Anouk (singer)

Summary

Anouk Schemmekes[1][2] (née Teeuwe, Dutch: [aːˈnuk ˈsxɛməkəs ˈteːu.ə]; born 8 April 1975), professionally known by the mononym Anouk, is a Dutch singer and songwriter. After her 1997 breakthrough rock single "Nobody's Wife", she had additional hit records in the Dutch and Belgian charts. Many of her albums topped the Dutch album charts, most of them going Platinum and several debuting in the number 1 position. Her most famous singles include "Michel", "It's So Hard", "R U Kiddin' Me", "Girl", "Lost", "Modern World", "Three Days in a Row", "Birds", and "Woman".

Anouk
Anouk in 2013
Anouk in 2013
Background information
Birth nameAnouk Teeuwe
Born (1975-04-08) 8 April 1975 (age 48)
The Hague, Netherlands
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1996–present
LabelsGoldilox, EMI, Dino
Websiteanouk.com

Anouk had released thirteen studio albums by 2022, a mix of anglophonic rock, pop and adult contemporary; one of which was recorded in the U.S., produced by Glen Ballard. In recent years, she has expanded into Dutch, more folky lyrics. Her 2022 album, was titled Trails of Fails.[3]

Anouk represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden, with the song "Birds". Her song made it to the final – the first time since 2004 for the Netherlands, finished 9th with 114 points, and scored her another big domestic hit.[4]

Biography edit

1970s to 2000s: Beginnings and breakthrough edit

 
Anouk at Festival Mundial in 2008

Anouk Teeuwe was born on 8 April 1975, in The Hague, Netherlands. As a teenager, she used drugs and ended up living in several care homes after she ran away from her family at the age of fourteen. Anouk's interest in music was triggered through her mother, who was a blues singer. Anouk gave her first performance at fifteen and sang at weddings and parties with the band Shotgun Wedding. She started attending the Rotterdam Conservatory in 1994, but dropped out two years later. In the same period, her then-husband and manager Edwin Jansen introduced Anouk to Golden Earring frontman Barry Hay. Hay believed her to have talent and offered to write some songs for her. One of those songs was "Mood Indigo"; written in collaboration with fellow Golden Earring member George Kooymans.

After she met Bart van Veen, her co-writer, the pair wrote a few songs. On 5 September 1997, she released her second single, "Nobody's Wife", which remained at the top of the Dutch music charts for a number of weeks and was a hit in Norway and Sweden. Her debut album Together Alone turned out to be a huge success. In 1998, Anouk won two awards from Dutch music channel TMF in addition to an Edison Award. During the summer, she played at various festivals. Her second album Urban Solitude was released in November 1999, and included the single "R U Kiddin' Me". This song reached the Dutch Top 100. Shortly afterwards, Anouk went to the United States to pursue a record deal. Negotiations with her American label (Sony) ended badly, causing her to return to the Netherlands without a deal. She released a new song, "Don't", and began touring the Netherlands in February 2001.

 
Anouk at Lowlands festival in 2006

In March 2001, she released, Lost Tracks, which contained acoustic versions and B-sides from older songs, and various duets with K's Choice singer Sam Bettens and The Anonymous Mis. She was awarded the Popprijs award in 2001. In November 2002, the album Graduated Fool was released. This was the heaviest rock album in Anouk's career so far. Anouk received a Golden Harp in 2003. The following full-length release is called Hotel New York (2004) and yielded a total of four singles: "Girl", "Lost", "Jerusalem" and "One Word". In 2006, she won the 3FM award for best Dutch female singer.[5] In 2007, Anouk released Who's Your Momma, recorded with producer Glen Ballard. The first single, "Good God" was a success,[6] and became a playable song in the video game Guitar Hero World Tour in 2008.[7] In 2009, she released her album For Bitter or Worse. The song "Three Days in a Row" reached the first place in the Dutch charts.

