Ilse DeLange facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ilse DeLange
Ilse DeLange during her tour in Germany 2023
Background information
Birth name	Ilse Annoeska de Lange
Born	(1977-05-13) 13 May 1977 (age 48) Almelo, The Netherlands
Genres	Country, pop, pop rock, Dutch pop, Americana
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Guitar, vocals
Years active	1995–present
Labels	Warner, Universal, Spark

Ilse Annoeska de Lange (born May 13, 1977), known as Ilse DeLange, is a Dutch singer and songwriter. She is famous for her country and pop rock music. In 1998, her song 'I'm Not So Tough' became a huge hit in the Netherlands. Other popular songs include "Miracle", "So Incredible", and "The Great Escape".

Ilse DeLange was also the lead singer of The Common Linnets. This group finished second at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. In 2019, she helped Duncan Laurence prepare for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. He won the contest with his song "Arcade" thanks to her guidance.

Throughout her career, Ilse has won many awards. One of the most important is the Jeff Walker Global Country Music Award. She has also won several Edison Awards, which are major music awards in the Netherlands.

Biography

Ilse Annoeska de Lange was born in Almelo, Netherlands, on May 13, 1977. She began her music journey very young, at age 8. She first performed by lip-syncing and won several contests. Later, she started singing live at talent shows. These shows were held in Hilversum, where many Dutch TV programs are made. This helped her get noticed and perform on national television.

She formed a duo with guitarist Joop van Liefland. He introduced her to country music. In 1994, Ilse won a talent show in Oss with Joop. The judges were impressed by her country style.

In 1994, Ilse performed at the Dutch Country Music Awards. She got good reviews, but her career didn't take off right away. She did connect with Warner Music, but it took years to get a contract. That same year, she won another singing contest in Eindhoven. This win gave her the chance to record a demo. In 1996, she joined a pop group called Wij. They released a song, but it didn't become a hit.

Early Success

Breakthrough with World of Hurt

In 1998, Ilse went to Nashville, USA, to record her first album, World of Hurt. Nashville is known as the capital of country music. Her album was produced by Barry Beckett. Because it was recorded in Nashville, she became very well known in the Netherlands.

Her first song from the album, I'm Not So Tough, became a hit. The album itself was a huge success, selling many copies. Ilse won a TMF Award and an Edison Award in 1999 for her music. Even though the album was popular, her next songs from it didn't become big hits.

Dear John

A year later, Ilse released a live album called Dear John. This album featured songs by John Hiatt. She recorded it after a very successful performance for "Marlboro Flashbacks." This was a tour where famous Dutch singers covered their favorite artists. Ilse even went on a small tour to support the album. Dear John also sold very well, becoming a platinum album in the Netherlands.

Ilse DeLange during a recording for NPO Radio 2 in 2022

New Sounds and Challenges

Livin' on Love and taking a break

In 2000, Ilse released her new song, Livin' on Love. It was a hit, reaching No. 37 in the Dutch charts. Her second studio album, also called Livin' on Love, came out in November. This album was different from her first. It had more pop and rock sounds, and less country. Some country music fans were not as excited about it.

Even though it was promoted well, it didn't sell as much as World of Hurt. Still, it became a platinum album. Her next song from the album, I Still Cry, didn't become a hit. In 2001, Ilse started her Livin' on Love Tour. She performed in many theaters across the Netherlands.

Warner Music tried to release this album in the United States. However, it was not released for reasons that are not clear. There were rumors that the American label didn't like the pop/rock sound. Because of these business problems and a busy tour schedule, Ilse became very tired. During a show in Amsterdam, she had problems with her voice. She had to stop the performance and take a few weeks of rest.

New Beginnings

Clean Up and a new record company

In 2002, Ilse and her partner, Bart Vergoossen, went to America. Bart is the drummer in her band. They spent nine months working on a new album. Ilse took a bigger role in writing the songs for this album. She wrote about her own life. In April 2003, she released Clean Up, her third studio album. This album continued with the pop/rock sound. It went straight to No. 1 in the charts and quickly became a gold album.

However, the first song from the album, No Reason To Be Shy, was not a big hit. So, the record company decided not to release more songs from it. Instead, they focused on a collection of her best songs, called Here I Am. This album came out in October 2003. It had two new songs, but they also didn't become hits.

Ilse DeLange at Parkpop in 2006

At the start of 2004, Ilse's record company, Warner Music, closed its Dutch office. Ilse lost her contract. A few months later, she sang with Italian singer Zucchero on the song Blue. This song was a small hit in the Netherlands. Ilse said she was working on her future.

In late 2005, she went on tour even without a new album or record company. All her concerts sold out. She started working with producer Patrick Leonard on a new album. This helped her sign a new deal with Universal Music.

