Help Maartje from Meppel to the semi-finals of the Mentos Grand Prix. ‘The podium in Tivoli is a prize in itself’

The Mentos Grand Prix of the Netherlands is a competition for emerging musical talent. This year, thirty acts will compete for a place in the semi-finals.

The participants have been nominated by, among others, the music industry. Maartje obtained a participation certificate through the Poppunt Overijssel. All participants have now recorded a live session of a song in the Wisseloord Studios. The public can now judge this.

Ten of the thirty acts advance to the semi-finals. These will take place on May 3 and May 18 in Tivoli in Utrecht. The final is on June 8. The winner receives a sum of money to invest in his musical plans.

Maartje: “We really hope for that top 10 spot. Being able to present yourself on a stage like Tivoli is a prize in itself.” And there is certainly a chance that Maartje will be allowed to play. On Wednesday morning, April 3, she is in 8th position.

About Maartje

Maartje makes sharp Dutch pop that sounds like a combination of Troye Sivan and Suzan and Freek. Accessible, but a bit unusual. She is a self-deprecating thinker and thus captures her personal reflections in melodies. She and her band have it for the recordings for this competition song Thin Line included. The band also consists of Bob Mali (drums), Luca Janzen (guitar/keys), Jonas Janssen (guitar) and Rodrick Lodowica (bass guitar).

Maartje now lives in Enschede where she studied at the ArtEZ pop academy. She grew up in the Wijk and sang there as a little girl at the Wiekerfeesten. “When I was in high school we moved to Meppel and I went to Stad en Esch Zuideinde,” says the 26-year-old singer. “The foundation was laid there for wanting to sing and perform , especially during the VESTER galas. I also sang in Meppel cover bands with whom I regularly performed in Herberg ‘t Plein. I have many musical memories here and it still feels like coming home to Meppel.”

To vote

There are currently thirty acts still in the race. The audience decides who will advance to the semi-finals. Everyone can currently vote by giving one to five points to the participants in the Sounders App. You can vote until Friday, April 5, 12 noon. You can vote here .