From Africa to America: that is approximately how long the queue is for the concert of the ‘new’ K3 in Poppodium 013 on Sunday afternoon. Anyone who thinks that Taylor Swift is a big player should go and see a concert of the K’tjes for fun. There are the superfans, the homemade bracelets and the points systems. And that for, contrary to expectations, very few children.
Anyone who really listened carefully to K3’s lyrics might have already discovered that not all those songs are for ‘children’. The K’s sing about toe-toe-toetjes after a first date, a heart on fire ‘if you spoil me’ and ‘you can devour me’. They’re songs for big girls and boys, their daddies and mommies and everything in between. And that’s why the line at the pop venue is full around the corner on Sunday afternoon.
“I’ve been there since half past eight this morning.”
“I’ve been there since half past eight this morning,” says Lonneke, for example. She is 18, from Roosendaal and has decorated her face with glitter. Under her coat she wears a personalized sweater, with photos and quotes from K’tje Julia Boschman on it. “Hand-selected, made myself and then pressed on,” she says proudly. “Enjoy your position,” it says. ‘You can be who you are and I’ll be there’.
Actually, that is somewhat the common thread of the K3 sentiment for the young women and men who come to the concert. Being who you are, acceptance, nostalgia and safety. “They are very inclusive,” explains Jolien (28) from Turnhout. “They hold concerts specifically for the deaf and hard of hearing, and Kristel has already waved a rainbow flag.”
This is extra important for the Flemish woman, because she discovered through the K’s that she also likes women. “I then wrote Marthe a letter, because I had a crush had on her. She responded very sweetly to this during a meet & greet. And told that I should never let myself be put down,” she says. It was an important part of her acceptance. K3 is a safe environment for her to be herself, to enjoy, to discover, to cry and to party. With beautiful suits and dances, too.
There is only one split in this warm, red-blonde-black nostalgia pool: one team is a fan of ‘the originals’, the other team is a fan of the new composition. “Sometimes other fans tease you about it if you also like the new K3. But I think their energy is fantastic. They are all fun in their own way,” says Eveline (17) from Antwerp.
“This is about being tolerant.”
Almost alone ‘good vibes’ in the K3 community, that is. Although it still produces some crooked faces outside of that. “You shouldn’t worry about that,” says Nadine (21) from Leiden. “Just ignore. This is about being tolerant.” And while we are chatting with her, Eveline comes running towards us from further down the line. She is holding a homemade bracelet and slips it on our wrist. “Because you are the nicest interviewer I know,” she says. “At least you’re not making fun of us.”