Simon Keizer

Simon Keizer is born on May 16, 1984, in Volendam. The village is well known for its musical successes. Simon, too, has a deep interest in music from an early age, although at eight he reluctantly starts taking piano lessons. At twelve, he picks up a guitar for the first time and instantly feels a stronger connection to it.

When Simon is sixteen, he and his classmate Nick Schilder form a musical duo during a Christmas celebration at their high school. That same year, he writes his first song. His songwriting accelerates when, at eighteen, he meets Jan Smit. He goes on to write countless songs for and with Jan Smit. In 2006, at the age of twenty-one, the debut album of Nick & Simon is released under ‘Artist & Company label’. From that moment on, they become a permanent fixture in the album charts.

After eleven number-one albums, Simon tells Nick in 2022 that he wants to end their partnership. As a farewell, they perform six sold-out shows at Ahoy in April 2023. Simon then gives himself the space, especially mentally, to sort everything out. It’s a process he has been working on in the background for years, but one he can now fully focus on. He estimates he’ll stay out of the spotlight for at least two years, but after eight months the creative urge returns. With renewed clarity, he picks up a guitar again, and ideas begin to flow effortlessly. From this renewed enthusiasm, several inspiring writing sessions follow, resulting in beautiful new songs, songs he doesn’t want to keep to himself, but happily shares with his following.