Jeangu Macrooy

If there’s one word that summarizes Jeangu Macrooy’s second album, it’s ‘confidence’. With Horizon he takes the second step in an already glittering career. The follow-up to his successful debut album High on You (2017) shows an ambitious artist who isn’t afraid to dream big. The seeds to Jeangu’s journey are planted when he receives a guitar as a thirteenth birthday present from his parents. Together with his twin brother Xillan, a musical duo was formed. However, Jeangu’s musical ambition turned out to be bigger than the music scene in his native Suriname, leading to his move to The Netherlands in 2014. There he meets producer/composer Perquisite, who signs him to his label Unexpected Records and accompanies Jeangu as a producer on his debut-EP Brave Enough, that sees its release in April 2016. From that moment on Jeangu’s career in the Dutch music industry finds itself on the fast track: he’s named 3FM Talent, participates in Dutch travelling music festival Popronde, supports Blaudzun and Selah Sue, is a recurring guest on national television talkshow De Wereld Draait Door, plays at Noorderslag Festival and is nominated for an Edison Award (Dutch Grammy) in the category ‘Best New Act’. All of this before his debut album High On You even sees its release. Jeangu’s debut album High On You (2017) is more energetic than its predecessor. The record was nominated for the Edison Pop Award 'Best Album', and brings Jeangu and his band to major live slots at Lowlands Festival, Eurosonic and North Sea Jazz Festival. A homecoming show in Jeangu’s native Suriname followed, where he was received as a national hero. In Suriname his single High On You had held the no. 1 position in the music charts for seven weeks. Upon returning to The Netherlands, Jeangu personified the character of Judas in major TV production The Passion, viewed by 3.5 million people. On his second album Horizon, Jeangu presents himself with his head held high. The searching youngster has evolved into a confident man and artist, exploring the world, unafraid of looking in the mirror, driven by curiosity and a lust for life. ‘I want to avoid repetition’, he says. ‘As soon as I recognized certain pre-existing patterns in my songwriting, I stopped and tried to figure out whether there were alternative ways of going about it. There was more space for the whole band to contribute ideas for arrangements, too.’ Jeangu is on a journey that allows him to grow closer to his true musical form, has improved in the ability to realize his musical ideas, and explores the possibilities for his music together with his producer and long-term collaborator Perquisite. More than ever he’s aware of his goal: telling a story in a way that is as honest as possible. Take Shake Up This Place and Adrenaline, inspired by Berlin’s nightlife. Or Surrender and Hold Me, in which we hear an unprecedented lyrical honesty. Dance With Me gets the positive energy flowing, gospel shows its face in Second Hand Lover, written by his brother Xillan, and his love for pure pop can be heard in How Much I Love You. Fuelled by confidence, Jeangu takes the next step in the journey ahead of him. Expansion lies before him in France, Belgium and Germany, where Horizon will also be released in full. The young artist finds himself ever closer to that point on his musical horizon.