“I really had no idea how performing worked. I didn’t know anyone in the music industry, and I had no money either. But I could play the guitar and sing.” Oudendijk looks back on his first year of studying in 2016 with a smile. Even as a child, he was interested in music and by the time he was in his student room, he started to write his first songs and play his own melodies on his guitar. “Shortly after that, I asked on Facebook whether anyone had space in their living room for a free concert by me. Sitting together with a couple of friends or neighbours listening to music; that is good fun, I thought.” And that is exactly what it was. In addition to it being good fun and his first performing experience, it also meant something else to Oudendijk: contacts. “People thought that I was so good that they helped me get paid gigs. Very valuable for someone who is just getting started.”
“I am a DIY artist”
At the conference for the 25th anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty in 2017, for example, Oudendijk played for important politicians in a festive atmosphere. But he was also able to prove himself during diploma ceremonies. “I also wrote a song for European Studies, but that is no longer appropriate. Too much has changed in the curriculum.”
Change is definitely a theme for this young guy from Luxemburg. Until this year, he still lived in Maastricht, but now he is back with his parents in Luxemburg, because his relationship ended. But for Oudendijk that is not a reason to hang his head. “I learn a lot from what happens in my life. I am now really looking forward to going on tour, and to my first album. I have my hands full, because I do everything myself. I am a DIY artist."
Very busy, but happy
When he started his studies, he quickly knew that he wanted to become a professional musician. Sometimes, he says, that got him in trouble. “In my second and third year, I had performances and so I had to travel, which meant that I had to miss lectures. Fortunately, my lecturers were not difficult, they understood.” But where exams were concerned, no exceptions were made for Oudendijk. “It was very busy sometimes, that is true”. Why continue on with the study, when future plans have been set? “I wanted to graduate, also just to have a serious diploma. I also really liked studying. I learned a lot during my time as a student, both inside and outside the lecture halls, and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss that. The European idea of open borders, that we can learn from each other in Europe, and that our different cultures and backgrounds are assets, I was fortunate to experience that every day during my studies. Theory becomes practice.” The singer is also very happy with the European regulations in his daily life: “I see all the problems that colleagues have when they perform in England, every instrument must be declared with customs, with their weight and everything. I am glad that we have the EU.”
‘In My Head’
And now Oudendijk’s first album has been released, In My Head. A selection of very special songs, you would expect. “Sorry, it is just the first ten songs that I wrote,” he laughs. “Still, it is a very special album for me. All those songs are about my thoughts, dreams and fears, based on my experiences and travelling. In short, it is about what happens in my head.” A good example is How does it feel, a melancholy number about an identity crisis. “I now know who I am, fortunately, but as far as music is concerned, I am continuously looking for identity. And I know that this is an important subject for my generation.” According to the singer, Rewind, another song on the album, is for his generation too, and maybe for all generations: “It is about being courageous. Taking a step back, when you can go no further. Trying again. I had to do that often, and I know that I will have to do that often in the future too. Life is not always easy. But I am very satisfied with where I am now.”