Danny Blom from Hollandscheveld is a disc jockey at Radio 538 and one of the driving forces behind tent party sensation Piraten Power Hour. He is a great fan of pirate and regional music and is therefore happy that the Regional Song Contest pays attention to the regional languages and dialects in the Netherlands.
“For my work at 538, I am not allowed to speak in dialect,” says Blom. “I really have the feeling that people in the West still think that you are a clumsy farmer if you talk in your dialect. It is also the case with music that people automatically think it is better if a song is in English. As soon as it is in the dialect, it is immediately three times nothing. The Regional Song Contest can change that. Especially if it grows, then a big hit will automatically be released that will bring it to life. A really nice start.”
Blom is a little more reserved about the chances of the Drenthe entry: “It will be a difficult battle. Groningen with Wat Aans! is a good contender for me and they will make it difficult for Drenthe. The text of ‘our’ entry is well composed. , but the melody personally appeals less to me.”
Although Blom cannot play much regional music at the Piraten Power Hour and on Radio 538, he has put many regional songs in his own playlists. He too thinks On bicycle the best regional language song. “You can always play that song. Everyone knows it, at a party everyone sings along, but you can also put it on at a quiet moment. The lyrics and instrumentation make it very recognizable and in the FC Emmen stadium, for example, it is a perfect song to laugh along to.”