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Jeangu Macrooy

The seeds to Jeangu's musical journey were first planted when he received a guitar from his parents for his 13th birthday. Together with his twin brother Xillan, he formed a musical duo. His artistic ambitions, however, proved bigger than the scene in his native Surinam and he moved to the Netherlands at the age of 20.

In the Netherlands, Jeangu enrolled in music college where he began collaborating with producer Perquisite. Jeangu's soulful debut album, High On You, was nominated for an Edison Pop Award and he has since performed at prominent festivals such as Lowlands, North Sea Jazz and Eurosonic Noorderslag. His second album, 2019's Horizon, is critically acclaimed by both press and public and preceded international headline tours and frequent appearances on national TV and radio.



In the autobiographical song Grow, Jeangu Macrooy opens his heart and mind to the world around him. His entry is his personal story about getting older and the quest to find himself. Jeangu believes there is no instruction manual for life. As he sings, "the more I learn, the less I know." By accepting that life consists of highs and lows, he believes that you make progress and get closer to who you are. "Emotions, good and bad, are a universal language. I hope the song makes people feel a little less lonely in their search for happiness. I think that openness and honesty about how we really feel will ultimately bring us closer. I believe in the power of music to bring people together. It's the reason I do what I do."

Music video

Lyrics of Grow

When I'm sad
I am unreasonable
Just like a little kid
Mad at the world

When I'm alone
I am defenceless
Just like the boy I was
Afraid in the dark

Don't take it personally
Don't be offended
Don't mind my mood
Changing like the weather
God knows I try to hold it all together
Oh, I'm getting older
And it ain't what I thought it would be

Wide awake
The planet spins around

A little too fast for me
Most of the time

Lost control
My thoughts are flickering
Just like satellites
Lost in the sky

Don't take it personally
Don't be offended
Don't mind my mood
Changing like the weather
God knows I try to hold it all together
I'm getting older
And it ain't what I thought it would be

One day I'll find
Some peace of mind
And then I'll stop being afraid
I won't make it through the night


The more I learn
The less I know
Through every high and every low
Oh, I grow

The more I learn
The less I know
Through every high and every low
Oh, I grow