Blanks (musician)

In this Dutch name, the surname is de Wit, not Wit.

Blanks
Blanks in 2023
Background information
Birth nameSimon de Wit
Born (1997-04-19) 19 April 1997 (age 27)
Vleuten-De Meern, Netherlands
GenresIndie rock, indie pop, alternative rock
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • YouTuber
Years active2013–present
YouTube information
Channel
GenreMusic
Subscribers1.31 million[1]
Total views86.200.843[1]
Last updated: 16 June 2023

Simon de Wit (born 19 April 1997), known professionally as Blanks, is a Dutch singer, musician and YouTuber. Beginning his music career as a YouTuber, he created his channel 'Music by Blanks' in 2013. His remakes of Bazzi's "Mine" and Post Malone's "Better Now" went viral in 2018 and became his breakthrough.[2]

Career

In 2013, De Wit started his own YouTube channel under the name of 'Music by Blanks', where he regularly uploads music and vlog videos. His earliest videos were done in Dutch, but after his remake of Bazzi's "Mine" went viral in February 2018,[3] he decided to switch fully to English. One of his current video formats is "Style Swap", where he remakes an existing song into an 80s-style track. De Wit's remake of Post Malone's "Better Now" in June 2018 became his biggest breakthrough.[2]

After doing cover videos for several years, De Wit started writing and producing his own music. His debut original single "Don’t Stop" was released in February 2019, and was added to the playlist of Dutch radio station NPO 3FM a few days after its release. De Wit's second release, "Wave", was added to several radio stations abroad as well as the playlists of Dutch NPO Radio 2, NPO 3FM and became a "3FM Megahit".[4] He was also awarded for the 3FM's talent pool.[5] He was awarded "Best Artist" during Popgala Noord as part of Eurosonic Noorderslag in January 2020.

De Wit's single "What You Do to Me", released on 12 February 2021,[6][7] became a Harde schijf ("Hard record") at Radio 538 during the radio programme of Barend van Deelen [nl].[8] In 2022, he participated in the fifteenth season of the AVROTROS reality show Beste Zangers.[9]

Personal life

De Wit studied information science at the University of Groningen.[10]

Discography

Studio albums

  • 2021 – Nothing Lasts Forever and That's OK

Extended plays

  • 2020 – Cheap Sodas and Ice Cream Kisses
  • 2023 - And So It Begins

Singles

  • 2017 – "Pictures"
  • 2018 – "Better Now"
  • 2018 – "Blah Blah Blah"
  • 2019 – "Don't Stop"
  • 2019 – "Wave"
  • 2019 – "Let's Get Lost"
  • 2019 – "Higher"
  • 2019 – "Bittersweet"
  • 2019 – "Everything's Changing"
  • 2020 – "Sweaters"
  • 2020 – "Dance Alone"
  • 2020 – "Silly People"
  • 2020 – "Oh No"
  • 2020 – "Stranger"
  • 2021 – "What You Do to Me"
  • 2021 – "Turn Around"
  • 2021 – "Classic Armstrong"
  • 2021 – "Never Have I Ever"
  • 2021 – "I'm Sorry"
  • 2022 – "Lost in the Moment"
  • 2022 – "Home Without a Heart"
  • 2022 – "In My Feelings"
  • 2023 – "Breathe in Breathe Out"
  • 2023 – "What You Got (Ayo)"
  • 2023 – "Nobody Knows"
  • 2023 – "Not Scared Anymore"
  • 2023 – "Find Myself Again"
  • 2024 – "Love Situation (911)"
  • 2024 - "Where Did The Time Go"
  • 2024 - "Heart On Fire"
  • 2024 - "Hopes Up High"
  • 2024 - "We're Gonna Be Okay"

References

  1. ^ a b "About Music by Blanks". YouTube.
  2. ^ a b Carapellotti, Hannah (20 December 2021). "TikTok star Blanks moves from 'Story Sessions' to original music". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  3. ^ van Leeuwen, Marlies (2 August 2019). "YouTuber Blanks verovert Amerika beetje bij beetje" [YouTuber Blanks is conquering America little by little]. Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Muzikale virtuoos Simon de Wit (22) uit Harkstede verovert de wereld vanuit de garage van zijn ouders" [Musical virtuoso Simon de Wit (22) from Harkstede conquers the world from his parents' garage]. DVHN (in Dutch). 26 April 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  5. ^ "'Wave' van 3FM Talent Blanks is deze week de 3FM Megahit" ['Wave' by 3FM talent Blanks is this week's 3FM Megahit]. NPO 3FM (in Dutch). 26 July 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Blanks - What You Do To Me". | Nieuweplaat.nl (in Dutch). 12 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Nieuwe single Blanks - "What You Do To Me"". Dansende Beren (in Dutch). 14 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Radio 538". www.538.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  9. ^ Osendarp, Julia (19 August 2022). "Niet alle Beste Zangers-kijkers kennen Blanks, 'maar wat een leuke gast'" [Not all Beste Zangers viewers know Blanks, 'but what a nice guy']. Metronieuws.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  10. ^ Gerssen, Michelle (11 June 2019). "Pingelaar verovert muziekwereld" [Pingelaar conquers music world]. UKrant.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 June 2023.