André Hazes

André Hazes (1951–2004) was a Dutch singer whose emotionally direct performances made him one of the best-known voices of levenslied, a Dutch popular song tradition.

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De vlieger: A Dutch song about a boy who sends a kite carrying a message to his deceased father. Hazes made this song a signature example of childhood grief rendered in levenslied form.
Amsterdam: The capital and most populous city of the Netherlands. Hazes’s working-class Amsterdam identity became central to his public image and many of his songs.
Johnny Kraaijkamp Sr.: A Dutch actor and comedian who worked in theatre, film, and television. Kraaijkamp noticed Hazes singing as a child and helped him make an early television appearance.
Johan Cruyff Arena: A major stadium in Amsterdam and the home ground of Ajax. Hazes’s music has been sung by crowds at Dutch football matches, linking his repertoire to stadium culture.
Zij gelooft in mij: A Dutch-language song about a singer sustained by his partner’s belief in him. Hazes’s recording became one of his best-known expressions of vulnerability and devotion.
Dutch popular music: Commercial music made in the Netherlands across popular genres and eras. Hazes’s enduring fame places levenslied within the wider history of Dutch popular music.
Willy Alberti: A Dutch singer and actor associated with Amsterdam popular song. Alberti’s Amsterdam repertoire offers a predecessor to the urban sentiment Hazes later made his own.
Dutch national anthem: The Wilhelmus is the national anthem of the Netherlands, with lyrics dating to the sixteenth century. Hazes’s songs sometimes functioned as popular communal anthems without official national status.
Een beetje verliefd: A Dutch-language love song recorded by André Hazes in 1981. Its romantic theme and direct refrain exemplify the accessible songwriting central to his hits.
Ajax F.C.: A professional football club based in Amsterdam, founded in 1900. Hazes’s songs and public appearances connected him with Amsterdam football supporters, especially Ajax fans.