On this morning, 10 November 2014, Dutch artist Trijntje Oosterhuis officially confirmed the rumours that she will represent The Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Vienna, Austria. Moreover, the song she will perform is being written by none other than singer Anouk, who herself competed in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013, earning a respectable ninth place in the grand final. Trijntje gave the statement in the radioshow Gouden Uren (Golden Hours), presented by Daniël Dekker, who covered the Eurovision Song Contest for The Netherlands for several years.

Trijntje stated that she is very honoured and excited to represent her country, following in the footsteps of artists such as Anouk, Ilse DeLange and Waylon. Trijntje, also known as Traincha (the phonetic spelling of her Dutch name in English, she performs under this name when abroad and also probably in Vienna), revealed some details about the song she will bring to the stage in Vienna. Good friend Anouk is working on the song, which according to Trijntje is very beautiful and special, something we wouldn’t suspect from either Trijntje or Anouk. Trijntje thinks the public will be pleasantly surprised. The song will be officially presented on a later date.

I am enormously honoured that I have been asked to represent The Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2015 in Vienna. After the good performances and results of Anouk and The Common Linnets in the past two years, it is of course extra exciting but also very fun. We are in the concluding stage of making the song we envision. The song is co-written by Anouk, and it is very nice for me that she wants to share her experiences with the Eurovision Song Contest with me. The conversations with AvroTros about how we want to do things were especially constructive. I am really excited! – Trijntje stated

Danïel Dekker, speaking for broadcaster AvroTros: “With Trijntje Oosterhuis the AvroTros has once again contracted a big Dutch artist. We are very proud that she wants to represent our country. With the combination of Trijntje’s beautiful voice and Anouks song we will confidently go to the jubileum edition of the greatest music event in the world”.

Quick info

Trijntje Oosterhuis aka Traincha (born Judith Katrijntje Oosterhuis, Amsterdam 1973), daughter of theologian and former priest Huub Oosterhuis, is one of the most notable soul-artists of The Netherlands. She rose to fame with the group Toatal Touch in the 90’s, together with her brother Tjeerd Oosterhuis, composer and husband of Edsilia Rombley, who represented The Netherlands in 1998 and 2007. After Total Touch, Trijntje went on to have a very succesful solo career, becoming one of the most celebrated voclists of The Netherlands, singing both Dutch and English repertoire, and working with international stars such as Herbie Hancock, Lionel Richie and Burt Bacharach. Trijntje’s Eurovision-connections include sister-in-law Edsilia Rombley, Glennis Grace (ESC 2005), with both on them Trijntje currently forms the group Ladies Of Soul (alos including Berget Lewis and renowned saxophonist Candy Dulfer). And Trijntje is good friends with Anouk, who wrote songs for and produced Trijntje’s best-selling, highly acclaimed album Wrecks We Adore in 2012, departing from Trijntje’s soul-sound and uncovering a much rougher and alternative side of her. Anouk is also writing Trijntje’s Eurovision entry for Vienna 2015, where Trijntje will probably perform under her international name, Traincha. Currently, Trijntje is one of the coaches of the popular TV-show The Voice Of Holland, actually winning the 2012 edition with her pupil, Leona Philippo. Trijntje has two sons, Jonas and Marijn Benjamin.

Stay tuned at ESCToday.com for all the forthcoming news about the Dutch representative in Austria