The Netherlands’ Douwe Bob released his album The Shape I’m In earlier this week. And, if you’d asked him to define that shape in the aftermath of Eurovision 2016, he’d had said it wasn’t a good one. 

Douwe Bob is known as a fantastic singer, who even put a thousand-euro bet on himself to win with his self-penned country-pop song “Slow Down”. As the story panned out, he didn’t earn any of that money back, as he finished in 11th position. He wasn’t shy about telling the public that he shed a tear after losing.

Speaking to NRC Handelsblad to mark the release of his fourth studio album, the singer said that he now accepts his defeat at Eurovision and doesn’t think about it that much anymore. After all, he’s bought a boat and has found peace on the water — something he didn’t find on land after returning from Stockholm.

During a visit to the talk show Pauw, Douwe Bob delved a bit deeper into the difficult times he faced. He says that being a professional singer is a strange and disorienting business.

“One moment, you are completely admired. Girls adore you. Everyone wants to have a drink with you. You perform suddenly in front of 80,000 people. Suddenly, you are at Eurovision. In front of 200-something million. I think that that, for a human being, isn’t a healthy thing. You can deal with it, but you have to control the process. Talking about it at least. I have never learnt to talk. I’m not from a family in which people speak. At a later stage that hit me hard. I became an unpleasant person.”

His father, designer Simon Posthuma, currently lives in a nursing home and is suffering from Korsakoff syndrome after abusing alcohol for many years. Douwe Bob realised that he did not want to become like his father and that he needed to translate his feelings to songs. He told Jeroen Pauw:

“I become an unpleasant person when I don’t write anymore. When I don’t write anymore, I start to become bored. And when I start to become bored, I start drinking…. Going out… Why should I do that?”

The biggest shock for Douwe Bob was his girlfriend breaking up with him. He was left on a couch, crying for several months, feeling terrible about his situation. He considered quitting music.

However, this period eventually became the main inspiration behind his new album The Shape I’m In. Most of the songs are also about being lovesick, while others are about his well-being and one song is even about his beloved home city Amsterdam. He wrote the album on the boat which gave him freedom, “more freedom than I ever found in drugs or sex,” as he told NRC.

He’s not proud of himself or what he has stepped out of, and he admits that he still has demons to conquer, “like everyone.”

What do you think about Douwe Bob’s new album The Shape I’m In? Let us know in the comments below!

Read all Netherlands news here

Picture: Velvet Music

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Thumpcrumpet
Thumpcrumpet
5 years ago

His dad worked with the Beatles on quite a few projects. He must be elderly now (and old when he had Douwe, not a judgement of course)

Thumpcrumpet
Thumpcrumpet
5 years ago

He was one of my favorite’s of 2016, and I’ve since discovered/enjoyed a lot of his music. I was annoyed when they put him third in the running order, he should have gone after Russia or anything to contrast with.
I always though he enjoyed the Eurovision experience, if maybe a little disappointed with his result, I didn’t know he bet on himself (a bit silly I think). How did the Dutch media react to his placing? Did he tour/appear on tv much after it?

NoGeoblocks
NoGeoblocks
5 years ago

Post Eurovision Depression. We all get it. As long as you do something creative with it, you’ll be fine. Stay strong!

EnjaESC
EnjaESC
5 years ago

I might be a little too stereotypical, but I dare to say that this is what happens when you live in a country whose people are not that open about their feelings and that prioratize work and rationality over human relationships. Btw, I’m really glad to hear that he’s going out of this dark phase; he’s young and has his full life ahead of him, and this experience will only make him stronger. Best of luck 🙂

NickC
NickC
5 years ago

I still remember the beef between him and Hovi Star. That was kinda hilarious. But I am sorry for anyone that battled anxiety or depression. It is a dark place to be indeed.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
5 years ago
Reply to  NickC

What beef was that?

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
5 years ago
Reply to  NickC

I see. I am not surprised. Douwe was being way too nice to that idiot who seems to be as ugly on the inside as he is on the outside. The televoters hated him for good reason. If anyone isn’t a star, it’s this clown.

