He always did all this without the help of a record company, but in early 2010 he signed a contract with EMI Group. This contract resulted in the recording of his debut album Dream Parade in Los Angeles. The first single from this album is the song This Town. With this, 3FM immediately chose him as 3FM Serious Talent. Giel Beelen called him the greatest talent of 2011 on March 10, 2011 during the broadcast of De Wereld Draait Door. His first single This Town was named 3FM Megahit on March 27 and Dotan was a guest at Giel Beelen and De Wereld Draait Door.
His debut album Dream Parade was released on May 20 and was immediately named by CD of the week on 3FM and 3voor12. Dotan received positive reactions for his album in magazines such as OOR, Elsevier, Metro and de Volkskrant. His second single Where we belong was linked to Amnesty International's international campaign, which is why he flew to Nigeria to perform for the slums of Port Harcourt. The accompanying clip grew into a YouTube hit with more than 200,000 views.
In the summer of 2011, Dotan appeared at various festivals and was a guest on the larger radio and television programs. Then Dotan started his "Dream Parade Tour" through the big clubs of the Netherlands. Dotan's debut album will also be released in several other countries, of which Israel is the first.
Dotan's unique voice is often compared to Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody.
Dotan reached a milestone by being the first artist in history to remain on the number 1 spot in the Serious Talent charts for more than 5 months. With this he leaves artists such as Caro Emerald, Go Back To The Zoo and Krystl behind. This chart is based on the popularity on the social media of the artists. A nomination for the Serious Talent Award 2011 followed, but during the presentation at Paaspop 2012 it was announced that he did not win this prize.
Dotan went on tour with Gavin Degraw in February, with whom he played in sold-out venues such as the Melkweg and Oosterpoort. Two months later on April 17, 2012, he provided the opening act for Sinéad O'Connor in the main hall of the Paradiso.
In April 2018, after several months of research, Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant revealed that Dotan had enlisted the aid of at least 140 troll accounts to boost his online reputation and following. These accounts disparaged other musicians and made up feel-good stories about chance encounters with fans. de Volkskrant also revealed that Dotan's management had repeatedly tried to alter Dotan's Dutch Wikipedia page. The singer later confirmed the existence of these accounts, apologised, and terminated all his social media activities.
This Town
Dotan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I close my eyes to see what you see
Smoke cleared it took my breath away
I crossed all seven different oceans
To gather every perfect moment
The brightest stars are falling down
Oh love it's easy
You should believe me
Running with my eyes shut somewhere in between
In this town
This town
Miles away
But still around
Feeling the sun beneath all the gravity
Finding my way to you till you find me
This town
This town
Never gone back around
City lights are trying to catch me
Open my eyes to see the beauty
Falling stars are coming alive
Oh love it's easy
You should believe me
In this town
This town
Miles away but still around
Feeling the sun beneath all the gravity
Finding my way to you till you find me
This town
This town
Never gone back around
Black and white
Blinding lights
Here inside
With me tonight
Tonight the land of the lost belongs to me
Running with my eyes shut somewhere in between
In this town
This town
Miles away but still around
Feeling the sun bneath all the gravity
Finding my way to you till you find me
This town
This town
Never gone back around
This town
This town
Dotan's song "This Town" describes the sensation of being lost and searching for a special connection. The first lines of the song begin with Dotan feeling as though the city lights are pointing at him, and closing his eyes to see what someone else sees. The smoke clears and takes his breath away, as he has crossed oceans in search of the perfect moment. The brightest stars are falling down, which suggests that something significant is happening. He urges the person he is singing to, to believe in him and that tonight the land of the lost belongs to him. He is running with his eyes shut, feeling lost but still enjoying the experience because he believes he will eventually find what he is looking for.
The middle section of the song describes a desire to be with someone special, despite being miles apart. He feels the warmth of the sun even though he is surrounded by gravity, and is searching for a way to get to her before she finds him. He repeats that this town is the one he has been searching for, and that he is never going back again. The song ends with his voice repeating 'This Town' over and over, symbolizing his feeling of being lost yet found within this place.
Line by Line Meaning
City lights are pointing at me
The bright lights of the city are drawing my attention towards them
I close my eyes to see what you see
I try to perceive the world in a similar way to the person I am thinking about
Smoke cleared it took my breath away
The sudden clarity of the situation left me overwhelmed
I crossed all seven different oceans
I went through great lengths to gather everything I needed
To gather every perfect moment
To collect every experience that was worth cherishing
The brightest stars are falling down
The most prominent figures are losing their glow and slowly fading away
Oh love it's easy
Love is a simple feeling that comes naturally
You should believe me
You can trust me to tell you the truth
Tonight the land of the lost belongs to me
I feel like I am in control of my life even when I am lost
Running with my eyes shut somewhere in between
I am moving forward without a clear destination in sight
In this town
I am currently in this place
Miles away but still around
Even if I am not physically close, I am still present in your mind
Feeling the sun beneath all the gravity
I am aware of the forces of nature that govern our existence
Finding my way to you till you find me
I will keep searching for you until we are reunited
Never gone back around
I am moving forward and not revisiting the past
City lights are trying to catch me
The overwhelming aspect of the city is trying to consume me
Open my eyes to see the beauty
I am making a conscious effort to appreciate the world around me
Falling stars are coming alive
Even the most stable things can change and evolve over time
Black and white
The contrast of opposing ideas or perspectives
Blinding lights
The overbearing aspect of the city's illumination
Here inside
My thoughts and feelings, inwardly expressed
With me tonight
I am embracing my current state of mind as I go through the night
This town
The present location where I am situated
Writer(s): Dotan Harpenau Copyright: E.A.T.D. Publishing
Contributed by Sophia O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Iza Springintveld
TOP ;D was al opzoek naar n HD versie! love this song.