Jan Smit (singer)
| Jan Smit | |
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Jan Smit during a concert in Zwolle in 2006
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Johannes Hendricus Maria Smit |
| Also known as | Jantje Smit |
| Born | December 31, 1985 |
| Origin | Volendam, Netherlands |
| Genres | Pop music, schlager |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1996 – present |
| Website | www.jansmit.com |
Johannes Hendricus Maria “Jan” Smit (born December 31, 1985) is a Dutch pop music and schlager singer and TV host. He scored his first number one position in the Dutch charts with Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen (I'm singing this song for you alone) in 1997 at the age of 12. He was then known as “Jantje” Smit. Smit made his acting debut in the critically panned Dutch movie Het Bombardement (2012), a love story set against the German attack on Rotterdam in the early days of May 1940.
Smit was discovered by Dutch middle of the road band BZN, who used his vocals in a duet called Mama. He has released several albums in Dutch and German since.
Jan dedicated the song Ik zing dit lied voor jou alleen to his grandmother. In 1997, Smit toured South Africa with popular Afrikaans singer Nádine. In 2000, Smit won the Grand Prix der Volksmusik singing Ich zeig dir die Berge (“Let Me Show You the Mountains”) with Oswald Sattler for South Tyrol. In 2001, Smit won the Exportprijs for his success in Germany, France and Italy. In Germany, he became one of the best selling Dutch artists ever, with German-language albums specifically aimed at the German market.
After three big hits in the late 90s, Smit's popularity began to wane gradually. His albums Jan Smit (2000, #32), Zing en Lach (“Sing and Laugh”, 2001, #33), Zonder Jou (“Without You”, #40) and Op Eigen Benen (“On My Own Feet”, #45) sold fewer copies than the first two albums from his child star era.
However, Jan was still very popular in Germany, where he spent most of his time touring. 2005 marked his comeback in his home country, when regional television host Willie Oosterhuis picked up a Jan Smit song recorded in 2003, Als de nacht verdwijnt (“When the Night Is Over”). Oosterhuis heavily promoted the song on his show, resulting in moderate success.
During the same period, Dutch broadcaster TROS wanted to produce a real life soap about Smit, with the focus on his life as a teenage star in Germany and The Netherlands, and on his private life in the seaside village of Volendam. The reality soap became a TV hit and an accompanying album, Vrienden voor het leven (“Friends for Life”) brought Smit back to the top of the charts for the first time in a few years. It was written for his cousin Niek Smit.
In 2006, Smit had several big selling hit singles, such as Laura (about a friend who died of cancer), Als de morgen is gekomen (“When the Morning Has Come”) and Cupido (“Cupid”). Smit usually includes special tracks on his CD singles, such as live recordings, previously unreleased tracks and CD-ROM content, to appeal to his loyal fanbase. In 2007 he topped the single charts again with Op Weg Naar Geluk (“On The Road To Happiness”) and with Dan Volg Je Haar Benen (“Then You Follow Her Legs”), and the album charts also with the album “Op Weg Naar Geluk” which sold 160,000 copies in its first four days after being released, going double platinum.
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