Jonas
Jonas
5 years ago

Well…referring to him as “flamboyant” and asking him to bring the levels down is basically saying “tone down the gay!”, so I can see why Hovi might have been offended…but I’ll give Douwe the benefit of the doubt and accept that he was misunderstood. Hovi should’ve just accepted his apology instead of bringing the grudge all the way to Stockholm.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
5 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

If we are to believe the article, this is my view: To me, it seemed more like Douwe was using the word “flamboyant” to sugar coat rude behavior, so even when faced with an awful person, he still refuses to use strong words I find perfectly acceptable when calling someone on their behavior. Douwe even apologized for doing nothing wrong, that’s his only “fault”.

Lolek
Lolek
5 years ago

Yeah, based on what the article says, it really seems like Hovi took his comment out of context. Granted we are only seeing things from Douwe’s side so I would like to know how Hovi viewed the situation.

All that said Hovi is a very flamboyant person. Nothing wrong with that evidently but there is also nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade.

Simon
Simon
5 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

I followed the story when it happened and what I understood was that it was the party in Amsterdam, and as local representant, Douwe Bob had to be like a host for the other participants. Douwe Bob wanted all participants to have equal time with the media, but Hovi was everywhere appearing in every picture. This is why Douwe told him to “slow down” and let others have their moment with photographers.

Dame Tu Conchita
Dame Tu Conchita
5 years ago

Protect this wholesome man

sunrise
sunrise
5 years ago

He was very happy to be part of the Eurovision family rented a shop where many Esc participants were invited by him, his song was ok but no winner song thanks to the jury, he ended up on the 11th place, the televoting was surprisingly bad, that with his father I’m sorry this illness is terrible

Charli Cheer Up
Charli Cheer Up
5 years ago

Pretty sad story coming from an artist who sang a chill and easy going song. I guess ESC isn’t exactly just a music festival party amongst neighboring countries that’s being portrayed by the mass media. Behind the scenes, it’s still a competition where getting a high placement & qualifying for the grand finals is considered ‘losing’. I share Bob’s sentiments because it’s still seen that way here in the U.K.

Erasmus
Erasmus
5 years ago

One of my favourite artists ever! Loved his previous album, so I have to take time to listen to this one as well!

Jonas
Jonas
5 years ago

I love Shine, and the video to go with it – his strut toward the end is hilarious. I hope he can continue making music for a long time.

Billy
Billy
5 years ago

I actually love this man and his song! Glad he’s finding his way again now

Jo.
Jo.
5 years ago

He slapped many haters in 2016, those who can’t stand diversity of sounds at Eurovision. That’s already a victory.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
5 years ago

Btw, big thanks to the author of this article! The Netherlands have become my favorite Eurovision country, so I appreciate all the inside scoop/gossip/news articles of the Dutch stars very much. Dutch Eurovision acts in particular seem to be very outspoken and candid, be it Anouk, Waylon, Ilse, O’G3NE or Douwe Bob.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
5 years ago

Well, I certainly would have liked him winning as his style is my kind of music. But of course that was never gonna happen and I am surprised he actually expected to win with that song. Self-pity aside, he’s an interesting (enough) dude with a great voice who is also capable of writing a real song. How many Eurovision “artists” can do that? I have yet to listen to his new stuff, but I can highly recommend “Fine Line”.

Joe
Joe
5 years ago

Glad he’s in a better state now. I will say I feel awful that he bet so much on himself to win with a song that was never going to do it (rock might be able to win Eurovision, but country hasn’t quite gotten there), but he definitely sounds like he’s headed in a good direction.

Jonas
Jonas
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Don’t feel too bad, the bet probably got him €1000 worth of publicity, so it wasn’t money wasted.

Joe
Joe
5 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

And for the record, his song and performance were one of my absolute favorites of 2016. Don’t know when or why the Dutch got so fond of country music, but I’m not complaining. Better than most of what we Americans are doing!

Ritu
Ritu
5 years ago

Douwe Bob is such ana amazing artist. His songs are honest and pure. His voice hypnotizes me every time. He is also a nice guy:)

hello
hello
5 years ago

hes gay ha

Loin dici
Loin dici
5 years ago
Reply to  hello

Well, either a new boyfriend or girlfriend, both will bring him joy.

ESCFan2009 (male, 22, German)
ESCFan2009 (male, 22, German)
5 years ago
Reply to  hello

He is bisexual like me – and if you attack one member of our community, you attack the whole community. So be careful, darling 😉

Bye
Bye
5 years ago

What’s with the ha?