Esmée Denters (born 28 September 1988) is a Dutch singer and YouTube celebrity. Denters started promoting herself as a musician online in 2006, covering songs by artists including Justin Timberlake and Natasha Bedingfield. Denters was signed by Timberlake as the first artist to his label Tennman Records.[2] In May 2009, she released her debut studio album, Outta Here, and toured the United States with Timberlake. After the label dropped her, Denters moved to London, where she competed in BBC One's The Voice UK.

Esmée Denters
Denters in 2009
Denters in 2009
Background information
Born (1988-09-28) 28 September 1988 (age 35)
Arnhem, Netherlands
OriginNetherlands
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • keyboard
  • guitar
Years active2006–present
LabelsTennman
Websiteesmeedenters.com
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2006–present
Genre(s)Music, vlogs
Subscribers271 thousand[1]
Total views36 million[1]
100,000 subscribers

Last updated: 2 September 2021

In 2017, Denters released her EP These Days, followed by the EP Past, Present, Future in 2020.[3]

Early life edit

Denters was born in Arnhem, Gelderland, The Netherlands. Denters lived in Westervoort next to Arnhem until she was fifteen, when her family moved to Oosterbeek, Gelderland. She graduated from high school in Arnhem in 2006 and subsequently attended the HAN University of Applied Sciences where she was working towards a Bachelor of Social Work until she dropped out in her first year in February 2007 to join Tennman Records.[4][5]

Career edit

2006–2008: Early career edit

On 25 August 2006, Denters made a YouTube channel. She posted several videos of herself singing covers of other pop stars' songs. Denters traveled to the U.S. to write songs and record in the studio. There were plans for a reality show around Denters in the United States, which followed up the release of her debut album. She also sang a song that was written by Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child. She then flew to Sweden for a few days to write songs and record.[5]

In 2008, Denters started her professional career after attracting the attention of Dutch media scouts and American pop singer Justin Timberlake. Timberlake went on to sign her as the first artist to his label Tennman Records.[2] Timberlake served as an executive producer on her debut album, Outta Here.

She also appeared on TV shows like Oprah.[6]

2009–2010:Outta Here and collaborations edit

 
Denters performing live in October 2009

In April 2009, Denters confirmed on Dutch radio station Radio 538 that her debut album would be released in the Netherlands on 22 May 2009, also confirming that the album is a mix of Pop and R&B with both ballads, and uptempo tracks.[7] Her debut single, also the title song of the album, was released in the Netherlands on 14 April 2009 and in the UK on 15 August. Outta Here reached number five in the Netherlands[8] and charted in Belgium, where it reached number 3 for five weeks on the Flemish Region Albums Chart.[9] The album was released in the UK on 11 January 2010 and features her 2008 charity duet with Timberlake, "Follow My Lead" as an additional bonus song.[10] The second single, "Admit It", only reached 28 in the Netherlands and 56 in the UK.[11][12]

In autumn 2009, Denters went on tour with Honor Society.[13] The album's third single "Love Dealer" reached 12 and 68 in the Netherlands and UK respectively.[11][14]

Denters also worked on several collaborations during this time. She performed on tour with artists Ne-Yo, Enrique Iglesias and N-Dubz.[15] She lent her vocals to the German band Stanfour who featured Denters on their single "Life Without You", released on 25 May 2010.[16][17] The music video for the single was postponed due to the April 2010 Icelandic volcano eruption. On 1 May, Denters and Stanfour flew to New York to record the video for "Life Without You".[18][19] The official release of "Life Without You" in Germany was 28 May. The video leaked on the internet on 24 May.[20] In the UK, she also accepted a collaboration with British rapper Chipmunk on his hit "Until You Were Gone", which entered the top three on UK charts.[21][22]

She received an MTV Europe Music Award in 2009[23] and the European Border Breakers Award in 2010 for Outta Love.[24]

2011–2014: Dismissal from Tennman Records edit

Denters started working on new songs for her second studio album in January 2011.[25] She worked with British DJ and producer K-Gee and musician Ben Cullum on the album, which was to be titled Screaming Out Loud.[26][27] "City Lights" was the first single from the album.[28]

At the end of 2012, Dutch DJ and producer Erik Arbores and Denters collaborated for the new Dance4Life theme song called "dance4life (now dance)", released digitally on 23 November. They performed the song at the Dance4Life 2012 charity event in Ahoy, Rotterdam.[29][30] Denters was dropped from Tennman Records that year.[31][32]

On 24 February 2014, Denters returned to the stage, performing new music at Showcase Live in London.[33] She opened the show singing her first hit single "Outta Here" followed by three new original songs: "Cars and Airplanes", "If I Could I Would" and "Anything For The Money",[34] along with a performance of Lorde's "Royals", Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home", and Avicii's "Wake Me Up".

