The Netherlands’ papa of pop: Joost Klein welcomes you to Europe

Welcome to Europe! The Dutch selection committee have spoken, and Joost Klein is heading to Eurovision. After an Instagram press conference skit, he released his song Europapa at the end of February, and had the whole of Europe dancing to his famous pop-meets-happy-hardcore sound.

Joost’s music is upbeat and fast-paced, but it also carries serious messages. He sings about mental health and losing his parents at a young age. In his songs, he transforms sadness into elation, reminding everyone that we’re all human.

Joost’s Europapa music video features a European Union press conference, electric sit-on scooter driving, and an open air performance outside a windmill. In between having a whole lot of fun across Europe, the Dutch popstar sings about travelling around the continent as an orphan.

This Euro papa has had plenty of hits already, with sold out concerts in the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as over 100 million streams worldwide of his song Friesenjung. The day after Europapa was released, it broke the Dutch Spotify record for the most streams in 1 day — the previous record was held by Duncan Laurence after he won Eurovision 2019 for the Netherlands with Arcade.

Joost started off as a YouTuber, and he’s been using his journey to Eurovision in plenty of his TikTok videos. Think Europapa line dancing tutorials, fake press ambushes, and trips around Europe to convince people to give the Netherlands 12 points.

Joost has watched the Eurovision Song Contest since he was a kid, and has always dreamed of being on its stage. And now, those dreams are coming true! Grab your pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-passport, it’s time to go to Malmö.

Look out for Joost on upcoming episodes of the Official Eurovision Song Contest Podcast.

You can learn more about Joost Klein from the Netherlands right here.