Step into any pub and inevitably that is Guardian Angel by Marco Schuitmaker blares through the speakers. The 24-year-old singer sees his fame rising rapidly. But the Groningen man remains sober, he says in conversation with NU.nl.
Schuitmaker travels 2,000 kilometers a week through the country to sing his hit – now streamed more than 33 million times via Spotify – to the public. By Music Festival on the Square to a smaller party in Hoogerheide: Schuitmaker’s agenda is packed.
“Yes, that feels very special,” says the singer, who lives in Roden in Drenthe. “Since I was a child I was already involved in music and singing. It was my dream to achieve something with that. But I never expected that that would happen. And certainly not in the form of this explosion. me at all major festivals. That is really beautiful.”
A year ago, Schuitmaker’s name did not ring many bells, but he is now widely recognised. “Everywhere I go, it’s taking a picture, signing an autograph, having a conversation… That’s great fun and grateful to do,” says the singer.
“I often have to go straight through my full agenda. But I always try to find a moment for it. Contact with the fans is important. You have to rely on people. They give you a lot, but you also have to return.”
Schuitmaker gives a small-scale performance in Hoogerheide. Photo: NLBeeld
‘People who sing Guardian Angel, that gives energy’
All those performances and attention can be quite overwhelming, but Schuitmaker keeps a close eye on whether it doesn’t get too much – otherwise his manager will rebuke him. “I feel for myself what I can handle and what not. I am consciously working on that,” says the singer. “I rest when I can and exercise alongside for my condition. So that I can sing.”
The audience also sings Guardian Angel loudly along. “I still like to sing myself, though. If all the people in front of you sing along, it won’t get boring. That gives a lot of energy.”
“Sometimes I wonder why now Guardian Angel has become such a huge hit,” says Schuitmaker. “I think because it appeals to every target group, whether you are zero or a hundred. And that after corona there really is a song that fraternizes and that everyone in the pub can sing along.”
The lyrics also appeal to many people, the singer thinks. “It has a story. Many people have had an angel on their shoulder, that is recognizable.”
The story behind Guardian Angel
Guardian Angel is not an original hit: the song even dates back to 1976. It was written by none other than Pierre Kartner (Vader Abraham).
It’s about someone who falls asleep while driving and crashes into a tree. So that person has an angel on his shoulder, a guardian angel.
The song was sung by singer Mieke, but only became a modest hit.
‘To surpass Engelbewaarder’s success is very ambitious’
Schuitmaker is accompanied on his new single by Jan Smit, whom he met during a performance in Volendam. The two kept in touch and Jan told me he had his song From Goes to Purmerendwhich he already released in 1999, wanted to re-release.
“When I mentioned that sometimes I re-record old songs with a fresh arrangement, like Summer night in Greecewe simultaneously got the idea to From Goes to Purmerend together.” Both Smit and Schuitmaker liked that. A solid beat was put under it, so that the song would be completely pub-proof.
Whether the single will be as big a hit as Guardian Angel, Schuitmaker is irrelevant. “Guardian Angel was number one in the Streaming Top 40 for fifteen weeks. A record, so surpassing that is very ambitious, haha. A hit of this size, there are few of them. If a next single reaches the quarter of the success of Guardian Angelthen it is already more than a great success.”
Still, there is still plenty to be desired for the Groninger. He is currently recording his new studio album. “It will arrive next year. And I would really like to give a solo concert, with people who come especially for me. That would really be the icing on the cake.”
3:17 Play button
2023-08-25 03:03:00
#Marco #Schuitmaker #success #picture #Music
