made a number of CDs and sings in Marco Borsato's band.

Their song for the Eurovision Song Contest is called Niemand Heeft Nog Tijd (Nobody has time anymore), written by Ed Hooijmans, who was born on 15 April 1953 in Hertogenbosch.

The arranger/orchestra director will be Dick Bakker, who composed "Ding-A-Dong" (ESC 75). He was born in 1947 in Blaricum and studied in Hilversum at the Academy of Music. He has composed and arranged music for the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hungarian Symphony Orchestra. Since 1991 Mr. Bakker is the conductor of the Metropole Orchestra. [Chris Zavos - Hellas]

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