Jeangu Macrooy (pronounced as shàngú makrói) was born November 6, 1993 and … Read Full Bio ↴Jeangu Macrooy (pronounced as shàngú makrói) was born November 6, 1993 and raised in Paramaribo, Suriname. At the age of thirteen his parents bought him his first guitar and two years later Jeangu and his twin brother Xillan started writing and performing their own music. In 2014 Jeangu decided to continue his musical career at the other side of the ocean, in the Netherlands. A musical collaboration with producer/composer Perquisite took off and he was signed to his label Unexpected Records.
Macrooy's music can best be described as modern soul. His audience is in the Netherlands, Suriname, and increasingly in Belgium, France and Germany. He was due to represent the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 held in Rotterdam with the song "Grow", but the contest was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He will represent the country in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with the song "Birth of a New Age"

In April 2016 Jeangu’s debut EP ‘Brave Enough’ was released. The day of the release Jeangu was named ‘Serious Talent’ by 3FM radio, and the week after he played his first single ‘Gold’ at Dutch national TV talk show ‘De Wereld Draait Door’, where he has become a frequent guest ever since. ‘Gold’ was later used in a commercial for television network HBO. During the summer of 2016 Jeangu and his band played a multitude of festivals, after which he toured the Netherlands with Popronde in autumn. He also provided the support for Blaudzun, Remy van Kesteren, Bernhoft and Selah Sue, resulting in a total of 120 shows in just 12 months. The year 2016 was concluded with a performance at Noorderslag and a nomination for an Edison Award in the category ‘Best New Artist.’

Jeangu’s Perquisite produced debut album ‘High On You’ is more energetic and danceable than its predecessor. Melancholy still prevails in songs like ‘Circles’, but generally the focus has shifted to a more raw sound that drives songs like ‘Crazy Kids’ – a duet with twin brother Xillan – and ‘Head Over Heels’. ‘Antidote’ and ‘High On You’ show Jeangu’s affinity with soul music. It is on tracks like these that his powerful voice is intensified by the addition of brass arrangements that can be heard on the majority of the album. The common thread throughout the record, however, is still Jeangu’s unique vocal capacity, that hypnotises in the low range and moves the listener in the high range.

‘High On You’ was released on Unexpected Records on April 14th, 2017. The record entered the Dutch album charts, was nominated for the Edison Pop ‘Best Album’, and received critical acclaim from the press. Algemeen Dagblad gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and wrote: ‘He’s only 23, but has a soul veteran-like depth in his voice. ‘High On You’ might be the best Dutch debut album of 2017.’ De Telegraaf added: ‘Your mouth will drop with surprise and admiration. What a way to start your career!’. Oor Magazine called Jeangu ‘a newcomer that will really excite you’.

The release of the album was celebrated with two club tours throughout the Netherlands of fifteen shows in total of which thirteen were sold out. In the summer of 2017, Jeangu played an abundance of festivals with his band, including North Sea Jazz and Lowlands. In December Jeangu flew back to Suriname, where title song ‘High On You’ had been at the number one chart position for seven weeks straight, for the first time since he moved to The Netherlands. He played there with his full live band for a thrilled 1500-piece audience. Back in The Netherlands, the year 2018 kicked off with a show at the Eurosonic showcase festival.

Brave Enough
Jeangu Macrooy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Heavy thoughts are shaking
the ground beneath me
I can barely stand

as the thunder
rumbles
my heart
crumbles

losing
who I am

toughen up
they say
get your head in the game
be a man

I wish that I could rise above this madness
I wish that I could shake off my disguise
I wish that I were strong enough not to feel weakness
I wish that I was brave enough to cry
how I wish that I was brave enough to cry

down the river
lies a
place where
I could
rest
but I'm too proud
running faster
the past is
whispering
make it
stop
i'm too sad

toughen up
they say
get your head in the game
be a man

I wish that I could rise above this madness
I wish that I could shake off my disguise
I wish that I were strong enough not to feel weakness
I wish that I was brave enough to cry
I wish that I was brave enough to cry

underneath we are eachother
we're all human after all

I wish that I could rise above this madness
I wish that I could shake off my disguise

I wish that I were strong enough not to feel weakness
I wish that I was brave enough to cry

Overall Meaning

The lyrics for Jeangu Macrooy's song "Brave Enough" are a powerful depiction of the internal struggles many people experience when dealing with personal challenges. The opening lines, "Heavy thoughts are shaking the ground beneath me, I can barely stand," immediately create a sense of overwhelming pressure that the singer is experiencing, causing them to feel unsteady and weak.

As the song continues, the singer expresses feelings of sadness, pain, and the overwhelming burden of societal pressure to "toughen up" and "be a man." They long for the strength to rise above their internal struggles and to find a place of rest and peace. However, the fear of being perceived as weak or vulnerable makes them feel trapped in their own sadness.

The climax of the song comes with the line, "I wish that I was brave enough to cry," signifying the singer's desire to break free from the constraints of toxic masculinity, societal norms, and the fear of appearing weak. The ultimate message of the song is that, despite our differences, we are all human and share common struggles, and we should allow ourselves the freedom to express our emotions and find the strength to reach out for help when needed.

Line by Line Meaning

Heavy thoughts are shaking the ground beneath me I can barely stand
My thoughts weigh me down so heavily that I can barely stand still, the ground beneath me feels unsteady.

as the thunder rumbles my heart crumbles losing who I am
As the thunder rumbles, my heart crumbles, and I feel like I am losing my sense of self.

toughen up they say get your head in the game be a man
People tell me to toughen up, get focused, and be a man in order to overcome my struggles.

I wish that I could rise above this madness I wish that I could shake off my disguise I wish that I were strong enough not to feel weakness I wish that I was brave enough to cry how I wish that I was brave enough to cry
I wish I could rise above my problems and be my authentic self without fear of judgment, I wish I could feel strong without masking my vulnerability, and I wish I could cry without feeling ashamed.

down the river lies a place where I could rest but I'm too proud running faster the past is whispering make it stop i'm too sad
I know there is a place where I could rest and find peace, but my pride and past traumas hold me back, making me run faster and feel too sad to stop the cycle.

underneath we are eachother we're all human after all
Despite our struggles, we are all human beings connected in our pain and struggles.

Contributed by Sophie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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