De Niemanders

Between December 2022 and January 2024, we visited refugee camps in The Netherlands with a mobile studio to discover singers, musicians, and their stories. The music sessions were joyous, while conversations ranged from heavy and hopeless to hopeful and cheerful. We connected with creative individuals from around the world, who introduced us to more artists, writers, and storytellers.

The creative power in refugee camps is immense, and this album captures just a fraction of it. Transforming ideas into songs takes time, and we aimed to create a heartfelt album in collaboration with the people we met. This second Niemanders album features songs inspired by the stories people shared with us, sung by Rocco, and songs from writing sessions with refugees, sung by the refugees themselves. The album is a medley of many singers and languages, telling stories of their journeys, dreams, past lives, and current situations as refugees.

Unfortunately, the harsh realities of the asylum process impacted some musical friendships. Due to a negative decision from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, one collaborator was forced to leave the Netherlands, highlighting the nerve-wracking uncertainty every asylum seeker faces.

We have immense respect for the people we met—kind souls fleeing war, persecution, and other tragedies. It was a privilege to collaborate so intensely. This record we made together will last a lifetime, and perhaps longer.