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.
shine On
Dotan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A turning tide
How you hide
In the corner of my life
Save the time
Save me from my fall
Save us all
Shine on
You golden sea
Please let me leave my history
Release me from my misery
Almost gone
Moving on
For you
It's your light
It's your way
It's your ride
Out of the gray
A world comes alive
A future in your mind
A shadow of the future
Moving back in time
Shine on
You golden sea
Please let me leave my history
Release me from my misery
Almost gone
Moving on
For you
Running off my darkest nights
Guided by the flashing lights
Leading me to where I should be
Shades of blue creating fright
Turning into black and white
Finding colour back in you and me
Shine on
You golden sea
Please let me leave my history
Release me from my misery
Almost gone
Moving on
For you
Dotan's song, "Shine On" is a powerful anthem about renewal and transformation. The song begins with a great divide, a turning tide, and the singer feeling as if he's hiding in the corner of his life. He asks for someone to save him from falling and to tell him that life is beautiful. The chorus begs for the golden sea to shine on and release him from his past, which has caused him misery. He's almost gone, but he's moving on for someone else, which suggests that his motivation for change may be rooted in love.
The second verse reveals that the "golden sea" is a person with a light, a way, and a ride. This person brings a future to the singer's mind and helps him move back in time to rediscover his shadow of the future. The bridge reveals that the transformation is guided by flashing lights that lead him to where he should be. The shades of blue surrounding this transformation were once frightening, but they are now turning into black and white, as the singer rediscovers color with this golden sea.
One can interpret this song as a journey of personal growth and renewal, with the golden sea representing a person or a force that helps guide the singer towards his potential, allowing him to leave his past behind and move forward. The song's insistence on the "golden sea" shining on suggests a level of trust and reliance on this person or force, as if they hold the power to transform and help him find his way.
Line by Line Meaning
A great divide
There is a significant separation or difference between two things
A turning tide
A change is happening, something is shifting
How you hide
You are concealing something, staying away from the spotlight
In the corner of my life
You are a peripheral part of my life, not very involved
Save the time
Prevent time from being wasted or lost
Save me from my fall
Rescue me from a bad situation or prevent me from failing
Save us all
Help everyone, not just me
Tell me life is beautiful
Assure me that life is good and worth living
Shine on
Continue to radiate and brighten up the world
You golden sea
You are like a shining sea, full of beauty and wonder
Please let me leave my history
Allow me to move on from my past
Release me from my misery
Free me from my pain and suffering
Almost gone
Close to disappearing or being lost
Moving on
Progressing and continuing with life
For you
Because of or in honor of you
It's your light
This shining and illumination is because of you
It's your way
This is how you operate or live your life
It's your ride
You are the one in charge, leading the way
Out of the gray
Moving away from the mundane or ordinary
A world comes alive
The world is full of vibrancy and existence
A future in your mind
You have a vision for the future
A shadow of the future
A hint or representation of what is to come
Moving back in time
Returning to a time in the past
Running off my darkest nights
Escaping from my most difficult and challenging moments
Guided by the flashing lights
Led by the bright signals or indications of where to go
Leading me to where I should be
Directing me toward where I need to go or what I need to do
Shades of blue creating fright
The color blue is causing fear or anxiety
Turning into black and white
Becoming more straightforward and simple
Finding colour back in you and me
Rediscovering vibrancy and beauty in ourselves and each other
Writer(s): Dotan Harpenau Copyright: E.A.T.D. Publishing
Contributed by Savannah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.