Vengaboys (/ˈbɛŋ.ɡæ.bɔɪz/)[2][3] is a Dutch Eurodance music group based in Rotterdam consisting of lead vocalist Kim Sasabone, female vocalist Denise van Rijswijk and male vocalists Robin Pors and Donny Latupeirissa.[4] Created by Dutch producers Wessel van Diepen (who selected the group members) and Dennis van den Driesschen (known as Danski and Delmundo), the group enjoyed commercial success in the late 1990s. They are best known for their hit singles "We Like to Party", "Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!", and "We're Going to Ibiza", the latter two of which topped the UK Singles Chart and have sold an estimated 25 million records worldwide.[5]
On 2 May 2001, the World Music Awards gave Vengaboys the award for best-selling dance group of the year.[6] In 2019, Dutch online newspaper Nu.nl called Vengaboys the most successful Dutch pop group in history.[7]
History
1996–1998: Formation, Up and Down, and The Party Album
The name "Vengaboys" was originally the title of the electronic musical project of Dutch producers Danski and Delmundo as DJs in the early 90's.[5] In 1997 they decided to use the name to produce a pop group, choosing the Brazilian-Dutch singer Kim Sasabone as the vocal lead.[5] After some auditions, Denise Post-Van Rijswijk, Roy den Burger and Robin Pors were added to complete the group.[2]
In August 1997, the group released their debut single "Parada de Tettas", followed by "To Brazil!" in December 1997 and "Up and Down" in February 1998. In April 1998, the group released their debut album Up & Down - The Party Album in the Netherlands and Belgium.[5] The album was certified gold in the Netherlands.[8] The was followed by "We Like to Party!" in May, which peaked at number 2 on the Dutch charts and at number 1 in Belgium in June 1998.[9]
In November 1998, the Vengaboys entered the UK Singles Chart at number 4 with "Up and Down",[10] "We Like to Party!" was released internationally in 1999 and was a Top 10 hit in many European countries,[11] Canada,[12] Australia,[9] and New Zealand.[9] It reached number 26 on the BillboardHot 100.[13]
"We're Going to Ibiza", a reworking of Typically Tropical's 1975 number 1 hit "Barbados", also reached the top slot in the Netherlands in September 1999.[17] The LP spent 30 consecutive weeks on the U.S. Billboard 200,[18] and was certified gold (500,000 units) in November 1999.[19]
The Remix Album was released in January 2000, featuring new dance remixes of the songs from the Vengaboys' debut record.
2000–2002: Departure of Pors, The Platinum Album and Hiatus
Shortly before the release of their next studio album, Pors left the group to pursue a solo career and was replaced by dolphin trainer Yorick Bakker.
In 2002 Denise Post-Van Rijswijk and Bakker left the group.[20]
2007–2009: Return on stage and line-up changes
In 2007, they returned to the club scene with new member Donny Latupeirissa a.k.a. Ma'Donny, replacing den Burger as Cowboy.[21]
2010–2013: The Best of Vengaboys
In 2010, the band released a new single, "Rocket To Uranus", a collaboration with singer-songwriter Pete Burns and American celebrity Perez Hilton. The video premiered on 6 June at the Dutch television station TMF,[22] and in 2D and 3D formats on their own website and YouTube channel.[citation needed]
In December 2011, the group released The Best of Vengaboys in Australia.[23]
Vengaboys (2013)
In January 2013, the group first performed a cover of "Hot, Hot, Hot", during their National Tour in Australia. The song was released in July 2013 as a single.
Around that time, Kim Sasabone became pregnant.[citation needed]
2014–2015: X-mas Party Album
The Vengaboys on stage in 2015
In January 2014, Robin Pors said in an interview in Dubai that the group intended to continue touring in Europe and that they were working on future shows in the Middle East and India, along with performing their greatest hits, their latest single, "Hot, Hot, Hot", and reportedly new unreleased tracks. He also stated that releasing new material was planned for 2014. In May 2014 a new remix from their single "To Brazil" re-titled "2 Brazil" was released.
In November 2014 a new album was released called The X-mas Party Album including all the Vengaboys hits with a Christmas sound. Also, the single "Where Did My X-mas Tree Go" was released together with a new music video.[citation needed] A tour of South Africa was scheduled for December.[24]
Vengaboys (2016)
2015-2017: Australia and New Zealand tour
In late February 2015, Denise Post-Van Rijswijk said that she was pregnant with her second child.[25]
In 2016, the group toured Australia and New Zealand.[26]
In 2019, Vengaboys celebrated their 20th anniversary and released unplugged versions of the songs "Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom" and "We're Going to Ibiza!" and released an EP titled Unplugged #1's.[28]
2020–2021: Covers and re-mixes
In the summer of 2020, the band released a festival version of their worldwide hit "Up & Down" with Australian DJ and producer Timmy Trumpet, with the new version credited to Timmy Trumpet x Vengaboys.[29]
In September 2021, the band released a cover version of Charli XCX and Troye Sivan's "1999", retitled "1999 (I Wanna Go Back)" and came with a deep fake-style video which saw the cover stars from various 1990s albumslip-syncing to the song and the band put into the Friends title sequence with the sofa and fountain.[30][31]
In September 2021, the Vengaboys' took part in 90's Nostalgia: Electric Circus tour in Canadian, featuring Eurodance music.[32][33]
^"Eurochart Hot 100 SIngles"(PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 12. 20 March 1999. p. 8. Archived(PDF) from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
^"Image: RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada. 31 May 1999. Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
