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.
World of hurt
Ilse DeLange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gave us all the wisdom of a newborn child
But by the time we take our first step
We've already begun to forget
What the heart knows the heart sees
We're just as much the forest, as we are the trees
Every little seed trying to find
Where the light comes from
[Chorus]
And it's a world of hurt, nothing works
It's a lonely little planet made of dust and dirt
Who'd ever think that in the midst of all this
Something as beautiful as love exists
And when I hold you, and you hold me
Heaven doesn't seem like such a mystery
Darling in a world of hurt
You make me feel so good
Day one of our love,
Two heartbroken people scared to trust too much
Oh but here it comes that feelin' again
That every lover swears will never end
We thought we'd been there, done that,
But when we kissed
We knew we'd never been here,
We've never done this
All the walls come tumblin' down
When you love someone
[Chorus]
In "World of Hurt," Ilse DeLange describes the struggles that human beings face as they navigate through life with love being the one constant that makes everything worth it. The lyrics suggest that when we are born, we possess an innate sense of wisdom that seems to fade away over time, and as we mature, we forget what our heart knows. The heart sees beyond our physical limitations and recognizes that we are all interconnected beings with each other and the world. However, we often get lost in the complexities of life and lose sight of the simple things that bring us joy.
The song's chorus highlights the harsh realities of life and is a reminder that life can be full of pain and suffering, but love offers a glimmer of hope amidst all the chaos. The lyrics suggest that love is a beautiful thing that exists even in the midst of all the hurt and reminds us that when we are holding onto someone we love, we experience a sense of heaven, and everything suddenly becomes worthwhile. The final verse suggests that when we find true love, all our fears and doubts disappear, and we feel a sense of freedom and happiness that we have never experienced before.
Line by Line Meaning
Day one God smiled,
In the beginning, God was pleased and blessed us with the purity of a newborn child.
Gave us all the wisdom of a newborn child
We were given a fresh start in life, with an innate sense of intuition and trust in the world.
But by the time we take our first step
As we grow and learn, we begin to lose touch with our natural born wisdom.
We've already begun to forget
It's easy to become disconnected from our roots and the truth that comes from the heart.
What the heart knows the heart sees
Our hearts have a way of seeing beyond what our eyes can perceive, and tapping into an innate understanding of the world.
We're just as much the forest, as we are the trees
We are all intricately connected, and every part of us contributes to our existence and that of the larger world around us.
Every little seed trying to find
We are all striving to discover our place in the world, and seeking the light that guides us towards growth and fulfillment.
Where the light comes from
The source of our inspiration and purpose lies in the light that illuminates our path and brings us clarity.
[Chorus]
In a world full of pain and disappointment, love remains a beautiful and powerful force that brings hope and joy.
And it's a world of hurt, nothing works
Despite our best efforts, the world can be a cruel and difficult place, where things often don't go as planned.
It's a lonely little planet made of dust and dirt
In the grand scheme of things, life is fleeting and insignificant, yet we still strive to find meaning and purpose in our existence.
Who'd ever think that in the midst of all this
Amidst all the pain and chaos, it's almost miraculous that we are able to experience love and connection with others.
Something as beautiful as love exists
Love is a precious and rare gift that brings light to our lives and gives us hope in the darkest of times.
And when I hold you, and you hold me
When we are able to connect with someone in a deep and meaningful way, all of life's struggles and challenges seem insignificant.
Heaven doesn't seem like such a mystery
The joy and comfort we feel with someone we love can almost make us believe in something greater than ourselves, that brings us peace and comfort.
Darling in a world of hurt
My love, in a world that can be painful and challenging, you bring me comfort and joy.
You make me feel so good
Being with you fills my heart with happiness and love, and makes everything else seem insignificant.
Day one of our love,
Our love story began with a sense of uncertainty and hesitation, fueled by past hurts and fears of vulnerability.
Two heartbroken people scared to trust too much
Our previous experiences had left us feeling wounded and guarded, afraid to risk our hearts again.
Oh but here it comes that feelin' again
Despite our fears, we couldn't ignore the powerful connection we felt, and the hope that it brought us.
That every lover swears will never end
The feeling of falling in love is something that lovers have experienced throughout time, and is so intense that we feel it will last forever.
We thought we'd been there, done that,
We thought we knew what love was and had experienced it before, but we were wrong.
But when we kissed
When we finally allowed ourselves to be vulnerable and express our love physically, we felt an even deeper connection that we had never felt before.
We knew we'd never been here,
Our love was unique and special, and unlike any other experience we had ever had.
We've never done this
Our love story was completely new, and we were navigating uncharted territory.
All the walls come tumblin' down
Love has the power to break down the emotional barriers that we often put up to protect ourselves, and allows us to be vulnerable and open to others.
When you love someone
Love is a transformative force that changes us in profound ways, and brings us closer to realizing our true selves.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, KAREN SCHAUBEN PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATION, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILL SIEHE LLOYD, JOHN WILLIAM LLOYD, BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind