Artist
Do
Why we feature this artist The voice beyond the dance breakthrough Do's voice can hold the centre of a dance record and remain equally persuasive when the arrangement becomes quieter. The Dutch singer Dominique van Hulst first reached a broad international aud…
- From
- Netherlands
- Sound
- Dance-pop, adult contemporary, Nederpop
- Active
- 2000–present
Start with the music
Tracks to explore
The artist, in context
The story of Do
Why we feature this artist
The voice beyond the dance breakthrough
Do's voice can hold the centre of a dance record and remain equally persuasive when the arrangement becomes quieter. The Dutch singer Dominique van Hulst first reached a broad international audience through Heaven, then built a solo catalogue whose melodic warmth extended well beyond that defining collaboration.
One song, several settings
Her recording of Bryan Adams's Heaven with DJ Sammy and Yanou became an international hit in the early 2000s. Different arrangements brought out different aspects of the performance: a dance version gave the melody a regular forward pulse, while the Candlelight and unplugged settings left more of the phrase exposed. Hearing those approaches together makes the identity of the singer particularly clear. The production changes substantially, but the emotional centre remains in the delivery.
The self-titled Do album appeared in 2004. It included Love Is Killing Me and Voorbij, the duet with Marco Borsato that reached number one in the Dutch Top 40. These recordings gave her a stronger identity as a solo pop artist at home, with the duet also demonstrating how naturally her voice could work in a Dutch-language setting.
A larger part for the song
Follow Me followed in 2006, including Beautiful Thing. The track's open, affirmative melody gives the vocal room to build without needing the scale of a club arrangement. It is a useful companion to Love Is Killing Me, which brings a more urgent pop energy into the earlier album. Later Dutch-language work included Hij Gelooft in Mij in 2011, another example of an existing song being carried by a recognisable interpretation. Do's recording history is therefore more varied than a single international feature might imply. The strongest connection between its different chapters is a way of making a polished song feel approachable: a phrase can rise, a chorus can grow, but the performance still sounds directed towards one listener rather than an anonymous crowd.
Essential releases
Do
The solo debut includes Love Is Killing Me and the Marco Borsato duet Voorbij.
Follow Me
The second album includes Beautiful Thing and expands the singer's English-language pop catalogue.
Beautiful Thing
A warm, melodic single whose clear vocal centre offers a different perspective from the earlier dance breakthrough.