Koen Vael is a rare breed in the Netherlands: an artist bringing traditional country music to the stage and the studio.
In fact, the stage has gotten as big as Holland’s Got Talent, where he wowed the crowd with a Waylon and Willie cover during his semifinal performance.
In the last year and a half, Vael has amassed a handful of steel-laden bootstompers in his catalog, and on May 22, he’ll add another notch to his belt with “Steady on the Gun,” a song he co-wrote on his first trip to Nashville.
We chatted with Vael about his early start in music, his successes thus far, his Nashville aspirations and more!
Pro Country: You began playing multiple instruments at just four years-old. What instruments did you start to play, and what was it about playing those instruments that connected with you at such a young age?
Koel Vael: I started out on drums when I was four years-old. I was able to make a lot of noise, so I was happy about that [laughs]. My uncle played guitar, so I started playing guitar next. I realized that I could make songs: I could record a drum part, and then add guitar on it. I knew it needed bass and piano, too, so those were next.
With that background, I now know what the musicians are doing. If you can understand each other musically, it’s so much easier to jam and talk about what you each want in a song. It makes collaborating much easier.
PC: Your bio mentions artists like the Eagles, Willie Nelson and George Strait as early musical influences. What was it about each that struck a chord with you?
KV: The Eagles were so inspiring. They were six badasses on stage playing great songs. I got hooked on them at a very young age.
I went on YouTube, and I heard a song by Willie Nelson. I didn’t know what it was, but it really touched me, and I knew I needed to hear more.
Eventually, I came on to George Strait and Johnny Cash. Their music drew me into the traditional style of country music.
PC: Though you’d been playing music for so long, when did you realize you wanted to, and feasibly could, pursue music as a career?
KV: Not long after I started playing. Growing up, you usually want to be a policeman or a superhero, but I always wanted to be a musician. The moment I saw the Eagles, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. The feeling of chasing that career and lifestyle never went away.
PC: In the fall of 2024, you appeared on Holland’s Got Talent, making it to the semifinals. What were you able to take away from your experience on the show, and is there a validation that comes with making it so far in the competition?
KV: I’d never had any experience with TV! I always saw it as a kid, and I thought it was awesome to be able to show off your abilities. I’d played live a lot, but when TV came around, it was a whole different game. You have all the cameras and crew: everything is so extra and so big. I’m from a really small town, so it amazed me what was behind a program like that. It was awesome to be from a small town, show what I can do and play the music of my heroes on stage. I’m one of the only people here who got country music on national television, and I’m really proud of that. Getting to the semifinals with that really touched my heart.
PC: What songs did you sing on the show?
KV: For my audition, I played “South Side of Heaven” by Ryan Bingham. The next round, I played “Desperado” by the Eagles. Later, in the semifinals, I played “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”
PC: You closed 2024 with the release of your debut single, “Hate Me.” What emotions were you feeling as you were releasing music into the world for the first time?
KV: It was a struggle. I’m really precise, and I wanted it to be perfect. To let it go and to say something is “done” is really hard for me. I got good advice from people, and I really needed it. It was great to release something for the first time after such a long time of making music. Now I’m getting used to finishing songs and releasing them.
It was great to have the momentum with “Hate Me,” because people were checking me out from Holland’s Got Talent. I needed to have something for them to listen to! It was a great starting point.
PC: Your 2025 single, “Good as Gone,” has earned nearly 100,000 streams on Spotify alone, with thousands more across platforms, as well as a viral video on TikTok. How encouraging has it been to see the response to the song in the year that it’s been released?
KV: It’s so awesome! It’s helped a lot of people discover me. I’m so happy that people are digging my music. I needed that, too. When you release stuff, of course you want people to like it, but 100,000 streams is crazy! It’s been a blessing, and it keeps me motivated to go further.
PC: “All Shot Out” was written by Skip Black, Brian Maher and Marcel Fisser. Can you tell us how you heard the song, what you loved about it and what drew you to cut it?
KV: Those are old-school country guys. They love the old stuff, just like I do. Marcel came to me with that song, and to me, it sounded like it could’ve been written in the 70s or 80s. They’re all great writers, so it was an honor for me to record a song that they wrote.
PC: Your website mentions Nashville being a major career goal. How many times have you been to Music City? When do you see yourself potentially transitioning part/full time to Nashville?
KV: I went to Nashville for the first time three weeks ago. When I got home, I had the biggest depression I’ve ever had, because it was so beyond my expectations. It was so awesome to write with amazing writers. Everyone just understands country music. As a Dutch guy, you’re not used to people knowing country music, so it was refreshing.
I’m hoping to move to Nashville within four or five years. I definitely want to move there and build a career there. It’s a great place to be: there’s so much music and so much culture.
PC: How long were you in Nashville on your trip, and what did you get to do when you were there?
KV: I was in Town for 10 days, and I wrote a lot. I brought 11 songs back home! I played live at The Local on a songwriter’s round. I went to the Opry to see Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire and Lukas Nelson. It was amazing. I also went to Robert’s Western World a lot!
PC: What information, if any, can you give about new music that will follow “All Shot Out”? What can listeners expect to hear?
KV: On May 22nd, I’m releasing a new song called “Steady on the Gun.” I wrote it in Nashville a few weeks back, and it’s coming to life! It’s going to the mixing engineer in a week. It’s an upbeat, up-tempo song that describes where I’m at right now: I don’t know where I’m going, but it feels right to follow this journey.
PC: With “All Shot Out” a few months old, what do you have planned for the rest of 2026 along with the new release in a few weeks?
KV: We’re doing some amazing festivals here in Holland! And I’ll be back in Nashville in August as well. I’m looking forward to writing again and meeting some of the friends I’ve made.
PC: Is there anything you’d like to add?
KV: This was my first English interview, so it was really exciting! If people like my music, they can follow me on Instagram!
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