On 24 September 2014, Denters released her first independent single "If I Could I Would" on iTunes and Spotify.[35]

2015–present: The Voice UK and independent work edit

On 24 January 2015, Denters appeared on BBC One's The Voice UK, selected to join will.i.am's team for the next round.[36] However, she was eliminated at the knockout stage.[31]

At the end of 2017, Denters worked with Shaun Reynolds and released a 5-song EP These Days on iTunes and Spotify.[37][3] In January 2018, Denters mentioned on Instagram that the second part of the EP would be released in May 2018.[3] On 25 May 2018, Denters sang the lead single "Feeling Good" live on the Dutch TV show M. One month later Denters headlined her own live show at the Melkweg in The Netherlands.[38] Sylvia Aimee and MVTCHES were the opening acts. A second live show followed in March 2019 at The Borderline in London.[39]

In 2020, Denters released a 3-song EP titled Past, Present, Future. The EP was created during the UK lockdown with Shaun Reynolds, who said they "managed to piece [it] together remotely from two opposite sides of the capital."[40] The EP includes the tracks "Love Me The Same", "Ruins", and "Better Things", with each song depicting a different period of time in a romantic relationship.[41][40]

Media edit

Appearances in the Dutch and international media.

Appearances in the media
Year Media Country Notes
2006 Het Land van Maas en Geel The Netherlands Interview
2007 De Wereld Draait Door The Netherlands Interview
Unknown Norway Interview
Jensen! The Netherlands Interview and scoop signing at Tennman Records
Oprah The United States Interview
2008 YouTube (Justin Bieber) The United States Justin Bieber sings for Esmee Denters
2009 Radio 538 Evers Staat Op The Netherlands Music promotion 'Outta Here'
De Wereld Draait Door The Netherlands Interview & Music promotion 'Outta Here'
Van Der Vorst Ziet Sterren The Netherlands Interview
Ados France Interview
TMF Awards 2009 The Netherlands Singing 'Outta Here' & Awards winner
PunchBowl TV The United States Interview
2010 The Netherlands Helps Haiti The Netherlands Charity I'll Be There' with Trijntje Oosterhuis & Waylon
ET The United States Interview with Justin Timberlake / Behind the scenes 'Love Dealer'
GMTV The United Kingdom Interview with Chipmunk
Radio 538 Koninginnedag The Netherlands Singing 'Outta Here' & Interview
Iheartradio The United States Interview / Behind the scenes 'Love Dealer'
2013-2015 Ont' Sofa Gibson Sessions The United Kingdom Music promotion 'If I Could I Would' and multiple covers (one together with Fabian Belassie)
2015 The Voice UK (series 4) The United Kingdom Participant, Team Will.I.Am & eliminated in the knockouts
RTL Late Night The Netherlands Interview
RTL Late Night The Netherlands Music promotion 'Lean On' with Ronald Molendijk
2016 YouTube (Esmee Denters) The Netherlands The Road To Ahoy part 1-6
RTL Late Night The Netherlands Retrospective YouTube
2018 M The Netherlands Interview & music promotion 'Feeling Good' with Thijs Boontjes Dance- and show-orchestra
2020 The Voice UK (10 years) The United Kingdom Retrospective The Voice UK (Season 4)
2021 3FM The Netherlands Interview

YouTube edit

The uploaded YouTube videos from Esmee Denters can be found below. A video appears on the list if it is a song, it reached more than 100,000 views on YouTube, is not an official released single, not part of a TV show and cannot be found on an album.

