What is a crooner, really?

And why does this style still move us – even in 2025?

Picture this: a smoky jazz club. The lights are low. The band hums softly in the background. And then—suddenly—a voice. Not shouting, not demanding, but whispering something as if it were meant just for you.That is the magic of a crooner.

So what is a crooner, anyway?

I get this question a lot when I describe myself as a crooner. The term originated in the 1920s and '30s, right around the time the microphone entered the stage. And—as Dutch linguist Wim Daniëls recently confirmed to me backstage at Theater De Leest in Waalwijk—it actually stems from the Dutch word "kreuner," meaning someone who moans or murmurs.

With the microphone came a new way of singing. Singers no longer had to project their voices to rise above the orchestra. Instead, they could sing intimately, warmly, almost like a whisper—as if speaking directly to just one person.

The first real crooners? Think Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallée. Later came the giants—and my personal favorites—like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Dean Martin. Artists who didn’t overwhelm their audiences… they won them over. With elegance, with charm, with control.

More than a voice

Crooning isn’t just a way of singing. It’s a posture. A presence. A style. It’s the ability to stand on stage with confidence—but without arrogance.

Crooners make it look effortless. But beneath that laid-back glow lies precision, craft, and timing. Sinatra’s phrasing, Dean Martin’s wink, Nat King Cole’s velvet tone—none of it is coincidence. It’s pure craftsmanship.

Why does it still hit us right in the heart?

In an age of autotune and bite-sized TikTok hits, crooners are no longer the mainstream.But maybe that's exactly why we long for something real.Something elegant.Something that speaks to the heart. A well-delivered crooner song—whether it’s a classic from the '40s or a brand new original—slows the world down for a minute. No rush. No filters. Just a voice, and a song.

My mission

It’s been my mission since I was a kid to keep this incredible music alive. Not as some dusty relic, but as something that still surprises, moves, and connects us today.

Crooners aren’t gone. They’re just harder to find than they used to be.But trust me: once you hear one, you know. And more than that—once a swinging big band kicks in, no one can sit still.

That’s why I make this music.Because it’s a style that transcends generations and musical tastes. Everyone loves good music, made with love, passion, and craft.

Next week, we’ll dive into the life of the man who set the bar higher than anyone else: Frank Sinatra.

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