Zazí: Les filles du Tour de France

Zazí is a Dutch trio who played the Flight Gemstones Jade Concert Ukulele this summer. Here, Sabien, Margriet & Dafne look back on being the house band for Radio Tour de France, in their own words.

Last summer really was one to remember. In the spring, we released our French-language single Les Hollandaises, an upbeat song with a great beat and French vibes, celebrating the freedom and independence of Dutch women. The single was an instant hit, landing on several radio station playlists. NPO Radio 1 soon invited us to become the house band for Radio Tour de France, a daily programme covering the Tour. Of course, we jumped at the chance! We also got to open the very first episode of De Avondetappe, where we watched the stage on a big screen alongside Tom Dumoulin and Dione de Graaff before the show.

To mark the end of the Tour de France, Radio 1 organised the Tourcafé. Alongside artists such as Douwe Bob, we had the opportunity to perform several songs live. The afternoon was also broadcast live on NOS. It was one big party, complete with plenty of snacks (you can’t just walk past cardboard cups filled with little bananas, gummy frogs and marshmallows, can you?), cycling enthusiasts, Dutch celebrities, cameras, a tall, slightly wobbly stage and a dangerously steep staircase that proved quite a challenge in our high heels. All in all, it felt a little like the end-of-year party at high school. The prom, if you will, except that you’re constantly aware that hundreds of thousands of people could be watching and listening.

You can imagine that a day like this can be pretty hectic and nerve racking. As an artist, everything comes down to those few minutes on stage when you perform your songs. Nothing can go wrong. It simply can’t. In moments like these, you need to be able to rely on your songs being second nature to you. But above all, your instrument needs to be steady as a rock. If you’re not 100% sure that your instrument will work, that the battery is fresh and fully charged, that the strings are in good shape, that the quality is reliable and that your sound is perfect, you have no solid foundation to fall back on.

Luckily, Dafne had the Jade Concert Uke by Flight by her side. It’s exactly the kind of instrument that gives you confidence the moment you pick it up. You immediately think: “We’ve got this. We’re going to rock this!” Play that first chord, and everything just falls into place. All that’s left to do is go with the flow.

Love,  

Zazí (Sabien, Margriet & Dafne)