On his highschool, the Christelijk Lyceum Delft, Van Velzen was in a couple of schoolbands. He composed his own music and he wrote the annual musical as well. When he went to college music was starting to become more and more important for him. He started his own band called "Goldfish" and he won the Heineken Student Music Award, in 1999.
Since 2002 Van Velzen is part of the theatregroup Op Sterk Water. He performed two times on Lowlands with this group.
After his study Van Velzen participated in the group Crazy Pianos in Scheveningen. While a performance in the Gelredome, Arnhem, he met his current manager, Ruud H. Vinke.
Van Velzen is noticed in 2005 by the Dutch producers Holger Schwedt (Anouk, Blof), Nando Eweg (Di-rect, Birgit) and John Ewbank (Marco Borsato), and with them he produces an album.
October, 2006. Van Velzen is starting to get familiar with the big mainstream audience after performing at the TMF Awards 2006, instead of James Morrison. Morrison called in sick that day.
At the 30th of June 2007, Van Velzen will be performing for a big crowd, because he will be playing at the second edition of Concert at Sea, Zeeland.
Van Velzen's first album will be released in March, 2007, called "Unwind". Twelve tracks are present on this album, written by himself, but also by John Ewbank and Andreas Johnson (known of the hit "Glorius"). The music is supported by the live-band of Anouk and Cor Bakker.
The first single of Van Velzen, "Baby Get Higher" came out in September 2006. His single was announced as the 3FM Megahit and became quite a good succes. The highest position in the Top40 was the 17th and this single was also used in a commercial for Q-Music. His second single "Burn" became the Alarmschijf.
RISE
Van Velzen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You think that life is after you
It feels like drowning in the crowd
And your sun is down and out
Now you've lost your soul
Your blue eyes getting darker everynight
You hide behind the blinds
So open up, don't keep it all inside
Chorus:
We'll erase the clouds out of the sky
We will stand the storm
And I'll keep you warm
Soon you'll wake up and you'll rise
A new sun will meet your eyes
Don't you rule me out
Solitaire's a silly game to play
You don't even see, how your world
has turned to grey
But the morning will be
brighter then today
Chorus
And when the night is over
And the dark turns into blue
You will face a different mirror
And you'll get a better view
And then the sun arises
Just to lighten up your mind
And charge your heart with fire
It will make you rise and shine
....Shine
Chorus 2x
The lyrics of Van Velzen's song Rise are addressing someone who feels like life is out of their control and they have lost their soul. It starts with the artist acknowledging the struggles of the person and how it feels like they are drowning in the crowd, with their sun out of reach. The second verse continues with the artist trying to connect with the person and telling them to open up and not keep their feelings inside. The chorus talks about erasing the clouds from the sky and standing through the storm, giving hope that there will be a new day where they will rise and a new sun will meet their eyes.
The bridge of the song brings in a sense of metamorphosis, suggesting that the person is going through a transformation - from darkness to light. It talks about how the night is over and the person is now seeing a different mirror, getting a better view. Then comes the dramatic climax, where the sun arises, and the person is charged with fire, making them rise and shine.
In conclusion, the lyrics of the song Rise are highly inspirational and try to give hope to the listener, that even though there are moments of darkness and despair, there is always a chance to overcome them and emerge stronger.
Line by Line Meaning
So you've lost control
You feel like you're no longer in charge of what's happening in your life
You think that life is after you
You believe that life is out to get you and you're constantly on the defensive
It feels like drowning in the crowd
You feel overwhelmed and suffocated by the people and things around you
And your sun is down and out
You've lost the spark that used to light up your life
Now you've lost your soul
You've lost the essence of who you are and what makes you unique
Your blue eyes getting darker everynight
Your depression is getting worse and your sadness is becoming more intense
You don't even see me
You're so consumed by your pain that you're not aware of others trying to help
You hide behind the blinds
You're closing yourself off from the world and shutting out any potential sources of light
So open up, don't keep it all inside
It's important to express your emotions and not bottle them up, even if it's difficult
We'll erase the clouds out of the sky
To overcome your difficulties and sadness, there needs to be a concerted effort to get rid of negative thoughts
We will stand the storm
Together, we can face the challenges in life and not be defeated by them
And I'll keep you warm
I'll be there for you and make sure you feel supported and accepted
Soon you'll wake up and you'll rise
Eventually, you'll overcome your problems and start to feel like yourself again
A new sun will meet your eyes
You'll have a newfound appreciation for life and everything around you
Don't you rule me out
Don't dismiss the possibility of finding help or support from others
Solitaire's a silly game to play
It's easy to become isolated and disconnected from others, but it's ultimately counterproductive
You don't even see, how your world
Your problems have made you so preoccupied that you're not aware of your surroundings
has turned to grey
Your outlook on life has become pessimistic and bleak
But the morning will be
Tomorrow is a new day
brighter then today
Things will get better and you'll start to see hope again
And when the night is over
When your difficulties have passed
And the dark turns into blue
And your sadness is replaced with a sense of calm and happiness
You will face a different mirror
You'll see yourself in a new and more positive way
And you'll get a better view
And with this newfound perspective, you'll feel more optimistic about the future
And then the sun arises
Your life is filled with renewed energy and excitement
Just to lighten up your mind
You'll feel less burdened by the problems that once weighed you down
And charge your heart with fire
You'll be passionate about the things you love and feel motivated to pursue them
It will make you rise and shine
All of these positive changes will motivate you to become the best version of yourself
Shine
Be your best self and shine bright in the world
Chorus 2x
Reiterating the message that you'll overcome your difficulties and find happiness again
Contributed by Samantha J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@theredlighttapes
Great Song, I´ve seen them in Luxemburg LIVE!!!! They were Top!!!
@Iantheee
Hartstikke mooi liedje!!
@mmyrnax
echt mooi!
@InDiANiE
wow...leuk liedeje hoar..
@NieckOz
Echt een super nummer! Love it (L)
@joostdehost
wooow.. zoow vett nummer:O!
@marleendeboer
Dit liedje geeft me weer moed, als ik weer eens onzekere buien heb. :D
@Nickah37
goh wat een leuk liedje!
@anneloes2204
Heel mooi<3
@simplyred18
Ik ga de 30 ste naar paradiso en ik hoop dat hij deze ook zingt wat een mooi nummer. geweldig. Leuk gedaan jarapar. Monique