Jannes is a Dutch pop singer whose style of levenslied music proved dependably popular beginning in the mid-2000s. Born Jannes Wolters on June 26, 1973, in Emmen, Netherlands, he made his commercial recording debut in 1999 with the single "Ben Jij Bij Me." While the debut single wasn't a national hit of any significance, it led to Jannes' full-length album debut, Bella Bianca (2001). His second album, Van Cascablanca Naar Napoli (2002), spawned his first significant hit, "Ga Maar Weg," which reached the Top 50 of the Dutch singles chart. Third album Met Jou Kan Ik Het Leven Aan (2003) spawned another Top 50 hit, "Een Zomerdag," and made it all the way to number 16 on the albums chart. Fourth album Gewoon Jannes (2004) continued to mark the growing popularity of Jannes; it reached the Top Ten and spawned the Top 20 hit "Dam Dam." The popularity of Jannes then culminated with Als Het Zonnetje Schijnt (2005), which became the first of his several albums to top the albums chart. It featured the number three hit "Een Beetje Meer," plus a few additional singles. Successive albums including Laat Me Vrij (2006), Mijn Naam Is... Jannes (2007), and Meer Dan Een Vriend (2008) were similarly successful, each reaching the upper reaches of the albums chart and spawning a couple major hits such as "Oh La La l'Amour," "Laat de Zon Maar Schijnen," and "Ga Dan." ~ Jason Birchmeier