Duncan Laurence

Duncan Laurence is the singer who, with the song Arcade, brought our country another victory at the Eurovision Song Contest after 44 years.

Duncan Laurence was born Duncan de Moor on April 11, 1994, in Spijkenisse. As a teenager, he wrote his first songs and participated in local talent shows. In 2013, he began studying at the Rock Academy in Tilburg, graduating four years later. Meanwhile, he was also increasingly appearing on stage, including as a member of The Slick And Suited, which also featured other Rock Academy students. The band played at the Noorderslag Festival in Groningen in 2014.

The singer's growing fame led to his being asked to participate in the fifth season of The Voice of Holland. His audition was successful thanks to his rendition of Ed Sheeran's "Sing." He was coached by singer Ilse DeLange, who guided him to a place in the final. In early 2019, it was announced that the young singer would represent the Netherlands at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, held in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Partly at the insistence of Ilse DeLange, a member of the selection committee, Arcade was chosen. A melancholic song, it was quite the opposite of the typical Eurovision song. It was written by Joel Sjöö, Wouter Hardy, Will Knox, and Duncan Laurence himself, with the initial draft stemming from his years at the Rock Academy. Duncan Laurence wanted Arcade to be a song about the sometimes fruitless search for ultimate love.

Expectations were high and even exceeded when Duncan Laurence won the Eurovision Song Contest on May 19, 2019. He became the fifth Dutchman ever, breaking a 44-year winning streak. The victory gave his career a huge boost. The winning song became a number one hit, his performances in Dutch clubs sold out, and he was invited to perform at the still-prestigious Pinkpop festival. The end seems nowhere in sight. The Eurovision Song Contest has given the Netherlands a new pop star.

At Platenzaak.nl we have many CDs and LPs by Duncan Laurence, including exclusive versions.