2010s: Eurovision Song Contest participation and subsequent projects edit

 
Anouk at the dress rehearsal of the Eurovision Song Contest 2013

Anouk's album To Get Her Together was released in the Netherlands in May 2011. On 28 February 2011 Anouk placed one of the new tracks on YouTube named "Killer Bee". The first single of the album is called "Down & Dirty" and came out in April. On 27 June, Anouk released her single "I'm a Cliché". On 17 September 2011 "Save Me" was released as third single from the album. The fourth single is "What Have You Done". Anouk performed at the GelreDome in Arnhem for her To Get Her Together Tour on 8 and 11 March 2012.

Anouk first revealed that she would be taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 on 17 October 2012 via a post on Facebook, after negotiations with broadcaster TROS. Her song was officially revealed on 11 March 2013. Anouk performed "Birds" in the first semi-final on 14 May, where she progressed to the final on 18 May and eventually reached 9th place there with her song "Birds".[8] The Dutch broadly perceived her result to be a major achievement, as it was the best Eurovision result for the Netherlands in 14 years and the first time in 9 years that any Dutch entrant had qualified for the final of the contest.[9] Her backing singer, Shirma Rouse, was named best backing singer by The Eurovision Times.[10][11] Anouk wrote the 2015 Dutch entry "Walk Along", performed by Trijntje Oosterhuis, along with Swedish songwriter Tobias Karlsson.[12]

Anouk was a coach on The Voice of Holland for seasons 6 and 8 through 12, before resigning in January 2022 as a result of sexual misconduct allegations beleaguering the show. In 2016, Anouk released two albums: Queen for a Day, which included the lead single "Run Away Together",[13] in March and Fake It Till We Die in late October.[14] In 2018, Anouk released her first Dutch-language album Wen d'r maar aan.[15] A few years later in 2022, she released Trails of Fails Anouk's first mini album. It features seven calm singer-songwriter tracks. The songs have a more live band feeling than most of her previous work, most of the parts are recorded in either one or two takes. Her latest album, Deena & Jim, was released in 2023.

Musical style edit

Anouk's musical style has been described as a combination of Joan Osborne, Melissa Etheridge and Alanis Morissette.[16] She is known for explosive rock songs like "Nobody's Wife" and "R U kiddin' me", but has also made small and fragile songs like "Lost" and "Michel". In addition to her pop/rock sound she also experiments with soul, funk and hip hop.

Personal life edit

Anouk has six children. She was married to her manager Edwin Jansen until 1998. She married Remon Stotijn (aka The Anonymous Mis), frontman of the reggae/rap band Postmen, on 16 March 2004. Stotijn is the father of three of her children; son Benjahmin Kingsley (b. 18 April 2002), son Elijah Jeramiah (b. 5 December 2003) and daughter Phoenix Ray (b. 3 June 2005). In May 2008, Anouk and Remon announced a "harmonious" mutual separation.[17] In 2010, Anouk gave birth to her fourth child, a son named Jesiah Dox. Her son Sion Jethro was born in June 2014.[18][19] In June 2016, she gave birth to her sixth child, a baby girl, Jelizah Rose, with mixed martial artist and former basketball player Dominique Schemmekes, whom she married in June 2022.[20][21]

In February 2024, Anouk posted a photo of toilet paper with menstrual blood on Threads with the caption "Chopping ur peepee off doesn't make you a woman. But this will."[22][23][24] The post was criticized by many as transphobic and trans-exclusionary feminist.[22][23][24] Anouk refused to apologise for the remark, stating that "[a]nyone you lose by speaking facts isn't a loss".[22][23][24]

Discography edit

Awards and nominations edit

Dutch TMF Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result
1998 "Nobody's Wife" Best New Single[25] Won
Herself Best Newcoming Act[25] Won
2000 "R U Kiddin' me" Best Single[26] Won
Herself Best Female[26] Won
Herself Best Live Act[26] Won
"The Dark" Best Videoclip[26] Won
2003 Herself Best Female [27] Won
2005 Herself Best Female National[28] Won
Best Videoclip[28] Nominated
Herself Artist of the Decade[28] Nominated
2006 Herself Best Female National[29] Won
Herself Best Rock Act[29] Won
"DownHill" (Postmen feat. Anouk) Best Video[29] Won

In 2006, Dutch singer Marco Borsato joined Anouk in announcing their withdrawal from future TMF Awards-nominations. "Every year the same faces can get boring".

