Jan Smit
Jan Smit
Jan Smit (born 31 December 1985) is a Dutch singer, television presenter, and actor. He is best known for his participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, where he finished second with the song "You and I".
Early life
Smit was born in Volendam, North Holland, Netherlands. He started singing at a young age and released his first album, "Ik zing dit lied voor jou" ("I Sing This Song for You"), in 1996. The album was a commercial success and spawned the hit singles "Ik zing dit lied voor jou" and "Als de morgen is gekomen" ("When the Morning Has Come").
Career
In the early 2000s, Smit released a number of successful albums and singles, including "De bliksem slaat in" ("The Lightning Strikes"), "Als je alles hebt" ("When You Have Everything"), and "Laura". He also began to host television shows, including "Jan Smit's Songfestival" ("Jan Smit's Song Festival") and "De beste zangers van Nederland" ("The Best Singers of the Netherlands").
In 2012, Smit represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest in Baku, Azerbaijan. He sang the song "You and I", which he co-wrote with Jeroen Englebert and Anouk Teeuwe. The song finished second in the competition, behind Loreen's "Euphoria" from Sweden.
After the Eurovision Song Contest, Smit continued to release music and host television shows. He also starred in the musical "The Bodyguard" in 2016.
Personal life
Smit married his longtime girlfriend Liza Plat in 2014. The couple have two children together.
Discography
- Ik zing dit lied voor jou (1996)
- Als de morgen is gekomen (1997)
- De bliksem slaat in (2000)
- Als je alles hebt (2001)
- Laura (2002)
- De beste zangers van Nederland (2003)
- Jan Smit (2004)
- Moet je horen (2005)
- Op weg naar morgen (2006)
- That's How I Like It (2007)
- Jan Smit (2008)
- Live in Ahoy (2009)
- Tussen zomer en winter (2010)
- You and I (2012)
- The Bodyguard (2016)
