Gerard Joling
Glitzy, high-energy Dutch pop led by a soaring tenor voice. It is theatrical, unashamedly camp, and built for massive singalongs and festive celebrations.
Glitzy, high-energy Dutch pop led by a soaring tenor voice. It is theatrical, unashamedly camp, and built for massive singalongs and festive celebrations.
Gerard Joling is the undisputed king of glitz in the Dutch pop landscape. His music is a high-octane blend of sentimental ballads and stomping dance-pop, all unified by his signature high tenor voice and a penchant for the dramatic. It sounds like a televised gala where the orchestra is playing disco and the singer is wearing enough sequins to be seen from space. There is a relentless optimism and a sense of 'more is more' in every arrangement.
What truly sets him apart is the sheer technicality of his vocals applied to accessible, populist music. He navigates soaring falsetto leaps and powerful belts that would feel at home in an opera house, yet he uses them to fuel catchy schlager choruses. His work often bridges the gap between the traditional Dutch 'levenslied' and modern, polished Europop, creating a sound that is both deeply rooted in local culture and broadly appealing in its showmanship.
To understand the phenomenon, start with 'No More Boleros' to hear his vocal range at its peak, then pivot to 'Maak Me Gek' for the quintessential Dutch party anthem. These tracks represent the two poles of his career: the international-style power ballad and the local, high-energy singalong that has made him a permanent fixture of the Netherlands' festive scene.
Gerard Jan (Geer) Joling (born 29 April 1960) is a Dutch singer and television presenter. Known for his high tenor voice, he rose to fame in the late 1980s and released a string of singles including "Ticket to the Tropics" and "Love Is in Your Eyes". He also achieved success in Asia and received more than 20 gold and platinum records. In 1988, he was the Dutch participant in the Eurovision Song Contest 1988, with the song "Shangri-La". His biggest hit was "No More Boleros" (1989) that reached the top 10 in several countries in mainland Europe. The song was recorded by different artists such as Clemente (Portugal), Sula Mazurenga and As Marcianas (both in Brazil), Karel Gott (in German and Czech), Demis Roussos, Semino Rossi, Oliver Thomas and George Meiring (in 2011 in South Africa). In May 1990, Joling performed at the World Music Awards in Monaco, where he received an award for World's Best-Selling Dutch Artist. Joling & Gordon Over de Vloer is a television program Gerard Joling made with singer Gordon in 2005. There were 3 seasons of the series which featured the duo during work and having a laugh. In 2007, he was the host of Sterren dansen op het ijs and So You Wanna Be a Popstar for the television channel SBS6. 2007 was also the year that sparked Joling's renewed success, with two number 1 songs, a number 1 album, and 11 gold and platinum awards. In 2008, Joling became team captain on the Dutch TV show Wie ben ik? ("Who am I?"), in which the team captains, together with both two guests, have to guess who they are, based on hints and questions they can ask. The other team captain was Patty Brard. Joling was scheduled to represent The Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow as a member of De Toppers, but temporarily left the group after a conflict with Gordon. Joling was replaced in The Toppers with Jeroen van der Boom. In December 2009, De Toppers manager Benno de Leeuw announced in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that Gerard Joling and Gordon were to rejoin the group, turning the trio into a foursome once more. Joling can also regularly be seen as a member of juries on a myriad of Dutch television programs. In 2018, he was seen in The Voice Senior and since 2019 in the Dutch version of the program The Masked Singer.
Shares traditional pop, dance-pop, disco (subgenres); studio polished, orchestral arrangement, maximalist (production style)
Shares traditional pop, dance-pop, disco (subgenres); studio polished, orchestral arrangement, maximalist (production style)
Shares traditional pop, dance-pop, disco (subgenres); studio polished, orchestral arrangement, maximalist (production style)
Shares traditional pop, dance-pop, disco (subgenres); studio polished, orchestral arrangement, hi fi (production style)
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