The Great Escape

Her first song with Universal Music was The Great Escape. It reached No. 11 in the Dutch charts. Her fourth studio album, also called The Great Escape, came out on June 16, 2006. It became a gold album in just one week and double platinum a few months later.

In September, the second song, The Lonely One, was released. The third song, I Love You, came out in February 2007. It was also part of the soundtrack for a Dutch movie. Another song, Reach for the Light, was released for promotion and also charted. In October 2007, she released a live album called Live.

More Hits and New Projects

Incredible

In 2008, Ilse began writing and recording a new album in Sweden. She also worked with songwriters who had worked with James Morrison. The first song from her new album was So Incredible, which reached No. 6. The album Incredible was released on October 17, 2008. It became platinum in less than a month and eventually went five times platinum.

Her next song, Miracle, became her biggest hit ever. It reached the top spot in the Dutch charts. This song was written for the Dutch movie Bride Flight. The third song, Puzzle Me, reached No. 5. Another song, We're Alright, was played on the radio and reached No. 21, even though it wasn't officially released as a single.

Next to Me EP

After another live album, Ilse started working on new music. The song Next To Me was released in July 2010 and reached No. 9. Her first EP (a shorter album), also called Next To Me, came out on August 27, 2010. It had only eight songs. Ilse explained that she wanted to release new music more often. The second song, Beautiful Distraction, charted at No. 18, and Carousel reached No. 32. By early 2011, Next To Me had become double platinum.

Personal Challenges and New Albums

Shelved album and Eye of the Hurricane

Ilse DeLange at the Zwarte Cross Festival 2011

In November 2011, Ilse released her new song DoLuv2LuvU. It was the theme song for Serious Request 2011, a big charity event in the Netherlands. While promoting the song, Ilse learned her father was very ill. She stopped all promotions and paused recording her new album, which was also going to be called DoLuv2LuvU. Even without promotion, the song reached No. 14.

After her father passed away in January 2012, she shared an acoustic version of her song Without You. Later that year, Ilse said that the DoLuv2LuvU album was put aside. She started recording a new album instead. This was because she didn't feel the same about the old songs after her father's death. She said the shelved album might still be released in the future.

In June 2012, the first song from her new album, Hurricane, was released. It reached No. 23. Her seventh album, Eye of the Hurricane, came out on September 14, 2012. It became platinum in just a few weeks. The second song, Winter of Love, reached No. 20, and We Are One reached No. 33. This new album was celebrated with a concert at the 'GelreDome' stadium. The concert was originally planned for March 2012 but was postponed due to her father's illness.

Ilse DeLange in 2017

Coaching, Eurovision, and Festivals

The Voice

In 2013, Ilse became a coach on The Voice of Holland. She joined other famous singers like Marco Borsato. When the live shows started, Ilse released her second collection album, After The Hurricane. The first song from it, Blue Bittersweet, was written for a Dutch movie and reached No. 8.

She returned as a coach for the fifth season of The Voice of Holland in 2014. In 2015, she decided to leave the show to focus on her international career with The Common Linnets. However, she became a coach for The Voice Kids. Her team won in 2016 with Esmée Scheurs. In 2018 and 2019, Ilse also coached on The Voice Senior. Her team won in 2019 with singer Ruud Hermans.

The Common Linnets

Ilse DeLange represented the Netherlands with singer Waylon as The Common Linnets at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. The contest was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ilse had been asked to participate before but always said no. This was because the Netherlands didn't have a good reputation in the show. After singer Anouk did well in 2013, Ilse saw a chance to promote "real" music. Their song, Calm After The Storm, came in second place. The winner was Conchita Wurst from Austria.

The song became a hit in many European countries. It was a top 10 song in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. The band's first album was also very successful. It was released just two days before the Eurovision finale. It sold 50,000 copies in the Netherlands in one week. After two months, the album sold more than 150,000 copies worldwide. Because of their success, the band toured Europe twice and also performed in the United States.

Ilse DeLange during her 2021 club tour in The Hague.

Tuckerville

The success of The Common Linnets allowed Ilse to create her own country music festival in the Netherlands. She had wanted to do this for over two years. The festival was named 'Tuckerville'. The first festival took place in 2014 in Enschede, in Ilse's home region. Almost 30,000 people attended. This was the last time The Common Linnets performed together officially, as Waylon left the band after this show.

The second Tuckerville festival was in 2017. It moved to a new location in Enschede. This new place allowed for multiple stages. One stage was in a huge barn built just for the festival. More than 12,500 people visited this edition. For the third festival, Ilse got country singer Carrie Underwood to perform. This was Carrie Underwood's first concert in the Netherlands. Ilse also performed, which was her first solo show since 2014. Since 2017, Tuckerville has been an annual festival, except for the years affected by COVID.

