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.
When
Ilse DeLange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An empty space, an empty heart
Reaching for forever
Without a place to start
Before me there's this angel
Who's too afraid to cry
Her wings they have been broken
Before me there's an ocean
I'm familiar with it's blue
It's beyond my every notion
I know its depth is true
Before me there's a mountain
I have to climb to see
But I know there will be waiting
A better view of you and me
When I've swam across the ocean
When I've climbed the mountain top
When I've seen the angel flying
Then I can die to heal your heart
Above me there's an endless sky
But the clouds are never still
In every way like you
Do we love the thing we kill?
Can we fight the doubts we keep alive?
Can we overcome all fear?
Is the battle ever over?
Is it ever really over?
When I don't try to stop the sky
When I let the clouds be free
When nothing scares me anymore
And I killed the doubt in me
When I've swam across the ocean
When I've climbed the mountain top
When I've seen the angel flying
Then I can die to heal your heart
Before me there was nothing
Empty space, an empty heart
Reaching for forever
Without a place to start
Before me there's this angel
Who's too afraid to cry
And her wings they had been broken
And now I watch her fly
The lyrics of Ilse DeLange's song "When" convey a message of hope and perseverance in the face of daunting challenges. The singer describes a journey of self-discovery and personal growth, as she faces various obstacles and fears. The first few lines paint a picture of emptiness and uncertainty, with the singer searching for direction and purpose. The metaphor of an empty heart suggests a deep emotional void, which the singer is attempting to fill with a greater sense of meaning and connection.
The second verse introduces the image of an angel with broken wings, representing the singer's own fragility and vulnerability. By helping the angel learn to fly, the singer is also empowering herself to confront her own fears and limitations. The idea of reaching for forever suggests an infinite horizon of possibilities, but also acknowledges the difficulty of starting such a journey.
The later verses shift to a more philosophical tone, as the singer questions whether we can truly love something that we destroy. The repeated questioning of whether the battle is ever really over suggests the ongoing nature of personal growth and self-improvement. Ultimately, the song concludes with a vision of triumph and transformation, as the singer overcomes her doubts and fears and is able to help others in turn.
Overall, "When" is a powerful meditation on the human condition and the struggle for self-discovery and personal growth. It reminds us that while the journey may be difficult and uncertain, the rewards are well worth the effort.
Line by Line Meaning
Before me there is nothing
I am facing an empty space with nothing present.
An empty space, an empty heart
I am facing a situation where both the physical space and the emotional aspect are empty.
Reaching for forever
I am hoping for something everlasting and infinite.
Without a place to start
I have no idea where to start to achieve my goals.
Before me there's this angel
There is an entity in front of me that seems divine and celestial.
Who's too afraid to cry
The angel is scared and hesitant to express its feelings through weeping.
Her wings they have been broken
The angel's wings are severely damaged and unable to be used properly.
Help me teach her how to fly
I want to assist the angel in mending and improving its wings for it to fly again.
Before me there's an ocean
I am currently confronted with a vast body of water.
I'm familiar with it's blue
I am already acquainted with the ocean's color.
It's beyond my every notion
The ocean is too massive and overwhelming for me to fully comprehend.
I know its depth is true
I am aware of the fact that the ocean has a considerable deepness.
Before me there's a mountain
A huge pile of stones stands in front of me.
I have to climb to see
I need to climb the mountain to get a better view and clearer perspective.
But I know there will be waiting
Despite the challenges in the climb, I am convinced there will be something worth the effort at the top.
A better view of you and me
Once I reach the mountain's peak, I will be able to see and appreciate the beauty of our relationship.
When I've swam across the ocean
After I have overcome the ocean's challenge and crossed it successfully.
When I've climbed the mountain top
After I have reached the peak of the mountain.
When I've seen the angel flying
Once the angel regains its ability to fly and takes off.
Then I can die to heal your heart
I would be willing to sacrifice my life to make you feel better and mend your heart.
Above me there's an endless sky
The sky above me is infinite and countless, without limits.
But the clouds are never still
The clouds in the sky are constantly moving and changing, never at rest.
In every way like you
The clouds resemble you in every aspect, whether it's the constant fluctuations or the feeling of being unreachable.
Do we love the thing we kill?
Is it possible for us to love something even if we destroy or harm it in the process?
Can we fight the doubts we keep alive?
Can we resist the persistent doubts in our minds that we keep feeding?
Can we overcome all fear?
Is it possible for us to conquer and banish all our fears?
Is the battle ever over?
Will the fight against doubts and fears ever come to an end?
Is it ever really over?
Am I truly capable of winning and ending the battle?
When I don't try to stop the sky
After I stop attempting to control everything around me or stop worrying about things out of my reach, i.e., the sky.
When I let the clouds be free
After I allow things to take their natural course without constraint or manipulation, something like the moving clouds.
When nothing scares me anymore
When I become invulnerable to anything that usually scares me or brings me distress.
And I killed the doubt in me
After I have defeated the doubtful thoughts and skepticism that reside within me.
Before me there was nothing
There used to be nothingness in front of me earlier.
And her wings they had been broken
The angel once had its wings broken in the past.
And now I watch her fly
But now I am witnessing the same angel fly high in the sky after helping her fix her wings.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ILSE DE LANGE, PATRICK LEONARD, PATRICK RAYMOND LEONARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nadia Kristensen
Even with broken wings, we'll find a way to fly , first tattoo i ever got, several years ago, 15 years ago, i just knew, i had to have that tattoo, and so its there, om my back, covered with a tattoo af a native american and a Phoenix rising above