The 22 year old Dutch singer Esmée Denters premiered her cover of Stevie Wonder’s “As” via Billboard.com’s online music program Mashup Monday earlier this month. This might be just the right push for her career. Already a huge star in her native Holland, Denters is yet to break into the coveted U.S. market although she’s backed up by Justin Timberlake himself. Their duet “Love Dealer” was recently released in the States, but has failed to break.
Signed by Timberlake
Justin Timberlake discovered Esmée Denters on YouTube, where she posted covers of artists such as Timberlake and Natasha Bedingfield. Denters was signed on Timberlake’s own record label Tennman Records. Last May, Denters’ debut album Outta Here was issued in Europe and preceded by the title track as the first single. So far, that track has reached the top ten in the Netherlands, UK and Hungary. Her biggest hit in the UK to date is the Chipmunk duet “Until You Were Gone,” which peaked at No.3 this April.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO6wG1hNZJw]
“Love Dealer” is yet to make any impact on the main U.S. chart, so far peaking outside the top 20 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. Written back in 2008 by Esmée Denters, Justin Timberlake and the production team Stargate, the song has also been recorded in a version featuring rapper Jay Sean.