YouTube videos (incl. streams)
Year Title Streams[42]
2006 "One In A Million"
  • YouTube: 1.653.000
"Only Hope"
  • YouTube: 1.072.000
"Tears In Heaven"
  • YouTube: 3.528.000
"Irreplaceable"
  • YouTube: 7.547.000
"The Dock Of The Bay"
  • YouTube: 920.000
"Impossible"
  • YouTube: 961.000
"18 Years Old"
  • YouTube: 543.000
"Anything Is Possible"
  • YouTube: 1.956.000
2007 "Have You Ever"
  • YouTube: 786.000
"Ironic"
  • YouTube: 1.295.000
"So Simple"
  • YouTube: 1.006.000
"Listen"
  • YouTube: 1.882.000
"Like A Star"
  • YouTube: 2.357.000
"Best Friend"
  • YouTube: 545.000
"How Come You Don't Call Me"
  • YouTube: 1.819.000
"Dance With My Father"
  • YouTube: 8.549.000
"You Give Me Something"
  • YouTube: 2.039.000
"Let Me Love You"
  • YouTube: 7.498.000
"What Goes Around"
(with Justin Timberlake)
  • YouTube: 24.707.000
"Unwritten"
(with Natasha Bedingfield)
  • YouTube: 16.927.000
"Because Of You"
  • YouTube: 6.530.000
"Baby Love"
  • YouTube: 2.618.000
"Nobody Knows"
  • YouTube: 2.426.000
"No One"
  • YouTube: 7.424.000
2008 "Crazy & R.E.S.P.E.C.T-Medley (Live)"
  • YouTube: 3.145.000
"I'll Be Waiting"
  • YouTube: 2.792.000
"Stop And Stare"
(with Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic)
  • YouTube: 4.634.000
"As"
  • YouTube: 4.337.000
2009 "O Holy Night"
  • YouTube: 366.000
2010 "My Own Way"
(with Honor Society)
  • YouTube: 237.000
"You Lost Me"
  • YouTube: 196.000
"Silent Night"
  • YouTube: 162.000
2011 "Someone Like You"
  • YouTube: 350.000
"Tears Dry On Their Own"
  • YouTube: 146.000
"Without You"
  • YouTube: 426.000
"It Will Rain"
  • YouTube: 289.000
2012 "City Light (Acoustic)"
  • YouTube: 125.000
2013 "Stay"
  • YouTube: 131.000
"Unconditionally"
  • YouTube: 113.000
2014 "Counting Stars"
  • YouTube: 464.000
"All Of Me"
  • YouTube: 230.000
"Drunk In Love"
  • YouTube: 424.000
"Stay With Me"
  • YouTube: 124.000
"It's A Man's Man's Man's World"
  • YouTube: 133.000
"Take Me To Church"
  • YouTube: 131.000
2015 "Blank Space"
  • YouTube: 102.000
2016 "Sandcastles"
  • YouTube: 109.000

Discography edit

Tours edit

2007

2009

2010

  • Stanfour – Rise & Fall tour (special guest, Germany)

Awards edit

Year Region Award Category Result
2009 Netherlands TMF Awards Best Female Artist Won
TMF Superchart Award Won
Belgium Best International Artist Nominated[43]
Europe MTV Europe Music Awards Best Dutch & Belgian Act Won[44]
Best European Act Nominated[45]
2010 EBBA Most Successful Artist (outside own country) Won[46]
Netherlands TMF Awards Best Female Artist Won[47]
Best Video "Admit It" Nominated[47]
United Kingdom Urban Music Awards Best Collaboration "Until You Were Gone" Nominated[48]

