Kim-Lian

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kim-lian

Background information
Birth name Kim-Lian van der Meij
Born October 1, 1980 (1980-10-01) (age 27)
Beverwijk, The Netherlands
Genre(s) Pop rock
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, actress, TV presenter
Instrument(s) Singing
Years active 2003–present
Label(s) CMM Records (2003-2005)
Bass Commander Records (2006-present)
Website Official website

Kim-Lian van der Meij (born October 1, 1980, Beverwijk) is Dutch musical actress, presenter and a singer-songwriter. She is famous for her hit single "Teenage Superstar" and for presenting the popular children's program Kids Top 20. She is also known for her cover of Kim Wilde's hit "Kids in America".

Contents

[edit] Biography

Kim-Lian comes from a musical family. Both her parents were professional dancers, her mother even could be found on the dancefloor when she was pregnant. Kim-Lian won in her childhood different dance contests and joined regularly a lip-synch show. When she was 6 and 11 she joined the Dutch program "The Mini Playbackshow" (a lip-synch contest on national TV).

When she turned 16 she was signed at several castings and model agencies. Very quickly she was asked for little roles in Dutch TV-programs such as Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden, Kees & Co and more. After doing a screening at the channel Veronica she was a presenter of Calltv. From 2001 till 2002 she presented Puzzeltijd (Puzzletime).

After she quit Puzzeltijd there was a silence around Kim-Lian. But since 2003 she was asked to present the Kids Top 20 for the children network Jetix. This TV-program was seen by 200.000(!) children every week (this is in Dutch standards very high). For this program she won the highest award in Holland for a children program: the Gouden Stuiver (The Golden Nickel).

[edit] Musical career

[edit] 2003-2005: Balance

In 2003 she got the chance by CMM records to record an album. At the end of 2003 the first single "Teenage Superstar" was released. Already Kim-Lian went international. Teenage Superstar became a #1 hit in Indonesia and was charted in the charts in other countries, such as the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Asia, Sweden and Italy.

After "Hey Boy!" was released (which also did well in all the charts), Kim-Lian's debut album Balance was released, which peaked at #9 in the Dutch Album Chart.

The third single "Garden of Love" was released to show a more mature side of Kim. It was a song with some heavy guitars in it. Although she was promoted as a children artist this song had serious lyrics. "Garden of Love" made it into the Top 40 in the Netherlands but wasn't her biggest success so far.

The last single that was released off the album was a cover of Kim Wilde's song "Kids in America". The song became another top 10 hit for Kim in the Netherlands.

At the end of 2004 Kim-Lian released a DVD called Balance: The Experience. The DVD contains the music videos and live performances.

Because she has such an extraordinary look and acts funny, she was asked to join the presenters cast of Top of the Pops from BBC. This is not a common thing. Not many people are asked to help them present the program. And in that same time a more dynamic version of "Teenage Superstar" was released in the UK.

[edit] 2006: Just Do It

Cover of 'Just Do It' (2006).
Cover of 'Just Do It' (2006).

After splitting up with her record label CMM Records, because Kim-Lian refused to sing more children music, she worked on her second album. She wanted to produce it herself and was helped by the Swedish producer (and partner) Daniël Gibson. They built a studio at their home and started to write songs. Writing music was for Kim-Lian something she loved. They wrote with several writers from different countries, such as Sweden, England, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The first single of Just Do It was "Road to Heaven". And she showed that she didn't need to make children music to have hits. It wasn't a massive hit, it peaked at #28 in the Top 40, but it was a start.

On October 12, she released "In Vain", the second single off the upcoming second album Just Do It. It is an emotional song where in the video she dies. After spending 6 weeks in the Tipparade (Dutch pre-chart) it was expected to chart in the Dutch Top 40 next week. But it didn't enter.

Kim-lian has got plans to go abroad again with her album but there is nothing sure.

[edit] Musicals

In 1994 Kim-lian played in her first musical Kruistocht In Spijkerbroek(Crusade in Jeans) based on the children-novel of Thea Beckman. During the first season of the Kids Top 20, Kim-Lian played a role in the musical Home. At the end of 2003 she played in the musical Kunt u mij de weg naar Hamelen vertellen, meneer? (Can you tell me the road to Hamelen, sir?). In 2005 Kim-Lian played the role of De Kleine Zeemeermin (Little Mermaid) along with Belgian singer Kathleen Aerts. In 2007 she will be seen in the new musical Doe Maar (Based on the experiences of the Dutch band by the same same). This has nothing to do with her new album which has the same name.

Year Title Role
1994 Kruistocht In Spijkerbroek  ?
2003 Home Motje
2004 Kunt u mij de weg naar Hamelen vertellen, meneer?  ?
2005 De Kleine Zeemeermin Little Mermaid
2007 Doe Maar Janis

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Album Chart positions
NL BE
2004 Balance 43
2006 Just Do It - -

[edit] Singles

Year Single Chart positions Album
NL IND BEL SWE
2003 "Teenage Superstar" 4 1 24 26 Balance
2004 "Hey Boy!" 6 - 48 - Balance
2004 "Garden of Love" 19 - - - Balance
2004 "Kids in America" 15 - 50 - Balance
2006 "Road to Heaven" 28 - - - Just Do It
2006 "In Vain" - - - - Just Do It
2007 "Feel" (digital single) - - - - Just Do It

[edit] Filmography

Apart from doing musicals she also acts in some TV-programs.

Year Title Role
2002 Costa Greetje
2002 Bonbini Beach  ?
2002 Kees & Co  ?
2005 Chicken Little Malle Abby (voice-only)
2006 Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! Nova (voice-only)

[edit] Television

These are the TV-programs she presented

Year Title
2000/2002 Call TV
2003/2005 Jetix Planet Live Ahoy
2005 Christmas Jumbo Gala XL
2005 Co-Host Top of the Pops (British Version)
2003/2006 Kids Top 20
2006/2007 Nationaal Kids TV
2007 Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007

[edit] Awards and Nominations

Award Category About Result
2003 till 2006
Nickelodeon Kids Award Best Female Singer Herself Won
Johnny Kraaikamp Musical Awards Best Leading Female Role De Kleine Zeemeermin Nominated
Johnny Kraaikamp Musical Awards Upcoming Talent Kunt U Mij De Weg Naar Hamelen Vertellen, Meneer? Nominated
De Televier Ring De Gouden Stuiver (The Golden Nickel) Best Children Program Kids Top 20 Won

[edit] External links

Languages