The Netherlands was one of the debut countries at the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. The country has won the Contest five times – Corry Brokken in 1957, Teddy Scholten in 1959, Lenny Kuhr in a four way tie in 1969, Teach-In in 1979 and then after an interval of 44 years, Duncan Laurence claimed victory in 2019.
For the (now cancelled) 2020 Contest and going forward to 2021, the Dutch broadcaster internally selected Jeangu Macrooy. A native of Paramaribo, Suriname (a former Dutch colony), his musical talent was cultivated when he got a guitar for his thirteenth birthday. He formed a music duo with his twin brother, Xillan, called Twin Towers.
Here’s a recent clip from Dutch TV featuring Jeangu and his twin brother, Xillan:
To further his musical ambitions, Jeangu and his family relocated to the Netherlands in 2014, where he studied music composition at University. He was quickly signed to a record label, Unexpected Records, and started to build a strong fanbase through playing at major Dutch music festivals and appearances on TV shows. He has been nominated twice for an Edison Award, the Dutch equivalent of the Grammy’s.
In the autobiographical song “Grow”, Jeangu explains: "Lyrically, the song is about realising that life has no guidelines, and that adulthood doesn’t equate to having everything under control. It’s about the negative effect a constant focus on that next dot on the horizon can have, using up space needed to listen to the voice within. Emotions, good and bad, are a universal language. I hope the song makes people feel a little less lonely in their search for happiness. I think that openness and honesty about how we really feel will ultimately bring us closer. I believe in the power of music to bring people together. It's the reason I do what I do."
Listen to the poignant “Grow” here:
Check out Eurovision Calls with Nikkie Tutorials, where Jeangu talks more about “Grow”, and what his plans are for Eurovision 2021:
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