In 1999, DeLange released live-album Dear John, an album full of covers by John Hiatt, after a very successful performance at the "Marlboro Flashbacks". The album went platinum in the Netherlands, for selling more than 80,000 copies.
In 2000, DeLange released her sophomore album Livin’ On Love. Although there was a good amount of promotion for the album, it could not compete with the success of its predecessor. It peaked at #5 on the Dutch Album Top 100. Its lead single “Livin’ On Love” became a minor Top 40-entry. Meanwhile, Warner Music attempted to promote this release as her "breakthrough" release in the United States. Although World Of Hurt was planned to be released in the States, the record labels in America thought the album was too old-fashioned for the 2000s. It was eventually shelved.
In 2003, DeLange released her third album Clean Up. It became another success for the Dutch singer, peaking at Number 1 on the Dutch Album Top 100 for five weeks. Its single “Shine” with Rosemary's Sons became a surprise Top 40-hit. Despite the success, the first single “No Reason To Be Shy” was a commercial failure and the record company decided not to release any further singles.
Later that same year, DeLange released her first compilation album Here I Am (1998-2003). She also collaborated with Kane on “Before You Let Me Go”, which was recorded live in Rotterdam. It peaked at #4 on the Dutch official Top 40, earning DeLange her first ever Top 10-hit. At the beginning of 2004, the Dutch section of record company Warner Music was disbanded and DeLange lost her contract.
She then signed with Universal Music. In 2006, she released her fourth album The Great Escape. Its lead single of the same name became an unexpectedly big hit, charting for more than five months on the Dutch official Top 40. The album peaked at Number 1 on the Dutch Album Top 100 and was certified double-platinum within its first month. Its follow-up singles “The Lonely One” and “I Love You” both entered the Top 40 as well.
In 2008, DeLange released her fifth album Incredible. Its lead single became a breakout success, peaking at #6 on the Dutch official Top 40. It also won the Schaal van Rigter prize. The follow-up single “Miracle” became an even bigger hit, topping the Dutch official Top 40 and earning DeLange her first Number 1-single. The album was also a commercial success, becoming her fourth Number 1-album and being certified quintuple-platinum.
In 2010, DeLange released her first EP titled Next To Me. Its lead single of the same name became another Top 10-hit. In 2011 she started working on a new album, which was later shelved after her father’s death.
In 2012, DeLange released her seventh album Eye of the Hurricane. The single “Hurricane” became the album’s breakout single. This new album was promoted with a concert in the 'GelreDome' stadium. It earned DeLange another Number 1-album on the Dutch Album Top 100.
In 2013, DeLange replaced Nick & Simon as a coach on The Voice of Holland. She returned to The Voice of Holland as a coach for its fifth season in August 2014. On 15 January 2015, it was announced that DeLange would be replaced as a coach for the sixth season of The Voice of Holland by Miss Montreal lead singer Sanne Hans.
DeLange represented the Netherlands, with singer Waylon as The Common Linnets, during the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen, Denmark. With the song “Calm After The Storm”, the band finished in second place behind the winner Conchita Wurst from Austria, the Netherlands’ best result in more than a decade. The song became a hit single across Europe, reaching the Top 10 in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Denmark and the United Kingdom. The band’s eponymous album also became very successful, 50.000 copies within a week in The Netherlands alone.
On 7 December 2017 it was revealed that DeLange would have a recurring role in the final season of the ABC/CMT musical-drama series Nashville.
In 2018 created DeLange her own record label, Spark Records, as part of Firefly/Universal Music. She also released her new eponymous album. The album debuted and peaked at #3 on the Dutch Album Top 100. It failed to produce a significant hit single.
DeLange was part of the Dutch delegation for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 as an artistic consultant and mentor to the Dutch representative Duncan Laurence, whom she coached during the fifth season of The Voice of Holland. Laurence went on to win the contest with his song "Arcade".
In September 2019 DeLange released the roots-album Gravel & Dust. Recorded in Nashville, this album was made with producer T Bone Burnett. It debuted at #2 on the Dutch Album Top 100. Quickly thereafter, DeLange released her new album Changes. The album debuted and peaked at #4 on the Dutch Album Top 100 and became a surprise hit in German-speaking countries. It peaked at #14 on the German Top Album Charts and a Top 10-album in Switzerland. The success inspired DeLange to tour through Germany in 2023.
