Sam and Merijn Knoop from Geertruidenberg will represent the province of Brabant at the Regional Song Contest on November 4. This was announced on Thursday morning in the radio program WAKKER! from Omroep Brabant. The song ‘Cheers to life’ is an atmospheric Brabant song.
The brothers from Geertruidenberg are very happy that they have now been chosen as the Brabant act for the Regional Song Contest. “We wanted to make a song that fits a regional song festival, that is universal and has national appeal. But with a nod to Brabant. That worked out well,” Sam explains.
‘Cheers to life’ is about the power of friendship and solidarity, with a Brabant touch. Sam: “Everyone has their own story about the song. You can be in deep trouble and be taken to the pub by your friends, which will cheer you up for a while.”
Sam’s (29) musical journey began in 2012 when he taught himself to play the guitar and took singing lessons. Four years later he signed a record deal and released his first single. He made his own version of Gerard van Maasakkers’ classic ‘Hee gaode mee’.
From that moment on, Sam receives musical reinforcement from his brother Merijn (25). It turns out that their voices match very well and their music soon finds its way to national radio stations. Later, musician and composer Roy Koopmans (38) also joins the two brothers. He wrote the song ‘Cheers to life’.
“We are surprised by the high level and the different music styles.”
The first Regional Song Contest will be held on Saturday, November 4 in Utrecht. All thirteen regional broadcasters participate in this song festival and send a participant. All songs are sung in Dutch or the regional language of the province.
Omroep Brabant received quite a few registrations from singers and bands. The entries were assessed by a jury. “We are surprised by the high level and the different music styles,” says jury chairman Maarten Kortlever of Omroep Brabant. “Out of all the entries, the winning song stole our Brabant hearts.”
The Regional Song Contest is presented by Stefania Liberakakis, among others. The Greek-Dutch singer represented Greece at the Eurovision Song Contest and recently also presented the Junior Song Contest.
Riks Ozinga and Bernadette Keizer from RTV Utrecht are also among the presenters. RTV Utrecht is the host broadcaster of the new song festival.
View Sam and Merijn’s Brabant entry here:
The show in the Stadsschouwburg of Utrecht can be followed live on Saturday evening, November 4 from 8:30 PM via television, website, app, social media, YouTube and television at Omroep Brabant.
READ ALSO: All regional broadcasters hold the Regional Song Contest together