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.
Sleep You Off
Jeangu Macrooy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe I could sleep you off
Maybe when I wake up tomorrow
You won't be the first thing on my mind
Maybe I could sleep you off
Mmmm
I'm staring at my phone all day
But I don't wanna be the guy
Who doesn't know when it's time to let go
I'm staring at my phone all day
Mmmm
Maybe I could sleep you off
Maybe I could sleep you off
I'm afraid that I wake up tomorrow
You'll be gone and I'm on my own
I don't wanna sleep you off
How could I ever sleep you off
How could I ever sleep you off
I'm afraid I won't wake up tomorrow
Course it would take a lifetime
Just to sleep, just to sleep, just to sleep
Just to sleep you off
The song "Sleep You Off" by Jeangu Macrooy is a slow and melancholic ballad that talks about the struggle of letting go of someone who has already left. The repetition of the phrase "Maybe I could sleep you off" indicates that the person is trying to forget about the failed relationship and move on. The repeated questioning of himself, "How could I ever sleep you off," emphasizes the difficulty of forgetting someone who was once so deeply loved.
The second verse reveals that the singer is glued to his phone, waiting for a signal from the other person that would mean coming back together. Despite the phone being his newfound companion, he realizes that obsessively staring at it all day won't change the situation, and he has to find the courage to let go. The last verse reveals that the singer is uncertain about whether he wants to forget the person or not. He believes that he might fail at sleeping her off and will be lonely, which is why he is hesitant to try.
Overall, "Sleep You Off" is a deep, relatable song that deals with the aftermath of a bad breakup, the difficulty of breaking away from the past, and the struggle to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I could sleep you off
The singer is considering whether sleeping could help them forget about the person who is on their mind.
Maybe when I wake up tomorrow
The singer is hoping that when they wake up, the person they're thinking of won't be the first thing on their mind.
You won't be the first thing on my mind
The singer is hoping to stop thinking about the person who's been occupying their thoughts.
Mmmm
This line is just a sound, and therefore has no specific meaning.
I'm staring at my phone all day
The artist is obsessively checking their phone, hoping to hear from the person they're thinking of.
But I don't wanna be the guy
The singer recognizes that they don't want to be the person who can't let go and move on.
Who doesn't know when it's time to let go
The singer is acknowledging that it's time to let go and move on from the person they're thinking of.
Maybe I could sleep you off
The artist is still considering whether sleeping could help them forget about the person they're obsessing over.
I'm afraid that I wake up tomorrow
The artist is scared that when they wake up, the person they're thinking of will still be on their mind.
You'll be gone and I'm on my own
The artist is afraid that if they stop thinking about the person, they'll be left feeling alone.
I don't wanna sleep you off
The singer is starting to realize that they don't necessarily want to forget about the person who's been on their mind.
How could I ever sleep you off
The artist is realizing that forgetting about the person they're thinking of might be impossible.
Course it would take a lifetime
The singer is acknowledging that it would take an incredibly long time to forget about the person.
Just to sleep, just to sleep, just to sleep
The singer is emphasizing how difficult it would be to forget about the person, and how much effort it would take.
Just to sleep you off
The singer is reiterating how hard it would be to forget about the person who's been occupying their thoughts.
Writer(s): j. a. u. macrooy
Contributed by Emily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.