Gover Meit about Joost Klein: ‘As if your child is playing an important match’ | Eurovision Song Contest

“Ik ben er voor Joost en om te zorgen dat al zijn ideeën waargemaakt kunnen worden”, zegt Meit, die eerder naam maakte als Stefano Keizers en Donny Ronny.

“Maar Joost heeft zo’n duizend goede ideeën per maand. Dat zijn heel veel ideeën om waar te maken. Dus ik ben ook een filter en zorg ervoor dat we met een act komen die nog enigszins te volgen is.”

Klein en Meit kennen elkaar nu zo’n 8,5 jaar. Meit was verbonden aan een jongerenplatform als mentor voor creatieve talenten. Daar ontmoette hij Klein. “Het lot heeft ons echt samengebracht. Vanaf het moment dat ik Joost daar tegenkwam, zag ik dat we allebei een voorliefde hebben voor vernieuwen. Dat is zo ontzettend snel gegaan. Voor mijn gevoel zijn we eigenlijk altijd samen geweest.”

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Because it clicks so much, Meit feels responsible not only for the act, but also for Klein’s enjoyment of the whole process. “I think I can play just about any role that is needed here. So I am the person who wipes his head with a napkin after the performance, but also the person he goes to talk to in the evening. And with whom he can spar and vent.”

“Through this process I have gained a lot more respect for my own director, Jelle Kuiper. Also because I notice how important it is to have someone by your side who fully supports you.”

Meit is used to being on stage himself, but now notices that he actually finds it even more exciting to accompany someone. “It really is like my child is playing a very important game. And I think anyone with children will know how intense it is to let go. To let him go on that stage and have that whole world wash over him.”

Already after the first photos of Europapa There was criticism of the performance on the Eurovision stage. Klein and Meit kept talking about “a new form of a moon landing”, which meant that expectations were high. The first images did not meet those expectations for some people and Klein fell with the bookmakers.

The artist told NU.nl that he is having a hard time with it. Meit also sees a role for herself there. “I have been involved in the media world for about ten years now. I know how every time you stick your head above the parapet, you are met with a lot of criticism. So I always help him remember how many people also be helped with this.”

“If we didn’t take risks creatively, who would? I think if I hadn’t been there, it would have been a lot harder for him to keep that trust. I’m lucky to have been a step further. can stand from and always say: let’s not forget how important it is that we try to bring that innovation.”

Klein previously compared the performance at the Eurovision Song Contest to baking a cake: every element belongs in the recipe, he said in conversation with NU.nl. But now that he is in Malmö, he prefers to speak of a bag of chips, because the options are different than expected. Meit believes it is important to add nuance to this. “I would say this is the tastiest bag of chips I have ever eaten. With lots of flippos in it.”