Edison Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result
1998 "Nobody's Wife" Best Videoclip[30] Won
Herself Best New Artist[30] Won
Herself Best Female Artist[30] Won
2000 Herself Best Female Artist (Public vote)[31] Won
Herself Best Artist (Jury vote)[31] Won
2001 "Michel" Best Single[32] Won
2003 Herself Best Dutch Female[33] Won
2006 Herself Best Dutch Female[34] Won
2011 Herself Best Female Artist[35] Won
To Get Her Together Best Album[36] Nominated
"Down & Dirty" Best Song[36] Nominated
3FM Radio Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result
2005 Herself Best Female[37] Won
"Girl" Best Single[37] Won
Herself Best Musician Voted by Colleagues[38] Won
2006 Herself Best Female Singer[37] Won
2008 Herself Best Female Singer[37] Won
Herself Best Rock Artist[37] Won
Who's Your Momma Best Album[37] Won
2010 Herself Best Female Singer[37] Won
For Bitter or Worse Best Album[37] Won
2011 Herself Best Live Act[37] Won
Belgian TMF Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result
2005 Herself Best International Female Artist[39] Won
Hotel New York Best International Album[39] Won
"Girl" Best International Video[39][40] Won
2006 Herself Best International Live Act[41] Won
Herself Best International Female Artist[41] Nominated
MTV Europe Music Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result
2005 Herself Best Dutch/Belgian Act[42] Won
2006 Herself Best Dutch Act[43] Won
Other Awards
  • Noorderslag Popprijs 2001[44]
  • Golden Harp 2003[45]
  • Two medals (best female and single international "Girl") on Humo's Pop Poll 2005 Belgium[citation needed]
  • Duiveltje 2004 (best female singer)[46]