Notes and references edit

  1. ^ a b "About esmeedenters". YouTube.
  2. ^ a b M. Silverman, Stephen (5 June 2007). "Justin Timberlake Signs YouTube Singer to His Label". People. Archived from the original on 7 June 2007.
  3. ^ a b c "These Days - Esmée Denters". Shaun Reynolds Music. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Carrière gaat voor studie". De Gelderlander (in Dutch). 7 June 2007. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Booking Stars Ltd. Booking & Touring Agency. - Esmee Denters". bstars.eu. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022.
  6. ^ "YouTube- ster Esmée Denters bij Oprah". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 5 November 2007.
  7. ^ "Esmee Denters Performs 'Outta Here' On Radio 538". popdirt.com. 7 May 2009.
  8. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 121, no. 24. 20 June 2009. p. 55. ISSN 0006-2510.
  9. ^ "Esmée Denters – Outta Here". ultratop.be. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  10. ^ "Justin Timberlake & Esmee Denters Team Up On Charity Single | popdirt.com". popdirt.com. 17 November 2008.
  11. ^ a b "Esmée Denters". Nederlandse Top 40 (in Dutch).
  12. ^ "admit it | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  13. ^ Hiser, Lisa (18 September 2009). "Esmee Denters to Open For Honor Society". shineon-media.com.
  14. ^ "love dealer | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  15. ^ "About". Esmée Denters official.
  16. ^ "Stanfour feat. Esmée Denters". Stanfour official. 12 April 2010. Archived from the original on 3 July 2010.
  17. ^ ""Life Without You" – ab heute im Handel!". Stanfour official (in German). 28 May 2010. Archived from the original on 5 October 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  18. ^ "Twitter / Esmée Denters: Tomorrow flying to New York". Twitter. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  19. ^ "Twitter / Esmée Denters: videoshoot going good. sta". Twitter. 1 May 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  20. ^ "Stanfour feat. Esmée Denters – Life Without You [Video]". YouTube. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  21. ^ "Chipmunk - A level headed player". The Independent. 9 April 2010.
  22. ^ "until you were gone | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  23. ^ "Esmée Denters wint 'MTV Europe Music Award 2009'". TVvisie (in Dutch). 12 October 2009.
  24. ^ "Europe celebrates 'border-breaking' music". European Commission. 11 November 2009.
  25. ^ "Esmee Denters Answers Questions On Tumblr | popdirt.com". popdirt.com. 27 February 2011.
  26. ^ "Twitter / Esmée Denters: The album is gonna be called..." Twitter. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  27. ^ "Screaming Out Loud [Shelved]". Genius. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019.
  28. ^ "Twitter / Karl Gordon: Tonight I will be playing..." Twitter. 7 October 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  29. ^ Esmée Denters en Erik Arbores - acoustic "Dance for Life", YouTube, 29 November 2012
  30. ^ "Twitter / Esmée Denters: Flying back to holland..." Twitter. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  31. ^ a b Wightman, Catriona (25 January 2015). "Esmée Denters "angry" after being axed". Digital Spy.
  32. ^ "Esmée Denters on Instagram: "People often ask me the question Esmée what happend [sic] between you and Justin Timberlake? I often try to dodge the question because It makes…"". Instagram. 1 February 2018.
  33. ^ Foster, Leonard (20 January 2014). "Showcase Live returns to Under The Bridge". flavourmag.co.uk.
  34. ^ Esmee Denters - Back To The Future Sounds | London Live, YouTube, 31 May 2014
  35. ^ Stern, Bradley (22 September 2014). ""If I Could I Would": Esmée Denters Makes Her Return". MuuMuse.
  36. ^ "Series 4, The Voice UK – Esmee Denters – BBC One". BBC.
  37. ^ "These Days (EP)". Genius. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019.
  38. ^ "Esmée Denters". Melkweg (in Dutch).
  39. ^ "05-03-2019 Borderline, London", Esmée Denters Facebook, 7 March 2019
  40. ^ a b "PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE - ESMÉE DENTERS". Shaun Reynolds Music. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022.
  41. ^ "Introducing: Esmée Denters - Love Me The Same". Lefuturewave. 9 September 2020.
  42. ^ Youtube, 21 April 2021. "Esmée Denters". Youtube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  43. ^ "MTV België – Nieuwe Muziekvideo's, Volledige TV Shows, Entertainmentnieuws, Popcultuur". awards.tmf.be.
  44. ^ "MTV EMA 2017". MTVEMA.
  45. ^ "MTV EMA 2010 :: 07.11.2010 :: Madrid :: Esmée Denters". MTV. 7 November 2010. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  46. ^ "European Border Breakers Awards". Europeanborderbreakersawards.eu. 12 January 2011. Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  47. ^ a b "Esmée Denters wint TMF Award voor Beste Vrouw // TMF Awards 2010 @ Enschede". Tmfawards.nl. 26 June 2010. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  48. ^ "Muso's Guide " Blog Archive " Urban Music Awards nominees revealed". Musosguide.com. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2011.

External links edit