I
Aafke Romeijn

About:

1986

Romeijn was born in Overasselt and started her musical career as a harpist. At a young age she was seen in several children's programs, where she spent on her own harp compositions. In 2002 and 2005 she won the competition "Towards the New Year Concert" VARA and Dutch Wind Ensemble. The winning compositions were played at the Royal Concert Hall.

At age fifteen Romeijn moved from harp to piano, entered the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and started writing pop music. Together with some friends, she founded the girl band Mister Blue Sky, with which she won the local award 'Roos van Nijmegen' in 2007. In this period she also wrote the music for rockopera called Lucifer. In 2009, Romeijn and her band participated in the Popronde (a competition for local bands). This eventually resulted in an English solo debut Stella Must Die, with which she again entered the Popronde competition.

Romeijn gained national attention with her Dutch album Chin. Ind. Spec. Rest. Romeijn released it for her own company but it was later re-released in 2014 by V2 Records. The album shows Aafke curiosity into electronic music combined with piano and introvert lyrics. For the album she also recorded a coverversion of 'Huilend naar de club', initially by the Jeugd van Tegenwoordig. The song became a small cult hit.

In 2015 she founded with Torre Florim (The Staat), Casper Starreveld (Kensington), Pieter Perquin (perquisite) and Arriën Molema (Room Eleven) BAM! a professional association for authors-musicians. In March 2015, she left her daytime job as a school teacher and in 2016 Romeijn she presented her second Dutch album.

In 2016 she released a successful single with rapper Sef ´Alles went´, from the ep. ´Anders nog iets?´. That year she released another concept EP around the parliamentary elections. Romeijn is not only busy with her music, but also with writing. In April 2018, her debut novel Concept M. was published. In 2019 she distilled the main theme of the book to music and an album with the same title.

On the web:

- Aafke's website: http://aafkeromeijn.nl/

If you like this, you probably like.. / european counterparts:

Maria Peszek (Poland)

What do we think:

DB: Cabaret and pop are often too close together in the Netherlands. That danger could also lurk for Aafke except she manages somehow to stay clear of that and make her music pure pop music. A fascination with making sounds and electronica makes Aafke an interesting figure in the Dutch music scene. That, plus her love for introverted, gloomy and sometimes sinister lyrics. There is a latent agression in her music and the result is sometimes biting and sometimes bittersweet. Her penmanship treason her career as a writer, but she knows how to use this talent in specific compositions..

Recommended albums:

- Stella must die (English) - 2012

♪♪♪ - Chin Ind Spec Rest - 2014

♪♪♪ - Je doet je best maar - 2016

♪♪♪- M - 2019

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided