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.
Changes
Ilse DeLange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How do I see
When I'm locked in the dark
I'm afraid of a heartbreak, I hold on to my heart
I wanna be strong
But I'm falling apart
Just break us if we don't break out
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta turn pages
Before the pain will strain us
And we go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in the safe and sound
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes
When we're moving we're moving, but we're not moving on
We still falling short, but at it so long
Gotta take on the rain before the clouds will be gone
There's no blue sky, without a storm
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta turn pages
Before this pain will strain us
And we'll go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in the safe and sound
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes (changes, changes)
We're stuck in a circle where all of our hurt will
Just break us if we don't break out
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta turn pages
Before this pain will strain us
And we'll go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in the safe and sound
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes
The song "Changes" by Ilse DeLange is an honest and reflective piece about the fear of letting go of something or someone that is hurting us. The lyrics open with the singer confessing that she is afraid of an ending but does not know where to begin. She is describing the state of confusion and uncertainty that often accompanies a major transition in life. The fear arises from the fact that in moving forward, it is not always easy to see the path ahead when one is enveloped in darkness.
The song is centered on the theme of change and how essential it is to transform and evolve in life. When we hold on to things that are causing us pain, we become stunted and unable to progress. Ilse DeLange understands that change can be a painful process and that heartbreak, grief, and loss can leave us feeling vulnerable and weak. However, she emphasizes the importance of taking a step towards change, even if it scares us. The lyrics urge us to embrace the discomfort of unfamiliar territory and the unknown, as this is the only way we can grow.
The final line of the song is a repetition of the need to make changes. It is a reminder that in every situation, we have the power to alter our course and shift the direction of our lives. The song is a beautiful reflection on the experience of moving through life and dealing with the challenges it presents.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm afraid of an ending, I don't know where to start
Starting a new chapter in life is daunting and it's natural to feel scared and uncertain about what's to come.
How do I see
When I'm locked in the dark
It's difficult to see a path forward when you feel trapped and surrounded by darkness.
I'm afraid of a heartbreak, I hold on to my heart
I wanna be strong
But I'm falling apart
The fear of getting hurt often leads us to hold back from love and vulnerability, even though we want to be brave and strong.
We're stuck in a circle where all of our hurt will
Just break us if we don't break out
If we keep repeating the same patterns and not learning from our past pain, we'll never be able to heal and grow, and instead will keep getting hurt.
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta turn pages
Before the pain will strain us
Making changes in life is scary, but it's also necessary to move forward, to avoid getting stuck in pain and hardship.
And we go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in the safe and sound
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes
Life is full of ups and downs, and we always hope that our struggles will bring us to a better place, but to make that happen, we need to be open to making changes.
When we're moving we're moving, but we're not moving on
We still falling short, but at it so long
Sometimes it seems like we're making progress, but we're actually just spinning our wheels and not really moving forward because we're afraid to let go of the past.
Gotta take on the rain before the clouds will be gone
There's no blue sky, without a storm
We have to face the hard times in life and push through them before we can see better days. Without rain, there's no growth or renewal.
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta turn pages
Before this pain will strain us
We have to make changes before our pain and struggles become too much to handle and start to take a toll on us.
And we'll go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in the safe and sound
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes (changes, changes)
We'll face many challenges in life, but we have to be willing to make changes and take risks to end up in a better place. Change is hard, but it's necessary for growth and healing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Daniel Flamm, Ilse Annoeska de Lange, Joe Walter, Pascal Reinhardt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Suu Neumüller
I gotta make some changes in the given lyrics (that's what I hear in the song):
I’m afraid of an ending, I don’t know where to start
How do I see, when I’m locked in the dark
I’m afraid of a heartbreak, I hold on to my heart
I wanna be strong, I’m falling apart
We’re stuck in a circle where all of our hurt will
Just break us, if we don’t break out.
We’ve got to make
Changes , even if they change us
We gotta turn pages, before the pain will strain us
And we go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in this safe and sound
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes
When we’re moving we’re moving, but we’re not moving on
We're still falling short, but at it so long
Gotta take on the rain before the clouds will be gone
There’s no blue sky, without a storm
We got to make
Changes , even if they change us
We gotta turn pages, before the pain will strain us
And we go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in this safe and sound
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes
We’re stuck in a circle where all of our hurt will
Just break us, if we don’t break out.
We’ve got to make
Changes , even if they change us
We gotta turn pages, before the pain will strain us
And we go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in this safe and sound
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes
Klaas Vg
I'm afraid of an ending, I don't know where to start
How do I see
When I'm locked in the dark
I'm afraid of a heartbreak, I hold on to my heart
I wanna be strong
But I'm falling apart
We're stuck in a circle where all of our hurt will
Just break us if we don't break out
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta turn pages
Before the pain will strain us
And we go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in the safe and sound
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes
When we're moving we're moving, but we're not moving on
We still falling short, but at it so long
Gotta take on the rain before the clouds will be gone
There's no blue sky, without a storm
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta turn pages
Before this pain will strain us
And we'll go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in the safe and sound
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes (changes, changes)
We're stuck in a circle where all of our hurt will
Just break us if we don't break out
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta turn pages
Before this pain will strain us
And we'll go through all that we go through
Hoping we will end up in the safe and sound
We gotta make changes, even if they change us
We gotta make changes
Gotta make some changes
Mike Hughes
In my opinion, Ilse Delange is one of the best singers from anywhere. She has a beautiful, powerful voice, and such a happy person. You can feel the joy she gets from what she does. Love her!
I_Shoot_You_Die_
the power of the dutch :D
Roelofnl
@I_Shoot_You_Die_ wait she Dutch?
Jasper d.V
@Roelofnl jup
Jasper d.V
@Roelofnl She got second place in Eurovision 2014
Ger Dik
@Roelofnl And shamefully under estimated in the Netherlands . . .
Armen Barkhudaryan
I wonder how I could miss such an artist as Ilse DeLange is and such beautiful songs of her. I got to know her from "The Voice" show, and from then on, I am in love with her talent and songs. Love from Armenia 🇦🇲❤️
Bull Moose
I agree with you word for word, except I'm in the USA. I'm boggled that it took this long to find her, but thanks to also 'discovering' Calum Scott, I've now 'discovered' Ilsa AND Jasmine Thompson.
Carl Lange
Thank you Ilse for becoming an artist! I have been listening The Common Linnets and you for three months straight. Rarely find a register and cracking voice that resonates in me so perfectly well that it keeps me wandeing back to these songs over and over again. I trust I can hear you live at someday. Cheers!
Vienno-Sio
Omg I love her and that song, she's so wonderful, this calm and beautiful voice is unbelievable 😍❤️ love from Germany 💛💛