Vengaboys

Vengaboys
The band's fourth lineup (2006-2009): (L-R) Donny Latupeirissa, Denise Post-Van Rijswijk, Kim Sasabone, Yorick Bakker performing in 2009.
Background information
Origin	Netherlands
Genres	Eurodance, Dance-pop
Years active	1997–2004, 2006–present
Labels	Breakin' Records/Violent Music
Website	www.vengaboys.com
Members
Kim Sasabone Denise Post-Van Rijswijk Robin Pors JJ Van Zon
Past members
Roy den Burger Mark van Dale Lynn Allien Donny Latupeirissa Yorick Bakker

Vengaboys are a Eurodance pop group based in Amsterdam. The brainchild of two Dutch producers Wessel van Diepen and Dennis van den Driesschen (Danski and Delmundo), they enjoyed commercial success in the late 1990s. They are best known for their two UK number one singles, "Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!" and "We're Going to Ibiza" and their U.S. Top 40 hit, "We Like to Party." The group consists of lead vocalist Kim Sasabone and backing vocalists Denise Post-Van Rijswijk, Robin Pors and Donny Latupeirissa who replaced Roy den Burger after their 2005 hiatus. They have sold an estimated 15 million records worldwide^[1] and are renowned for being one of the most influential Eurodance pop groups of the early 21st century. On 2 May 2001, The World Music Awards awarded Vengaboys with the award for best selling dance group of the year.^[2]

History

Group formation, Up and Down, The Party Album! and commercial success

Dutch producers Danski and Delmundo initially found success organizing illegal beach parties during the summers.^[1] Danski and Delmundo recruited Rachael Carpenter, Olivia Overington, Robin Pors and Roy den Burger to form a group In 1997. The name Vengaboys was thought up during a recording session for another of Danski and Delmundo's projects, called Nakatomi.

The group recorded several single tracks, some of which were released as singles before the release of the tracks as a debut album titled The Party Album (known as Up and Down, The Party Album! in the Netherlands). After two small Benelux hits with "Parada De Tettas" and "To Brazil", they entered the UK chart at number 4 with "Up and Down" in November 1998. The follow-up "We Like to Party" peaked at number 3 on both the Irish and UK charts, and also reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. In June 1999, they scored their first number 1 with "Boom Boom Boom Boom", when it topped the charts in the UK, New Zealand and the Netherlands. "We Like to Party" was used in a Six Flags advertisement campaign in America, featuring an elderly gent dancing to the tune and picking up passengers. "The Party Album!" soared to the top of the charts in over 20 countries including the U.K., Canada, Germany, Benelux, Spain, South Africa, Thailand, Poland, Australia and Mexico.

"We're Going to Ibiza", a reworking of Typically Tropical's 1975 number 1 hit "Barbados", also reached the top slot in September 1999. Their debut LP spent 30 consecutive weeks on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified gold (500,000 units) in November 1999. "The Party Album!" was once again released under a new name, this time known as "Greatest Hits - Part 1", which featured five new songs.

The Remix Album was released in late 1999, featuring new dance remixes of the songs from the Vengaboys' debut record.

Performing "We're Going To Ibiza" at "53 Degrees" in Preston, England.

The Platinum Album and group hiatus

Shortly before the release of their second album, Robin Pors left the group to pursue a solo career and was replaced by dolphin trainer Yorick Bakker, his heroin addiction kicked in and he got sentenced to two years imprisonment by The Dutch justice ministry. The Platinum Album was released in early 2000, which saw continued success for the group.

More UK and Canadian Top 10 hits followed: "Kiss (When the Sun Don't Shine)", "Shalala Lala" and "Uncle John from Jamaica" all charted, with the former going to number one on the Irish Charts. For their fourth single the group got a fifth member, the computer-animated Cheekah. The single "Cheekah Bow Bow (That Computer Song)" was not as successful as their previous singles. They released their single "Forever as One" in February 2001 with little promotion. The single charted at 28 in the UK, making it their worst performing single. Shortly after this release, the group disbanded for several years.

Return to the stage and new material

In 2007 they returned to the club scene, with new member Donny Latupeirissa, a.k.a. Ma'Donny, replacing Roy den Burger and Robin Pors returning to the group. They have most recently been touring university student union clubs in the UK and Ireland, most notably the UCD 2010 Ball, with an estimated 9000 attendees.

Throughout 2008 and 2009, the group continued to tour on a small scale, while various rumors of new tracks including "Partylife" in 2008 and a re-release of old material in 2009 generated publicity.

In the spring of 2010, The Vengaboys confirmed via their website,^[3] Twitter^[4] and at their live gigs that their comeback single will be called "Rocket To Uranus" and feature singer-songwriter Pete Burns and American celebrity Perez Hilton, who co-wrote the song. It was only released in their home country in June 2010. The world premiere was confirmed via the band's Twitter account, announcing the premiere on 4 June on the Dutch radio station Radio 538.^[5] The video premiered on 6 June at the Dutch television station TMF,^[6] and in 2D and 3D formats on their own website and YouTube channel.

They were due to release a best of in Australia on 9 December 2011.^[7]

Members

• Note: those in bold are current members.

Discography

Awards

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Vengaboys

• Official website