Duncan Laurence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Duncan Laurence
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Laurence with the 2019 Eurovision trophy
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Duncan de Moor |
| Born | 11 April 1994 Spijkenisse, Netherlands |
| Genres | Pop |
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| Years active | 2014–present |
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Duncan de Moor (born 11 April 1994), known as Duncan Laurence, is a singer and songwriter from the Netherlands. He became famous for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. His song, "Arcade", was a huge hit. It became one of the most popular Eurovision winning songs ever on streaming sites and music charts around the world. Before Eurovision, Duncan was a semi-finalist on the TV show The Voice of Holland.
Contents
Duncan Laurence's Musical Journey
Early Life and Starting Music
Duncan Laurence grew up in a town called Hellevoetsluis in the Netherlands. When he was a teenager, he started writing his own songs. This helped him deal with being bullied. He began his music studies at the Rock Academy in Tilburg. There, he played in different school bands. One of his own bands, The Slick and Suited, started in 2013. They even performed at a music festival called Eurosonic Noorderslag.
Joining The Voice of Holland
From 2014 to 2018, Duncan took part in the fifth season of The Voice of Holland. He chose singer Ilse DeLange as his coach. He did very well and made it to the semi-finals of the show. After The Voice, Duncan continued to work on his music. He even helped write a song called "Closer" for the K-pop group TVXQ in 2018.
Eurovision Victory and Global Success
In January 2019, Duncan Laurence was chosen to represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. This big music competition was held in Tel Aviv, Israel. His song, "Arcade", was released in March 2019. Duncan was a favorite to win the contest. He ended up winning with a total of 498 points! This was the first time the Netherlands had won Eurovision since 1975.
Because the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Duncan held the title of Eurovision winner for two years. After his win, he went on a concert tour. He also performed at the 50th anniversary of the Pinkpop Festival in the Netherlands. In October 2019, he released his second single, "Love Don't Hate It". He also signed a record deal with Capitol Records.
Albums and Chart Hits
In May 2020, Duncan released his first mini-album, called Worlds on Fire. It included "Arcade" and other songs. His first full album, Small Town Boy, came out in November 2020. It quickly became very popular in the Netherlands.
In late 2020, "Arcade" became super popular on TikTok. This made the song climb music charts again and get many more streams. In January 2021, "Arcade" became the most-streamed Eurovision song ever on Spotify. It even reached the top 40 in the UK Singles Chart. Duncan performed "Arcade" on American TV shows like Today and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. After these performances, "Arcade" made it onto the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. This was a big deal, as it was the first Eurovision song in 25 years to do so.
At the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam, Duncan performed his song "Feel Something". He also received an award for "Arcade" reaching one billion streams.
New Music and Collaborations
In 2022, Duncan was a coach on The Voice Kids Belgium. In August 2022, he released "Electric Life", the first song from his second album, Skyboy. He also worked with singer Rosa Linn on the song "WDIA (Would Do It Again)". Other songs like "I Want It All" and "Skyboy" followed.
Duncan also helped write the song "Burning Daylight" for the Netherlands' entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. He performed a cover of "You'll Never Walk Alone" during the final of that year's Eurovision. His second album, Skyboy, was released in September 2023. Critics praised the album for its variety and beautiful melodies.
Musical Inspirations
Duncan Laurence has mentioned that he is inspired by several famous artists. Some of his musical influences include bands like Coldplay and Snow Patrol. He also looks up to songwriters and singers such as Ryan Tedder, Sia, Sam Smith, and Adele.
Personal Life
Duncan Laurence married American songwriter Jordan Garfield on 21 August 2023.
Images for kids
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Laurence with the 2019 Eurovision trophy
See also
In Spanish: Duncan Laurence para niños
