Matthijs van Nieuwkerk will appear on television again. Together with singer Shrima Rouse, after an absence of four years, he will present a musical program about singer Aretha Franklin. The 65-year-old Van Nieuwkerk will not sign a contract with Talpa for the time being SOULSISTERS has developed and produced. It will initially be a single season, his manager told ANP.
In the program, it says the press release“the duo travels through the United States, visiting the places that played an important role in the life of Shirma’s greatest source of inspiration, Aretha Franklin.” Singer Rouse, who is referred to in the Dutch music industry as the ‘Queen of Soul’, has wanted to make this journey for some time. “Aretha Franklin runs like a common thread through my life. Now I can finally make that journey that I have been dreaming of for years: back to the origins of the music that determines my life’s work.”
The fact that Van Nieuwkerk wanted to come with her makes her “very happy”. Van Nieuwkerk says he couldn’t say no to Rouse, and that they had a lot of fun. “A few weeks away together. Great fun. I look, listen, ask, wonder and occasionally carry the suitcases.” The program is not just about the iconic singer. Along the way, the press release states, the two have “candid conversations about ambition, success, setbacks, vulnerability and the meaning of music at different stages of their lives.”
He made the program about Van Nieuwkerk’s other musical love, French chansons, together with Snollebolleke Rob Kemps. That was the last time he appeared on television. Two years later it seemed that he would work for RTL, but that collaboration was stopped due to the publication of the Van Rijn Committee report.
That reportwith the title Nothing seen, nothing heard and nothing done: the lost responsibilitydiscussed in detail the misconduct that Van Nieuwkerk exhibited in the workplace The World Keeps Turning. The report describes bouts of anger, intimidation and an overall culture of fear.
Matthijs van Nieuwkerk is a fan of the music of Aretha Franklin. For the recording of episodes of The World Keeps Turning he had songs by Aretha Franklin played in the studio. The program SOULSISTERS will appear on SBS6 at the end of this year.
