Netherlands 2000

May 3rd: Linda Wagenmakers will represent The Netherlands with 'No Goodbyes'.

Linda Wagenmakers is 24 years old and already well-known in Dutch showbiz. Her breakthrough came a few years ago in the Dutch version of the musical Miss Saigon. She is currently studying law at the University of Utrecht.

A report will appear in due course. Meanwhile, the preview remains below.

On February 27th, 8 songs competed. Those in Europe outside The Netherlands were able to catch the show on the satellite channel BVN on Hotbird at 13 deg E. This channel carried the 1999 final live, but has since gone digital only, but is broadcast 'in the clear'.

Stephen Boddington tells me: The final is being held in The Ahoy in Rotterdam to enable everyone who wants to attend to be there (previous venues were too small)

Henri van den Heuvel writes:

Hi: here is the latest news about the Dutch contest: eight songs will participate: one will be performed in Frisian (language spoken in the nothern province Friesland (or Fryslan how they name it themselves). One song in Dutch (written by the same composers as Vrede (Ruth Jacott) and Hemel en Aarde (Edsillia Rombley).

6 songs will be sung in English.

1. Hjir is it begjin (This is the beginning) - Gina de Wit (participate 4 times in the National, never won) in Frissian language
2. Evenwicht (Balance) - Alderliefste (by Fluitsma & Tijn)
3. No goodbyes - Linda Wagemakers (famous musicalstar) Very good singer
4. One step closer - Sandy Kandau (had a small hit)
5. Close Harmony - Splash (written by composer of Ding-a-Dong from Teach-in)
6. Wawakilele - Sonny (never heard of)
7. Hit it off - Dewi (never heard of)
8. One step behind - Arno Kolenbrander (soundmixshow-winner, not very succesful)

Thanks Henri!

Thanks also to Rene Eijpe & Erik Oosterwijk & Adriaan A. T. Hout & Gerard and Jos who sent me the list as well.

Erik Oosterwijk now adds some more valuable information on the performers:

1. Alderliefste: A 3 men's band, consisting of Gerard Alderliefste (35), Kees Pot (37) and Luc de Bruin (33). As you will see the name of the band is named after the surname of the singer of the band. They are the regular band of one of the most popular Grand Cafe's in Amsterdam: 'Cafe Luxembourg'. They have brought out 2 CD's and had a small hit in the Netherlands in 1997. A third album will be released early this year. The composers of their song are Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma, who you may know as the composers of 'Vrede' by Ruth Jacott ('93) and 'Hemel en Aarde' by Edsilia ('98). The song 'Evenwicht' is supposed to be a cheerful love-song with a nice beat.

2. Arno Kolenbrander: In 1995 he won the Dutch Soundmix-show as Simon Bowman with the song 'Why God Why'. With this song he also went to the European Soundmix-show, where he became third (First was Bianca Shomburg ('97) as Celine Dion). He brought out a few singles since then, but wasn't very succesful. The composer is Peter de Wijn, who also wrote 'Shangri-La' for Gerard Joling in 1988. The song 'One step behind' is about being there for other people and according to the singer is 'a combination of a Johnny Logan-song and modern music'.

3. Dewi: Her full name is Dewi Lopulalan and sings in various bands since she was 16. One might know her as the singer of the band The Course, who had hits in the European Charts with songs as 'Ready or Not' and 'Ain't Nobody'. The song is written by Piet Souer and Dick Plat. Piet Souer wrote 'Sing Me A Song' for Bernadette in 1983 and 'De Eerste Keer' for Maxine & Franklin Brown in 1996. The song 'Hit it off' is about two people who meet and decide to stay together.

4. Gina de Wit: Has been singing for about 20 years in which she also sang in some famous Dutch bands. In these years she entered various other songcontests throughout the world. In 1996 she brought out her first solo-album. She also wrote songs for albums of Ruth Jacott ('93) and Willeke Alberti ('94). This is the fourth time she has entered the National Finals ('89, '90 and '96). The song 'Hjir is it begjin' is written by herself and is sung in Frisian. It is autobiographical and is about spirituality.

5. Linda Wagenmakers: Linda is 24 and studies Law at the University of Utrecht, but everybody in the Netherlands knows her from the musical Miss Saigon, where she played Kim. She also starred in a popular Dutch TV-series of which she also sang the title-song. She is now working on her first solo-album The song 'No Goodbyes' is written by John O'Hare and Ellert Driessen. The last one was very popular in the eighties as the singer of the band Spargo. The song is about is about relations.

6. Sandy Kandau: Sandy is 29 and sings for quite some years. She sang in the band of Rene Froger and Candy Dulfer and she brought out a solo-album in 1994, which was reasonably successful - she had some small hits. The CD sold well in Japan, so she did a lot of shows there. The song 'One Step Closer' is written by Ad van Olm, who has sent in songs for National Finals about 8 times now, but not one ever won. The song is about a young ordinary girl, who dreams of a career in Showbiz.

7. Splash: The four members of this band are Harold, Tarif, Petra and Eileen and they are specially brought together for the ESC to sing this song. All four have studies music and singing and some have worked with some well-known people. Tarif worked with 2 Unlimited, Imaani, Ruth Jacott and Labi Shiffre. Petra sang with Madeline Bell and Johnnny Logan. For Harold it's the second time he enters the National Finals ('90) and he now presents a game-show on Dutch Television. 'Close Harmony' is written by Dick Bakker, who conducted the orchestra on the ESC for the Dutch entries the last few years (in case of an orchestra being there), but you also might know him of the writer of the winning song of '75: 'Ding-A-Dong'. The song 'Close Harmony' is a sort of hymn, which starts with one voice, but then builds up to everybody joining in. The song is about that people in the world should be working more together.

8. Sonny: Sonny Hoogwerf is the lead-singer of Sonny's Inc., but on the National Finals he will sing with only part of this band. With his band he brought out 4 CD's and they had a hit in 1995. Marlayne ('99) used to be a backing-vocalist of Sonny's Inc. and because of her appearance at the ESC last year, he got the idea to send in songs himself. One song is chosen and it's called 'Wawakilele' and is written by himself and two other band-members. The song is about positivity and optimism and is supposed to be a 'tropical, cheerful song'.

   Photographs of the Dutch finalists can be seen at http://www.omroep.nl/nos/songfestival/index.html, but of course it is all written Dutch.

   Thanks very much Eric

Adriaan A. T. Hout adds:

Sad news: Annie Palmen (73) died Saturday 15th January. In 1963 she sang "De speeldoos" at the Eurovision Song Contest in London, coming last place with no points.

I've been told about another Dutch site the Dutch 'official' website: http://www.eurosong.nl

If you have any more news or comments, please e-mail me, Geoff Harrison, at my contact page and I'll credit your contribution.

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