Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw, formerly known as Caro Emerald and The Jordan, currently under the name Caro, is a Dutch pop and jazz singer who mainly performs in English. Active since 2007, she rose to prominence in 2009 with debut single, "Back It Up".
Follow-up single "A Night Like This" topped charts in several countries, including her native Netherlands.
real name: Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw
labels: Grandmono
genres: pop music, electronic music, electro swing, jazz
awards: Popprijs, Silver Harp, 3FM Serious Talent, Schaal van Rigter, The First Prize, Edison Music Awards, Music Moves Europe Award, Mega Award
plays: voice
Facts from Wikidata and Discogs, free to use.
Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw was born on 26 April 1981 in Amsterdam to a Dutch father and an Aruban mother. She started singing lessons at age 12 with James Gilloffo in Amsterdam and joined a girl vocal group, Les Elles, under his guidance. Following high school, she trained as a jazz vocalist at the Amsterdam Conservatory, graduating in 2005.
In early 2007, Dutch producer Jan van Wieringen invited Van der Leeuw to sing the vocal on a track he was producing with producer/songwriter David Schreurs. The song, "Back It Up", had been written by Schreurs and Canadian songwriter Vince Degiorgio and was based around a hip-hop beat created by Robin Veldman and Jan van Wieringen. Van der Leeuw's jazzy vocal was considered a "perfect match" for the new song.
Are you them, or do you know them? The mail slot is open.
"Liquid Lunch" is a song by Caro Emerald. The song was released as a digital download on 21 May 2013 as the second single from the album The Shocking Miss Emerald (2013).
The song peaked at number 70 on the UK single chart, largely due to featuring in BBC Radio 2's Playlist 'A' List. The song was written by David Schreurs, Vincent DeGiorgio, Jan Van Wieringen, Robin Veldman, Wieger Hoogendorp.
A lyrics video to accompany the release of "Liquid Lunch" was first released onto YouTube on 27 May 2013 at a total length of four minutes and one second.
"That Man" is a single by Dutch jazz and pop-swing singer Caro Emerald. It was released on 14 May 2010 as a digital download as the third single from the album Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor in the Netherlands, while it was released on 2 December 2011 as a CD single and as a digital download as the fourth single from the album in Germany.
The song was featured in the opening scene of Marvel's Agent Carter, Season 1, Episode 1.
A music video to accompany the release of "That Man" was first released onto YouTube on 1 July 2010 at a total length of three minutes and fifty-one seconds.
In January 2015, the song was used in the pilot episode of the American TV series Agent Carter. The song was also used in the season three The Vampire Diaries episode "Do Not Go Gentle" and in the Disneynature film Chimpanzee.
"Back It Up" is the debut single by Caro Emerald taken from the debut album Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor. It was released on 6 July 2009.
The single was certified gold by the Federation of the Italian Music Industry.
Emerald was originally hired as the demo singer for the song in 2007, by producers Jan van Wieringen and David Schreurs who had written the song with Robin Veldman and Vincent DeGiorgio. Caro's jazzy vocal style was considered a "perfect match", but the song remained unused until 2008, when Caro asked if she could add the song to her live repertoire. The immediate reaction inspired van Wieringen, Schreurs, Degiorgio and Emerald to write and produce the album Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor, starring Caro Emerald.
In 2008, a music video was directed by Eva Zanen and edited by Jurjen van Blokland and was shot in Café Schiller, Amsterdam. The video features Caro Emerald as barmaid and several old men, presumably guests. While polishing the glasses and serving her guests, Caro Emerald sings and dances together with the old men. There are several scenes that show alcoholic beverages with references to the lyrics of the song as well as gramophones and instruments such as trombones and contrabasses. The video is sepia toned. On July 8 an alternative, 'international', music video premiered. This video features Caro Emerald in a black & white performance, an old newspaper and a black & white film.
"A Night like This" is the second single by Caro Emerald, taken from the album Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor. It was released on 11 December 2009 in the Netherlands after it was first presented in an online Martini commercial on 16 October.
Being released in 2010 in Europe, including the UK where it peaked at Number 65 in the UK Singles Chart. It was added to the 'A' list on BBC Radio One.
The song was written by David Schreurs and Vince Degiorgio. Schreurs told HitQuarters he created the track for "A Night like This" while Degiorgio packed his bags to leave for his hometown Toronto, and then the two "sat down for an hour and knocked out the song". The lyrics are based on a specific scene in the 1967 Bond movie Casino Royale. "A Night Like This" was arranged by Schreurs and produced by Schreurs and Jan van Wieringen. A video for the song was shot in Amsterdam and Opatija, Lovran and Rijeka in Croatia.
"Quicksand" is the thirteenth single by Dutch singer Caro Emerald. It was released as a Digital download on April 24, 2015, in the Netherlands as the planned lead single from her third studio album.
It was added to the 'B' list on BBC Radio Two. The song eventually didn't end up on any album.
"Tangled Up" is a song by Caro Emerald. The song was released as a Digital download on 18 February 2013 as the lead single from the album The Shocking Miss Emerald (2013).
The song peaked at number 6 in the Netherlands, and has so far peaked at No77 in the UK single chart after being BBC Radio 2's playlist in the 'A' List.
A music video to accompany the release of "Tangled Up" was first released onto YouTube on 8 March 2013 at a total length of three minutes and twenty-three seconds.