Nashville

In December 2017, it was announced that Ilse DeLange would act in the final season of the American TV show Nashville. This show is about music and drama. In the sixth season, Ilse played a coach named 'Ilse DeWitt'. This role was similar to her job as a coach on 'The Voice'. She appeared in six episodes. During the show, Ilse got to perform her song Love Goes On. This song was also added to the season's music album. The episodes were shown in 2018.

Spark Records

In 2018, Ilse DeLange started her own record label called Spark Records. It is part of Firefly/Universal Music. She uses this label to help new artists get started in the music industry. Some artists signed to her label include Matthew Crosby (from The Common Linnets), Joe Buck, Hannah Mae, and previously Duncan Laurence. Ilse often lets her artists perform during her concerts and at Tuckerville.

Self-titled album

After five years, Ilse released a new pop song for her solo career called 'OK'. This song was her answer to fans who wrote to her saying that 'Everything is OK' and things would be alright. 'OK' was the first song from her new album, which was simply called 'Ilse DeLange'. She wrote and produced the album with Tofer Brown. Other songs released from this album were 'Lay Your Weapons Down' and 'Half The Love'. Two music videos were made for 'OK' and 'Lay Your Weapons Down'. The album received a Gold award.

Recent Years

Eurovision Song Contest 2019

Ilse DeLange was part of the Dutch team for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. She was an artistic consultant and mentor for the Dutch singer Duncan Laurence. She had coached him before on The Voice of Holland. Duncan went on to win the contest with his song "Arcade". In late 2020, "Arcade" became very popular on TikTok. It became the most-streamed Eurovision song on Spotify and even appeared on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart the next year.

Gravel & Dust

In September 2019, Ilse DeLange released a roots-music album called Gravel & Dust. It was recorded in Nashville with producer T Bone Burnett. This album has a roots and Americana sound. Ilse received an Edison Award for this album. After the album was released, she went on a tour with 27 shows across the Netherlands.

Breakthrough in Germany with Changes

In January 2020, Ilse started working with German songwriters and producers for her new pop album, 'Changes'. This album was released just eight months after Gravel & Dust. The title song also became a hit in Germany. It was used as the theme song for the German TV show Farmer Wants a Wife. The song had its own music video, which included scenes from Tuckerville. The album was released in May. In August, the second song, 'Way Back Home', was released. The album also included a duet with German singer Michael Schulte. To promote her song 'Homesick', Ilse performed it on the German show 'Sing Meinen Song'. Her club tour, which was planned for 2020, finally took place in 2021 after being postponed due to the COVID virus.

Sing Meinen Song - Das Tauschkonzert

Ilse DeLange took part in the seventh season of Sing Meinen Song - Das Tauschkonzert. This is a German TV show based on the Dutch version Beste Zangers. In this show, several artists go to a tropical place. There, they sing covers of each other's songs. Ilse participated with other artists like LEA and Nico Santos. The show was filmed in South Africa.

In each episode, one artist is the main guest. The other artists sing covers of that guest's songs. The main guest also performs a song that is important to them. When Ilse was the main guest, sales of her old albums and songs suddenly increased. Her album Changes was the first solo album to reach the German album charts. In December 2022, the arena tour for Sing Meinen Song finally happened. It had been postponed twice. More than 80,000 people saw Ilse perform with the other artists. The success of these shows led to Ilse having her own club tour in Germany in 2023.

Let's Dance

In 2021, Ilse DeLange joined the fourteenth season of the German dance competition show Let's Dance. She followed in the footsteps of other Dutch contestants. However, she had to leave the competition on May 3. She said she had a foot injury that prevented her from continuing.

Eurovision Song Contest 2024

Ilse DeLange was one of the five finalists who could have represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. In the end, Joost Klein was chosen.

Discography

• World of Hurt (1998)
• Dear John, (1999)
• Livin' on Love (2000)
• Clean Up (2003)
• The Great Escape (2006)
• Incredible (2008)
• Next to Me (2010)
• Eye of the Hurricane (2012)
• The Common Linnets (2014) (as part of the Common Linnets)
• II (2015) (as part of the Common Linnets)
• Ilse DeLange (2018)
• Gravel & Dust (2019)
• Changes (2020)
• Tainted (2024)

Awards

Images for kids

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  Ilse DeLange during her tour in Germany 2023

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  Ilse DeLange during the recordings of het muziekcafé, created by NPO Radio 2 in 2022

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  Ilse DeLange at Parkpop in 2006

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  Ilse DeLange at the Zwarte Cross Festival 2011

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  Ilse DeLange in 2017

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  Ilse DeLange during her 2021 clubtour in The Hague.

See also

In Spanish: Ilse DeLange para niños