Soundmixshow
Soundmixshow is the original Dutch version of Stars In Their Eyes; it was hosted by Henny Huisman,[1][2] as a live-vocals version of the increasingly obsolete Playback Show. It has since been sold to other countries,[3] for instance the European Soundmix Show.
History
Early days
Huisman, who spent the 1970s drumming for Lucifer (of House For Sale-fame) and spin-off group Match, toured the early 1980s with his Hitkrant Drive-In Show; this prototype-version of the Playback-show was a joint venture with pop-weekly Hitkrant. In 1983 he brought the format on television during the summer-evening slot as KRO's Zomeravondshow ; contestants performed on a hit-or-miss basis.
Breakthrough
In 1984 the name was changed to Playbackshow and contestants were now given full performance time. Soon afterwards Huisman decided to do a spin-off with real vocals; thus the Soundmixshow was born with artists being judged by a jury of three professionals featuring long-time stalwarts Jacques d'Ancona and Barry Stevens.
The Soundmixshow meant a breakthrough for several young Dutch artists, as it was a platform with a relative low threshold and a broad audience. The Soundmixshow was produced by Endemol. Till 1990 for the KRO, afterwards for RTL4 til 2002.[4]
In the finals of 1988, Huisman asked viewers to phone a specific number for televoting. However, this caused such a big amount of phone calls, that the whole telephone grid was down for a while, and even the emergency services (police, ambulance, firefighters) were out of reach in some parts of the country.[4]
Other spin-offs
From the latter half of the 1980s till the early 1990s Huisman presented the Miniplaybackshow as a platform for children; plans to do a Minisoundmixshow never materialised.
There was also a Seniorenplaybackshow, aimed at the elderly, and more successfully.[2] the Sterrensoundmixshow (Celebrity Stars In Their Eyes).
In 2002 the Soundmixshow was the platform for a debate between politicians just before the parliamental elections.
Aftermath
In 2002 the format was discontinued in favor of Idols and other talent contests. Huisman, like many other contemporaries, was thanked for his services and spent a few years with evangelical broadcaster EO; he documented his quest for God and hosted the Dutch version of Last Choir Standing (Korenslag). In 2010 he reunited with former Soundmixshow-contestants om KRO's anniversary-programme.
Successful contestants
- Petra Berger
- Marco Borsato
- Tooske Breugem
- Georgie Davis
- Glennis Grace
- Gerard Joling
- Des'Ray Manders
- Edsilia Rombley
List of winners in the Dutch Soundmixshow
| Year | Artist | Original artist | Song | Additional information | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Glenda Peters | Randy Crawford | One Day I'll Fly Away | Gerard Joling was third this year | |
| 1986 | Gina De Wit | Linda Ronstadt | Desperado | ||
| 1987 | Peter Douglas | Frank Sinatra | New York,New York | ||
| 1988 | Jos Van den Brom | John Denver | Leaving on a Jet Plane | Desirée "Des'Ray" Manders made her TV debut. This was in a legendary final, where people could televote, but because of the huge number of votes, the whole phone grid was down. | |
| 1989 | Carina Bos | Timi Yuro | Hurt | Helmut Lotti was also contestant. Last Season Broadcast on KRO | |
| 1990 | Marco Borsato | Billy Vera | At This Moment | First Season Broadcast by RTL 4 | |
| 1991 | Jorge Castro | Luciano Pavarotti | Caruso | Kathleen Prattis sang as Anita Baker, Watch Your Step. | |
| 1992 | Nhelly Dela Rosa | Shirley Bassey | This Is My Life | ||
| 1993 | Ellen Fransz | Whitney Houston | I will always love you | ||
| 1994 | Glennis Grace | Whitney Houston | One Moment In Time | ||
| 1995 | Arno Kolenbrander | Simon Bowman (uit de musical Miss Saigon | Why God, Why | Tooske Breugem was also contestant | |
| 1996 | Edsilia Rombley | Oleta Adams | I Just Had To Hear Your Voice | ||
| 1997 | Mary Ann Morales | Lea Salonga (from the musical Miss Saigon | |||
| 1998 | Cherwin Muringen | Seal | Kiss From A Rose | Floortje Smit was also contestant | |
| 1999 | Erna Otte-Hemmink | Emma Shapplin | Spente Le Stelle | ||
| 2000 | Bart Schwertman | Ian Gillan uit de rock-opera Jesus Christ Superstar | Ghetsemane | ||
| 2001 | Mary Amora | Tina Turner | River Deep, Mountain High | ||
| 2002 | Valerie Dwarkasing | Alicia Keys | Fallin' |
References
- ↑ Biography of Henny huisman on the IMDB
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 CV on Henny Huismans official website
- ↑ Soundmixshow goes USA (Dutch)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Description of the success of the Soundmixshow (Dutch)