Dutch artist Willeke Alberti, who represented the Netherlands at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, created a special theme song for the 2016 EuroPride in Amsterdam.

The song Overdag Karel (“Karel by day“) tells the tale of a transgender person, Karel (“Charles”), who lives her true personality, Caroline, at night time. Willeke Alberti has been an advocat for LGBT-rights for years, and she is an annual participant of the EuroPride festival. As the Dutch singer says:

I always look forward to it. That feeling of being óne is indescribable. That day inspires me enormously. I draw energy from it for days afterwards.

Her latest theme song was presented on Friday 5 August during the Genderblender Party, hosted by BNN DJ Frank van der Lende, live on Radio NPO 3FM. Besides presenting her song, Willeke Alberti promised another surprise, as she shared on her official Facebook-page:

This Friday I will perform with my band at the Gay Pride at Frank van der Lende of BNN. With a new track created especially for the Gay Pride: ‘Overdag Karel, ‘s nachts Caroline’. With yet anóther big surprise. Everybody come watch! Love, Willeke

Willeke Alberti is proud to be a spokesperson for LGBT-rights:

I find transgenders, gays and lesbians incredibly brave people, because they have the courage to be completely themselves. With this song I want to give something back to the gay community. I want to show that we will not be scared, and that everyone has the right to be who he, or she, wants to be. The Canal Parade is the most beautiful thing there is.

The GenderBlender Party was held August 5 at the Rembrandtplein (Rembrandt Square) in Amsterdam. After the radio presentation, Willeke Alberti took the stage, together with a diverse line-up of artists.

Willeke Alberti (born: Willy Albertina Verbrugge, Amsterdam, 1945) is one of Holland’s most beloved singers and actresses. She is the daughter of Willy Alberti (Carel Verbrugge), who was an immensely popular Dutch singer from the 1940’s until his passing away in 1985.

Willeke Alberti began singing as a teenager, and soon matched her father in popularity, not only because of her vocal skills, but also because of her charming and charitative personality.

In the 1960’s she had a TV-show together with her father, and she played in various TV-series and movies. Her career spans more than five decades, and in 2016 she was declared the ambassador of the Dutch “levenslied” (literally “life song”, a type of popular Dutch language music).

In 1994, Willeke Alberti represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, Ireland, with the heartfelt ballad Waar is de zon? (“Where is the sun?“). Being one of the top female artists in the Netherlands at the time, expectations were high.

However, Willeke Alberti’s performance received just 4 points, placing her 23rd out of 25 participants. Yet Willeke Alberti looks back at Eurovision as being a marvelous experience.

Please enjoy Willeke Alberti performing Waar is de zon? at the 1994 ESC once again: