Kim-Lian van der Meij (born 1 October 1980 in Beverwijk) is a Dutch musical actress, presenter and a singer-songwriter.
Biography Kim-Lian comes from a musical family. Both her parents were professional dancers. Kim-Lian won a number of dance contests in her childhood and regularly competed in lip-sync shows. She competed in the Dutch TV programme "De Mini Playbackshow" (similar to Stars in Their Eyes Kids) twice, once at the age of 6 and once when she was 11.
When she turned 16 she was signed at several castings and model agencies. She was soon asked to play minor roles in Dutch TV programs such as Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden, Kees & Co and more. After screentesting for the Veronica TV channel she was a hostess of CallTV. From 2001 to 2002 she hosted Puzzeltijd (Puzzletime).
After she quit Puzzeltijd Kim-Lian retreated from publicity. But in 2003 she was asked to host the Kids Top 20 for the children network Jetix. This TV program had audiences of 200,000 children every week. For this program she won the highest award in the Netherlands for a children program: the Gouden Stuiver (The Golden Nickel).
She ended up hosting the award-show in 2013.
Music career 2003–2005: Balance In 2003 she got the chance by CMM Records to record an album. At the end of 2003 the first single "Teenage Superstar" was released. Teenage Superstar became a No. 1 hit in Indonesia and charted in the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore, Sweden and Italy.
After "Hey Boy!" was released (which also did well in all the charts), Kim-Lian's debut album Balance was released, which peaked at No. 9 in the Dutch Album Chart.
The third single "Garden of Love" was released to show a more mature side of Kim. Although she was promoted as a children artist, this song had serious lyrics. "Garden of Love" made it into the Top 40 in the Netherlands.
The last single that was released off the album was a cover of Kim Wilde's song "Kids in America". The song became another top 10 hit for Kim in the Netherlands.
At the end of 2004 Kim-Lian released a DVD called Balance: The Experience. The DVD contains the music videos and live performances.
Because they were so impressed with her performance, she was asked to join the presenters cast of Top of the Pops from BBC.
2006: Just Do It After splitting up with her record label CMM Records, because Kim-Lian refused to sing more children music, she worked on her second album. She wanted to produce it herself and was helped by the Swedish producer (and partner) Daniël Gibson. They built a studio at their home and started to write songs. They wrote with several writers from different countries, such as Sweden, England, the Netherlands and Belgium.
The first single of Just Do It was "Road to Heaven", it peaked at No. 28 in the Top 40.
On 12 October, she released "In Vain", the second single off the upcoming second album Just Do It. After spending 6 weeks in the Tipparade (Dutch pre-chart) it was expected to chart in the Dutch Top 40 next week. But it did not enter.
Kim-lian had got plans to go abroad with her second and last album to date but it was never confirmed. She went on to record one-off singles, and film-soundtracks.
Musicals In 1994 Kim-lian played in the musical Kruistocht in Spijkerbroek (Crusade in Jeans), based on the children-novel of Thea Beckman. During the first season of the Kids Top 20, Kim-Lian played a role in the musical Home. At the end of 2003 she played in the musical Kunt u mij de weg naar Hamelen vertellen, mijnheer? (Can you tell me the road to Hamelen, sir?). In 2005 Kim-Lian played the role of De Kleine Zeemeermin (Little Mermaid) along with Belgian singer Kathleen Aerts. In 2007 she starred in the musical Doe Maar which was based on the experiences of the Dutch band by the same name). This was followed by appearances in adaptations of Fame, Footloose, Legally Blonde and Shrek.
Cartoons Kim-Lian provided the Dutch voice of Smurfette in The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2; she also voiced Rapunzel in the movie of the same name.
Personal life Kim-Lian is married to Swedish producer Daniel Gibson who wrote Teenage Superstar. They have a daughter and two sons. She has Indonesian roots through her father, whose mother is Chinese-Indonesian and had a Dutch father who was stationed as a KNIL soldier in the Dutch East Indies.
Year Title Role 1994 Kruistocht in Spijkerbroek ? 2003 Home Motje 2004 Kunt u mij de weg naar Hamelen vertellen, meneer? Prinses Madelein 2005 De Kleine Zeemeermin Little Mermaid 2007 Doe Maar Janis 2008 Fame Carmen Diaz 2009 Footloose Ariel Moore2010–2011 Legally Blonde Elle Woods2011–2012 Daddy Cool Roos2012–2013 Shrek Princes Fiona
Discography
Albums
Year Album Chart positions NL BE 2004 Balance 1st studio album Released: 24 May 2004 Format: CD 9 2006 Just Do It 2nd studio album Released: 28 October 2006 Format: CD+DVD--2022 The Best Of 1st compilation album Released: 01 February 2022 Format: Streaming+Digital Download - -
Singles Year Single Chart positions Album NL IND BEL SWE DEN TUR 2003 "Teenage Superstar"412426--Balance 2004 "Hey Boy!"6-48--- Balance 2004 "Garden of Love"19----- Balance 2004 "Kids in America"15-50--- Balance 2006 "Road to Heaven"28----- Just Do It 2006 "In Vain"33----- Just Do It 2007 "Feel" (digital single)------ Just Do It 2009 "Not That Kinda Girl" (with Linda Bengtzing)32----13 2009 "Gemengde Gevoelens" (with Fouradi)17----- 2010 "How I Like It" (with The Future presidents)---1515- 2012 "Break the Ice"------
Filmography
Apart from doing musicals she also acts in some TV-programs.
Year Title Role 2002 Costa Greetje 2002 Bonbini Beach ? 2002 Kees & Co ? 2005 Chicken Little Malle Abby (voice-only) - Dutch version 2006 Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! Nova (voice-only) - Dutch version
Television These are the TV-programs she hosted.
Year Title 2000–2002 Call TV 2003–2005 Jetix Planet Live Ahoy 2005 Christmas Jumbo Gala XL 2005 Co-Host Top of the Pops (British Version) 2003–2006 Kids Top 20 2006–present Nationaal Kids TV 2007 Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007 2012 Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2012
Awards and nominations
AwardCategoryAboutResult 2003 till 2012Nickelodeon Kids AwardBest Female SingerHerselfWonJohn Kraaijkamp Musical AwardBest Leading Female RoleDe Kleine Zeemeermin NominatedJohn Kraaijkamp Musical AwardUpcoming TalentKunt U Mij De Weg Naar Hamelen Vertellen, Meneer? NominatedDe Televizier RingDe Gouden Stuiver (The Golden Nickel) Best Children ProgramKids Top 20Won Rembrandt Award Best Film Song Achtste Groepers Huilen Nietnominated
References
External links