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Ever since Knaap & de Vos were left as foundlings in a barrel organ in Rotterdam, the city has been whispering poems in their ears. Poets and opinion writers speak through their cracks, phrases drift in on the wind, words stick. With their self-built mechanical organ, they turn it all into stirring songs — roaming city and countryside to sing about life as it is now.
The duo Knaap & de Vos blend traditional levenslied — a Dutch genre of emotional, storytelling song — with modern electronic sounds. Their music reflects the soul of Rotterdam, bringing together the city’s diverse communities. With each performance, they invite audiences to experience the magic of a new kind of levenslied. The lyrics are penned by writers including Jana Beranová, Elfie Tromp and Myrte Leffring. Knaap & de Vos are Lisse Knaapen and Rowan de Vos. Previously, they created the performances Café Heelal and Maktub voor de Hoed. In 2023, they built their own barrel organ with Florian Borstlap, which became the heart of O. Oh Rotterdam in collaboration with the O. Festival.