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.
Machine People
Ilse DeLange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't disguise a lie, and call it truth
You neglect responsibility
And sacrifice your dignity
You do it all so shamelessly
Tour motivation is your bottom line
Its not enough to take what's yours
Your religion is kind of funny
It seems you worship money
Heartless and mechanical soul
Machine people
Industrial disease
Machine people
Is it worth loosing your humanity
I'm almost glad that I found out
What you've become, I can live without
Was I just to blind to see
Your lack of morality
It's painfully obvious now
Machine people
Industrial disease
Machine people
Is it worth loosing your humanity
A perfect state of mind
Takes a little time
And a sense of wrong and right
Let our conscience be our guide
Machine people
Industrial disease
Machine people
Is it worth loosing your humanity
You can't hide your darker side
Can't disguise a lie
Neglect responsibility
The song "Machine People" by Ilse DeLange sheds light on the darker aspects of humanity that are prevalent in the modern world. The song critiques people who prioritize money and success over morality and human values. Ilse opens the song by stating that it is impossible to hide the darker side of oneself or disguise a lie as the truth. In the second verse, she comments on how people neglect their responsibility and dignity and act shamelessly, pursuing monetary gains and fame at the cost of their humanity.
The chorus talks about how these individuals have turned into 'machine people' with a heartless and mechanical soul, obsessed with industrialism and material wealth. The lyrics reflect on the fact that it is not worth losing one's humanity for the sake of such gains, and that morals and values should guide one's actions in life. In the final verse, Ilse implies that acknowledging and rectifying our wrong deeds and listening to our conscience is the key to a 'perfect state of mind.'
Overall, the song is a wakeup call to people to re-evaluate their life choices and seek a balance between material success and moral values.
Line by Line Meaning
You can't hide the darker side of you
It is impossible for you to conceal the negative and undesirable qualities about yourself
You can't disguise a lie, and call it truth
Presenting a falsehood as fact is a dishonorable action, and it cannot be masked
You neglect responsibility
You disregard your duties and obligations, and you refuse to fulfill them
And sacrifice your dignity
Your actions lead to the loss of your self-respect and honor
You do it all so shamelessly
You feel no guilt or remorse for your immoral behavior
Tour motivation is your bottom line
Your primary objective is financial gain, and you will do anything to achieve it
Its not enough to take what's yours
You're not satisfied with only acquiring what rightfully belongs to you
You take what's mine
You wrongfully seize what belongs to others and claim it as your own
Your religion is kind of funny
Your belief system is questionable and contradictory
It seems you worship money
Your devotion to financial gain is akin to a religious fervor
Heartless and mechanical soul
Your spirit lacks compassion and kindness, and operates like a machine
Machine people
Refers to those who prioritize financial gain at the expense of humanity
Industrial disease
The negative and harmful effects of capitalism and industrialization on individuals and society
Is it worth loosing your humanity
Is sacrificing your ethical and humane values worth achieving financial gain
I'm almost glad that I found out
I am relieved to have discovered the truth about you
What you've become, I can live without
I no longer desire to interact or associate with who you have become
Was I just to blind to see
Perhaps I was unaware or in denial of your lack of integrity
Your lack of morality
Your absence of ethical principles and values
It's painfully obvious now
It is now clear and obvious to me
A perfect state of mind
An ideal and virtuous mental state
Takes a little time
It requires effort and patience to develop such a state of mind
And a sense of wrong and right
A comprehension of the distinction between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
Let our conscience be our guide
Let our moral compass direct and guide us
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BLUE MILLER, ILSE DE LANGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind