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.
Let Go
Ilse DeLange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You go to left and I
Feel like you've built a wall
And I'm outside
I try to talk, but you don't hear what I say
There's too much room between us
When I try to fly and get up real high
Your silence pulls me down
And why don't you just let go
Why not turn out the light
Why don't you close the door completely
If we're already too far gone
Why keep me hangin' on to you
All you gotta do
Is let go
Look where we are
See what we have become
You've got to know I'm hurting
More and more
Just say the words
Cause the longer time stands still
Makes it hard for you to leave
And for me to live
Try to fly up real high
Your silence pulls me down
And why don't you just let go
Why not turn out the light
Why don't you close the door completely
If we're already too far gone
Why leave me hangin' on to you
All you gotta do
Is let go
Just let go
If we're already too far gone
Why leave me hangin' on to you
All you gotta do
Is let go
Let go of me
Let go
Let go
Let go
Let go...
The lyrics to Ilse DeLange's "Let Go" expresses the pain and desire to let go of a relationship that has become distant and unfulfilling. The singer's partner has built a wall between them, leaving her feeling isolated and unheard. Despite her attempts to connect and communicate, her efforts are in vain, and she feels pulled down by the silence that separates them. The singer acknowledges the hurt she feels and pleads with her partner to let go and move on from their relationship. The longer they wait, the harder it becomes for both of them to live and thrive, and she urges her partner to close the door and turn out the light, signaling the end of their relationship. The song's emotional lyrics and poignant melody make it a powerful expression of heartbreak and the need to move on from a relationship that has lost its spark.
Line by Line Meaning
I come from right
I come from a different perspective or point of view
You go to left and I
You take a different path or approach than I
Feel like you've built a wall
I feel like you are keeping distance or blocking me out
And I'm outside
I am excluded or left out
I try to talk, but you don't hear what I say
I attempt to communicate but you do not understand or acknowledge me
There's too much room between us
There is too much distance or lack of connection between us
When I try to fly and get up real high
When I attempt to succeed or rise above a situation
Your silence pulls me down
Your lack of response or attention brings me back down
And why don't you just let go
Why don't you release me or end this situation
Why not turn out the light
Why not let this situation end or fade away
Why don't you close the door completely
Why don't you fully end this situation or relationship
If we're already too far gone
If we have already reached a point of no return
Why keep me hangin' on to you
Why keep me invested or attached to you
All you gotta do
The simple solution is
Is let go
To release or move on
Look where we are
Reflecting on our current situation
See what we have become
Recognizing the changes that have occurred
You've got to know I'm hurting
You need to understand that I am in pain
More and more
Increasingly or gradually
Just say the words
Simply communicate what needs to be said
Cause the longer time stands still
Because the longer we stay in this situation
Makes it hard for you to leave
It becomes difficult for you to move on
And for me to live
And for me to move forward
Just try to fly up real high
Just try to achieve success
Your silence pulls me down
Your lack of response or attention brings me back down
Just let go
Release or move on
Let go of me
Release your hold on me
Let go
Release or move on
Let go
Release or move on
Let go...
Release or move on
Contributed by Madison B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.