Imagine a small town boy conquering the No. 1 spot on Spotify’s Global Viral chart and snagging a whopping 300-plus million in global streams worldwide. This is only the beginning for the Dutch music artist, who will be releasing his debut album Small Town Boy on Friday, Nov. 13. The MouthSoap had the gracious opportunity to interview Duncan and one thing that was apparent was that Small Town Boy is a lifetime in the making.
Upon the first meeting, it’s apparent that there’s something special about Duncan Laurence. To some, he was just someone who loved to tell stories through music. But, his songs are more than words floating above beautiful melodies. For Duncan, his music was self-discovery of a human broken, but not destroyed.
“To me, songwriting, and especially making music — whether it’s playing piano, singing, or writing a song — it gives me the safe haven I can be in for a while,” Duncan said in the interview. “It gives me this world I can create myself. A world where I can just make mistakes, do whatever I want, and most times, actually, those mistakes turn into beautiful things.”
Growing up in Hellevoetsluis, Netherlands, he was the target of bullying so bad that he would often lock himself in a room to get away from the pain. Unbeknownst to the bullies, the nearly inebriating experience was a catalyst for him to express his emotions through song. Instead of letting the negativity engulf him, he productively flipped the adversity on its head and created a catalog of music of his innermost sentiments.
“It overcomes me,” Duncan said. “It’s not like I chose to be bullied or anything, but it’s just — I feel like because I was bullied and…I really try everyday still, because being bullied leaves scars, of course. But, if you turn it into positive things and if you turn those stories and those heartbroken feelings into things that people can find strength in, hopefully, or be inspired from, I think that’s the most important thing for me to do in music.”
Listen To Duncan Laurence on Spotify
Now, several years later, Duncan Laurence is the small town boy that made it big time. Today, he makes music heard by millions of people. His hit single “Arcade” released in 2019, which garnered a lot of his accolades, has not only galvanized a cult following and millions of views across social media platforms, but there’s also a plethora of fans who have co-opted the single to create several different versions.
There’s the one hour looped versions, the thought-out lyric videos, and tons of “slowed” versions — reminiscent of the chopped and screwed music in which Houston, Texas gained its music adulation. By the way, Duncan is more than thrilled by the possibility of creating a full-length slowed version album, much to the joy of the MouthSoap. “Arcade” also inspired a multitude of fans to use the song for the Harry Potter Challenge on Tik Tok. Once you’re associated with Harry Potter, it’s pretty safe to say that you’ve made it.
Now, the 2019 Eurovision champion is accomplishing another milestone in his career with his debut album. Small Town Boy explores what he likes to call his “artistic imagination” where the songs, stemmed from his personal experiences, are transformed into universal themes. The upbeat and hopeful “Last Night,” harrowing “Someone Else,” and Armin Van Buuren’s “Feel Something” lead the release of the album.
The 12-track project includes the pillow soaker “Between Good and Goodbye,” a riveting, empathetic ballad where Duncan plays the role of a third party witnessing the break up of a relationship. Another song, “Umbrella,” looks at loss from the perspective of someone who has come to terms with the end. That end could be assigned to any situation, whether it be a relationship, a career or a dream; that determination is left up to the listener. In it’s totality, the album delivers the message of love.
“True love is finding someone who you can totally be yourself with, you don’t have to compromise, you can just be yourself even in the bad parts, even with the negative parts that we all have because we’re all human,” Duncan explains.
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Duncan’s ability to tell his story, while simultaneously standing in the shoes of other human beings and so accurately telling their story is deserving of an Oscar, doubly so a GRAMMY. With this album, the self-proclaimed hopeless romantic delves into the tough conversation of love and loss, occasionally bear-hugging the spirit of liberation. The aftertaste of Small Town Boy is the insatiable emotion of hope.
In conjunction with the release of Small Town Boy, the rising music star recently announced the launch of his new app titled The Base. On the app, fans will have exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, first-to-know event notifications, and premier access to acoustic music sessions. The app also has an interactive capability that will enable music listeners to share content on the platform.
The creation of this app is typical of Duncan, who chooses to use Twitter more so than he does any other social media outlet because he feels like he can engage more with his fans. Speaking of fans, he is quick to express admiration and a sense of pride for those who have overcome extenuating circumstances, a common bond among his supporters.
He leaves fans with the endearing and simple advice: “Give it time, surround yourself with positive things and do what you love.”
Small Town Boy will be available on Nov. 13 on all streaming platforms.
