Ilse DeLange is a Dutch country and pop singer. She first rose to prominenc… Read Full Bio ↴Ilse DeLange is a Dutch country and pop singer. She first rose to prominence in 1998 following the release of her debut album World of Hurt. The album was recorded in Nashville, the capital of country music. It became a runaway success in the Netherlands, where it peaked at Number 1 for six weeks and was eventually certified quintuple-platinum. It ranks as one of the highest-selling albums of all time. Following the album’s release, its lead single “I’m Not So Tough” became DeLange her first Top 40-hit. In 1999, she received a TMF Award and an Edison Award for her musical success.

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.

Here I Am
Ilse DeLange Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I know myself ,I know what's deep inside of me
I've packed my bags, I've travelled far, as I can see
But with guiding wrong and with lighting wrong
Here I am
I am lost, but I can see my destination
It's clear in sight, my heart's already there
With you I've felt every sad emotion
But I still wanna trust and care

Now I believed, That I could give you control
And I thought that you, would treasure too, my very soul

But with guiding wrong and with lighting wrong
Here I am
I am lost, but I can see my destination
It's clear in sight, my heart's already there
With you I've felt every sad emotion
But I still wanna trust and care

But with guiding wrong and with lighting wrong
Here I am
I am lost, but I can see my destination
It's clear in sight, my heart's already there
With you I've felt every sad emotion
But I still wanna trust and care

I see it clearly now
I like where I am

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ilse DeLange's "Here I Am" speak to the experience of being lost and searching for one's sense of purpose, but also finding hope and a sense of belonging in the journey. The singer acknowledges that she knows herself well, and has traveled far, but still finds herself feeling lost due to being misled or misguided. However, despite these setbacks, she notes that her destination is in sight and her heart is already there. The lyrics convey a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty, balanced with a willingness to trust and care for others despite the challenges.

One of the key motifs in the song is the idea of "guiding wrong" and "lighting wrong," which implies that the singer has been led down the wrong path or made poor decisions. The repetition of this phrase throughout the song reinforces the idea of the singer feeling lost or adrift, but also suggests a certain level of self-awareness and accountability. By acknowledging her own missteps, the singer is able to take control of her own destiny and move towards her desired destination.

Another important element of the song is the interplay between sadness and hopefulness. The singer notes that she has experienced "every sad emotion" with her partner, but still wants to trust and care for them. This speaks to the idea that relationships can be difficult and emotionally taxing, but that there is still value in pursuing them despite the hardship.

Overall, "Here I Am" is a song about resilience and the perseverance required to find one's place in the world. It acknowledges the challenges and setbacks that come with any journey, but ultimately celebrates the reward of arriving at one's destination.

Line by Line Meaning

I know myself ,I know what's deep inside of me
I have a thorough understanding of who I am and what I believe in, internally.

I've packed my bags, I've travelled far, as I can see
I have physically journeyed far in search of my purpose and destination.

But with guiding wrong and with lighting wrong Here I am
Despite some errors in my journey, I am still here persevering towards my destination.

I am lost, but I can see my destination It's clear in sight, my heart's already there
Even though I may feel lost, I have a clear understanding of where I'm heading and my heart is already connected to that place.

With you I've felt every sad emotion But I still wanna trust and care
Though I have experienced many sad emotions with you, I still desire to trust and care for you.

Now I believed, That I could give you control And I thought that you, would treasure too, my very soul
At one point, I believed that giving you control would result in you cherishing my soul as well.

I see it clearly now I like where I am
I have gained clarity in my journey and am content with where I currently am in my life.

Contributed by Lucy P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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