broeder Dieleman is the alter ego of Tonnie, a tall man with a very big heart from Middelburg. He is truly an all round artist: a story-teller, a writer, a paper-cutter, as well as a crafter of a unique type of gospel in the Zeeuws-Flemish dialect. Songs full of sin and salvation with the Landscape of Zeeland in the background. In 2012 he released his debut album "
Alles Is IJdelheid", with which he started touring all over the Netherlands and all the way to our southern neighbors as well. Besides his dialect, Zeeland itself plays a very big role in his music.
After a critically acclaimed second album '
Gloria' (2014) and a first of two
collaborations with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, broeder Dieleman released ‘
Komma’ in September 2018: a double album and photobook in one, with self shot analogue pictures, an field recording record and a record full of songs, detailing 'Het Krekengebied' (creek area) of the land of Axel and all the stories these waters hold.
After 'Komma', broeder Dieleman (NL) and Wannes Cappelle (BE) joined forces for a unique project, sharing their respective dialects. Together with Frans Grapperhaus on cello they released '
Dit Is De Bedoeling' in 2019, before broeder Dieleman fully embraced his qualities as a writer of pop songs on '
De Liefde Is De Eerste Wet' (2020). Although 'pop songs' is of course a rather loose term when describing his eclectic, banjo-ridden music.
August 2023 saw the release of his latest record '
Oh Mijn Ziel', made with American artist Baby Dee: a haunting record - in Dieleman's words - of "mourning, but one with assured resignation”
Press on 'Komma':
***** "beautiful, impressionistic art" – Volkskrant
**** - NRC
Beautiful - Het Parool
***** - Music Maker
***** - Lust For Life
***** - Written In Music
