Ilse DeLange

Ilse DeLange is a Dutch country and pop singer. She first rose to prominence in 1998 following the release of her debut album World of Hurt. The album was recorded in Nashville, the capital of country music. It became a runaway success in the Netherlands, where it peaked at Number 1 for six weeks and was eventually certified quintuple-platinum. It ranks as one of the highest-selling albums of all time. Following the album’s release, its lead single “I’m Not So Tough” became DeLange her first Top 40-hit. In 1999, she received a TMF Award and an Edison Award for her musical success.

In 1999, DeLange released live-album Dear John, an album full of covers by John Hiatt, after a very successful performance at the "Marlboro Flashbacks". The album went platinum in the Netherlands, for selling more than 80,000 copies.