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Penning their lyrics in English despite their Dutch origins, seasoned pop-rock group Di-Rect emerged from The Hague in 1999 as the brainchild of a then-teenage Jamie Westland. Led at the time by singer and guitarist Tim Akkerman, the band instantly impressed local tastemakers, signing to the EMI-distributed Dino Music within mere months of their formation. Ready to let their ever-growing oeuvre loose by 2001, they debuted with the national Top 30 single "Just the Way I Do," an animated pop-punk number that doubled up as the opener and lead single from their debut album, Discover. Before the end of the year, the LP itself had landed, peaking at number 14 in the Netherlands and obtaining gold certification within eighteen months of its release. The band’s sophomore album, 2003’s Over the Moon, dramatically improved on the performance of its predecessor, reaching number 2 on the Dutch charts and spawning a major hit in “She”, which, too, placed second in the national charts. Continuing to enjoy strong sales with their ensuing efforts, including the chart-topping 2005 album All Systems Go!, the group found themselves faced with an uncertain future in 2009, when Akkerman announced his departure. The remaining members of Di-Rect opted to find his replacement through a televised talent contest, subsequently naming Marcel Veenendaal as their new frontman. Retaining their popularity despite this seismic shift, the group topped the charts once more with their soul-infused 2014 LP Daydreams in a Blackout, reaching the Top 10 in their home country with each of their albums released that decade. In 2020, the band returned with the rousing "Soldier On," which reached number 3 nationally, serving as their most successful track in over a decade. A new album entitled Wild Hearts, which saw the group channeling novel influences from indie dance and psychedelic pop into their music, soon followed, peaking at number 2 in the Netherlands. Preceded by the Top 10 entry "Through the Looking Glass," as well as other charting singles such as "My Blood," "How My Heart Was Won," and "OMG It's Happening," their tenth full-length studio album Sphinx hit the shelves in 2024.
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