That the debut of Sandra van Nieuwland (And More) in 2012 achieved platinum status, of course, had a lot to do with her participation in The Voice of Holland that year. Yet there was something that distinguished the native of Dordrecht from many other Voice, X factor or Starmaker candidates. That 'something' ensured that the - much stronger and co-written with Tjeerd Bomhoff - successor Banging On
… The Doors Of Love turned pretty 'gold' a year later. At Breaking New Grounds, the collaboration with Bomhoff (Voicst, Dazzled Kid) continues, but also David Sneddon and James Bauer-Mein, who previously worked with Lana Del Rey, Hurts and Mika. They contributed to, among other things, Same Sky, the culmination of a slick album in which new territory is explored here and there. Nightingale Van Nieuwland, for example, sounds like Caro Emerald in the tidy Another Life and Lana Del Rey in the sultry Indian Summer. But these are only references, because the conclusion is that 38-year-old Sandra van Nieuwland on her third album above all sounds like herself. (RME)more