DeLange participated in the seventh season of Sing Meinen Song - Das Tauschkonzert. The episode where DeLange was the central guest, suddenly increased the sales of DeLanges old albums and singles.
Adrift
Ilse DeLange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're breathin' under water
Don't know where we're going
But don't you think we oughta
Find land, find land, dry land
I'm following behind you
Moving in slow motion
Something to put hope in
Find land, find land, dry land
My heart is tired, it can't go on
Fighting waves that are too strong
Been tossed around and beaten by the sea
Of you and me, we've both jumped ship
We're adrift
How do we drain an ocean
Is there a secret at the bottom
A door that we can open
A nozzle or a faucet
To let out, to let out, to get out
Every night I watch the sunset
Does it sink as fast as I do
How does it hold it's last breath
Through the loneliness of solitude
Through the dark, in the dark, when it's dark
My heart is tired, it can't go on
Fighting waves that are too strong
Been tossed around and beaten by the sea
Of you and me, we've both jumped ship
We're adrift
The tides, oh they lift us up and then they put us down again
It's never ending
No it is not your fault, were lost
My heart is tired, it can't go on
Fighting waves that are too strong
Been tossed around and beaten by the sea
Of you and me, we've both jumped ship
We're adrift
The song Adrift by Ilse DeLange talks about a relationship that is going through a tough time, and both partners seem to be lost and confused. They are constantly struggling to stay afloat amidst the stormy waves of their relationship. The lyrics describe them as being adrift, caught in the middle of a vast ocean, and struggling to find a way out. The song speaks to the idea of being lost and not knowing what to do; the singer wonders if there is a way to drain the ocean to get out or if the sunset sinks as fast as they do. The recurring phrase "find land, find land, dry land" emphasizes the need for a way out and hope for a better future.
The lyrics describe the struggles of being in a relationship that is not working and the metaphor of being adrift in the ocean is powerful. The lines "My heart is tired, it can't go on/Fighting waves that are too strong" provide a picture of the endless battles that they're going through. A relationship that is falling apart can feel like a never-ending cycle of highs and lows, and trying to hold on by fighting waves that are too strong can exhaust even the strongest of hearts.
Overall, the song Adrift aims to convey the feelings of confusion, loneliness, and despair in a relationship that is just not working. It speaks to the universal struggles of love and loss that everyone experiences at some point in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
We fall into the ocean
We're falling deeper into our problems
We're breathin' under water
We're not coping well with our situation
Don't know where we're going
We're lost and unsure of our future
But don't you think we oughta
We should try to find a way out
Find land, find land, dry land
We need to find a stable and secure place
I'm following behind you
I'm trying to keep up with you
Moving in slow motion
We're not making much progress
Searching for a rescue
We're looking for a way to escape
Something to put hope in
We need something to believe in
My heart is tired, it can't go on
Our emotions are exhausted
Fighting waves that are too strong
We're struggling to overcome our challenges
Been tossed around and beaten by the sea
We've been through a lot
Of you and me, we've both jumped ship
We're both responsible for our situation
We're adrift
We're lost at sea
How do we drain an ocean
Our problems seem insurmountable
Is there a secret at the bottom
Is there a solution we haven't discovered?
A door that we can open
A way out of our predicament
A nozzle or a faucet
Some way to control our situation
To let out, to let out, to get out
To escape our problems
Every night I watch the sunset
I search for hope and peace
Does it sink as fast as I do
Am I losing hope as quickly as the sun sets?
How does it hold it's last breath
How does it maintain its beauty and hope until the end?
Through the loneliness of solitude
Even in our darkest times, hope and beauty can still exist
Through the dark, in the dark, when it's dark
Through our darkest times
The tides, oh they lift us up and then they put us down again
Life is full of ups and downs
It's never ending
It feels like it will never stop
No it is not your fault, were lost
We can't blame each other for our situation
Contributed by Mia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.