References edit

  1. ^ "Zangeres Anouk getrouwd tijdens concert op Malieveld". RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 11 June 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  2. ^ Sokol, Kirsten (11 June 2022). "Zangeres Anouk trouwt voor 40.000 fans en kiest voor familienaam van echtgenoot (en dat is uitzonderlijk)". VRT NWS (in Flemish). Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  3. ^ Lahav, Doron (23 April 2022). "Album Review: Anouk – "Trails of Fails"". ESCBEAT. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Anouk to represent the Netherlands in 2013". Eurovision.tv. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Racoon grote winnaar bij 3FM Awards". Blik op Nieuws. 13 March 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  6. ^ Top 50 chart Archived 25 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Rocken met Anouk in Guitar Hero" (in Dutch). BN/De Stem. 25 August 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  8. ^ Gripper, Ann (19 May 2013). "Who are Eurovision Song Contest 2013 winners? Full results table". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  9. ^ "Nederland-in-de-ban-van-anouk". NOS. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  10. ^ "Shirma Rouse". www.gooisjazzfestival.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Prijs voor Shirma Rouse – Shownieuws.tv". 30 July 2013. Archived from the original on 30 July 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  12. ^ Knoops, Roy (10 November 2014). "The Netherlands: Trijntje Oosterhuis to Vienna with song by Anouk". esctoday.com. ESCToday. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  13. ^ "The Netherlands: Anouk releases new album "Queen for a Day"". wiwibloggs. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  14. ^ Vinyl, Music On. "ANOUK - FAKE IT TILL WE DIE - Music On Vinyl". www.musiconvinyl.com. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  15. ^ News, Eurovision; News, Participants; Participants, Eurovision; Fans (23 October 2018). "The Netherlands: Anouk releases her Dutch album Wen D'r Maar Aan - ESCToday.com". Eurovision News, Polls and Information by ESCToday. Retrieved 15 May 2022. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  16. ^ Anouk Bio. Muziek Centrum Nederland.
  17. ^ "Anouk en Postmen uitelkaar". AD.nl. 5 May 2008.
  18. ^ "Log In or Sign Up to View". www.facebook.com.
  19. ^ "Zwangere Anouk scoort met The Voice - Entertainment - Telegraaf.nl". www.telegraaf.nl.
  20. ^ "Eurovision The Netherlands: Anouk welcomes baby girl - ESCToday.com". 25 June 2016.
  21. ^ Findhammer, Martine (11 June 2022). "Just married: Anouk is officieel getrouwd met Dominique op het Malieveld". Vogue NL. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  22. ^ a b c "Anouk krijgt forse kritiek om 'transfoob' bericht met foto van menstruatiebloed". NU.nl (in Dutch). 9 February 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  23. ^ a b c "Anouk neemt uitspraken over transvrouwen niet terug: 'Iedereen die je verliest door feiten, is geen verlies'". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 10 February 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  24. ^ a b c "Zangeres Anouk zet kwaad bloed na uithaal naar transvrouwen: "Je peepee eraf hakken maakt je geen vrouw"". VRT NWS (in Dutch). 9 February 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  25. ^ a b "Backstreet Boys winnen onbetwist TMF-Awards". Trouw (in Dutch). 6 April 1998. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  26. ^ a b c d "Anouk wint vier TMF-Awards". Trouw (in Dutch). Trow.nl. 17 April 2000. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  27. ^ "Borsato ontvangt Lifetime Achievement Award van TMF". Entertainment Business (in Dutch). 22 April 2003. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  28. ^ a b c "Awardsshows – TMF Awards 2005" (in Dutch). Kinderlines.nl. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  29. ^ a b c "Marco Borsato en Anouk winnaars TMF Awards". Trouw (in Dutch). 13 October 2006. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  30. ^ a b c Robbert Tilli (9 May 1998). "Anouk Lights Up Netherlands' Edison". Billboard. p. 56.
  31. ^ a b "Anouk krijgt twee Edisons, Hazes weigert zijn ereprijs". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 7 April 2000. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  32. ^ Menno Pot. "Edisons voor BZN, Anouk en DeLange". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  33. ^ "De winnaars van de 44ste Editie Edison Music Awards" (in Dutch). Radio.nl. 9 March 2003. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  34. ^ "Jan Smit, Anouk en Racoon winnen Edison". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 15 March 2006. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  35. ^ "Winnaars Edisons bekend" (in Dutch). Edison Awards. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  36. ^ a b "Bekendmaking alle nominaties Edison Pop" (in Dutch). Edison Awards. 19 September 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  37. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Alle winnaars tot nu toe" (in Dutch). 3FM. 12 April 2012. Archived from the original on 6 January 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  38. ^ "Anouk wint Duiveltje". popinstituut.nl. 22 May 2005. Archived from the original on 25 November 2008.
  39. ^ a b c "Anouk wint drie TMF Awards". Trouw (in Dutch). 3 October 2005. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  40. ^ "Opnieuw Vlaamse TMF-Award nominatie voor Borsato". Trouw (in Dutch). 31 August 2005. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  41. ^ a b "Belgische TMF Award voor Anouk". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 16 October 2006. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  42. ^ "MTV EMA – 2005 – Winnaars" (in Dutch). MTV Europe Music Awards. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  43. ^ "MTV EMA – 2006 – Winnaars" (in Dutch). MTV Europe Music Awards. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  44. ^ "Anouk krijgt Popprijs op Noorderslag". Trouw.nl. 29 June 2006.
  45. ^ "Gouden Harpen voor De Boer, Anouk en Blof". Volkskrant.nl. 15 January 2003.
  46. ^ "Anouk wint Duiveltje voor beste zangeres". 2005.

External links edit

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest
2013
Succeeded by