Over het album

The multi-talented Dutch compositional duo of Jorrit Kleijnen and Marijn van der Meer, HAEVN, announce their latest album “Wide Awake” due for release October 11th on Nettwerk. The album is the newest chapter in HAEVN’s mission to transport listeners to diverse emotional landscapes, creating a space for inner silence and self-reflection. With this release, HAEVN opens the unique union between the two musicians to everyone. “Working together was a way of comforting ourselves and digesting life” Marijn states. “We’re honest to each other, our fans, and our partners. It’s the only way to make a true connection. We believe that music, in this case ours, creates a pathway to resonate with a much deeper emotional layer. We feel like we’ve done that with this body of work.” The duo describes “Wide Awake” as their most autobiographical piece to date, born out of deeply personal and profound experiences.

The album was brought to life through a painstaking process of depicting and distilling their “warts-and-all” approach and fully transparent writing, balanced with detailed, delicate, and dexterous composition. This allowed all elements to shine properly and remain an absorbing listen for an ever-growing audience. The album is co-produced with the acclaimed Tim Bran (London Grammar, Aurora and many more.) Expanding on the conception of the album, Marijn explains, “I was ill for three years in my twenties, and I was in a relationship at the same time. I was not able to get out of bed and move freely. My girlfriend showed unbelievable patience to sit next to that bed for three years and then suffer the disappointment of me getting better and still not being able to stand out, leave my bed, and live. That was the moment she decided, ‘I have to break up with you since you’re well but you’re afraid to live’. I needed that moment. I started traveling alone with my guitar in Europe and playing in train stations. I found a way to live again. You should be grateful for these difficult seasons in life rather than being sad. It gave me the courage I needed, and it’s inspired many of these songs.”  

The music reflects the pair’s maturation as artists and as individuals. It’s a journey of growth, self-love, self-reflection, and compassion towards yourself and others. On “Wide Awake” HAEVN have the confidence to make bold choices that they’ve not had to date, resulting in not only their most autobiographical work but their most ambitious music too.  In 2024, their tour will continue with performances at some of the most prestigious concert halls in Europe, including Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, Le Trianon in Paris, and Admiralspalast in Berlin.