Critics spoke of him as a "one-day singer", but he managed not only to maintain success, but also to increase it. Danzel deservedly occupies its niche in the international music market.
Now the singer is 43 years old. His real name is Johan Waem. He was born in the Belgian city of Beveren in 1976 and dreamed of becoming a musician since childhood.
To fulfill his dream, the guy learned to play the piano, guitar and bass guitar. In the distant past, the future popular performer worked as a DJ in a karaoke club.
Musical start of Danzel from the collective stage
In 1991, Johan and his friends created the musical group Scherp Op Snee (SOS). There the guy was a soloist and played the bass guitar for 12 years. The group performed in the pop-rock genre.
As part of the Belgian group LA Band, the young man performed as a backing vocalist at concert venues in the country. Being a musician was not enough, and Johan began to write music and lyrics.
The young performer recorded and performed these works himself. But it was still far from world popularity.
How did Danzel's musical journey begin?
At the age of 27, the young musician became a finalist in the popular world television talent show Idol (Belgian version). It was then that they started talking about him as a famous vocalist. At the competition, Danzel appeared to the public.
Where does this unusual stage name come from? The fact is that Johan is a fan of the popular American actor and director Denzel Hayes Washington. Therefore, when choosing a name, there was no thought.
In 2003, the singer released the first hit You Are All Of That, which became very popular in his homeland. This composition took the 9th position in the national hit parade. This single aroused interest in such European countries as Austria, France, Britain, the Netherlands.
Most Popular Hit Danzel: Pump It Up
The most popular hit of the singer is Pump It Up! released in 2004. The first release of the song was only 300 copies. However, the audience liked the song. The video for this song was filmed in a trendy Belgian strip club with the intriguing name Culture Club. Regular visitors of the institution took part in the filming of the video.
The contract for the release of the single was concluded in 2004 in Cannes, during the music exhibition Midem. The increasing popularity of the new single is eloquently evidenced by the fact that during the closing of the music exhibition, the song Pump It Up! placed twice. Subsequently, over half a million copies of this single were sold worldwide.
The first country that Danzel conquered was France. There he performed in clubs and at parties. For 2,5 months, he "worked out" 65 concerts. In Germany, his composition took the 4th position of the dance hit parade. The singer was invited to festivals and concerts.
In Austria, the explosive composition took the 3rd position of the hit parade and entered the top 10 of the world music charts. In the homeland of the performer, this work received a "gold certificate". The song was a reworked cover version of a popular 1998 hit by the Black & White Brothers.
Debut work
Danzel's first album was released in 2004. The Name of the Jam! included both popular singles, which ensured his success. At this time, the singer was at the peak of popularity and was in great demand. He toured a lot, took part in various festivals and shows. Corporate performances were no exception either.
In 2005, the singer pleased the audience with a new hit. He was not successful, but won the sympathy of listeners in European countries. By the way, this track also became a remake of the Black & White Brothers song.
And the composition My Arms Keep Missing You conquered Spain in 2006. This is a cover version of the famous hit by the British Rick Astley. In the UK, home of the original, Danzel's work reached number 9 on the national dance charts.
Another cover version of the song by the British band Deador Alive was released by Danzel in 2007. The singer gave new life to the hit You Spin Me Round (Like a Record), which was popular in 1984. Danzel performed not only restored hits of past years, but also his own songs. In the same 2007, he released the track Jump.
The next album Unlocked Danzel presented to the public in 2008. It includes all the listed songs.
At the request of the Polish record company, the musician presented Undercover in Poland to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. However, the performer's attitude to this international song contest was ambiguous.
He believes that this event has recently acquired political overtones. According to Danzel, the style of his compositions has become a new round in music. His songs are groovy and energetic.
He performed in Europe, was in Russia and Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, in the USA. The artist was awarded the MTV Music Awards in Russia.
Little about personal life
What does the artist devote his free time to? The singer is married and has two children. He loves going to the movies and meeting up with friends to play pool.
