Experience with Groeispurt: Laurens van de Linde – An album that took on a life of its own

With the support of Groeispurt , musician Laurens van de Linde Groeispurt present his debut album , *NEGATIEVEN*, in a dignified and meaningful way. The album is about connection and loss, saying goodbye to youth, grief, comfort, and hope. That’s why he chose not only to release it online, but also to host a live event where people could experience the music together.

More Than Just Music

An album release involves more than just music. It requires photos, graphic design, PR copy, fellow musicians, production, and direction. Laurens therefore collaborated with various creators from his network and deliberately opened up his creative process to feedback. “If I wanted to present my work to an audience, I’d also have to be open to input while creating it. That would make it richer, more layered, and more thought-out.” His experience as a performer, programmer, and organizer came in handy. From scripts and schedules to applications and publicity: everything came together during the release party.

Between Perfectionism and Results

An important part of the process was striking a balance between perfectionism and getting the job done. The pressure really mounted, especially in the final phase. Laurens decided to have CDs and cassettes produced, but a delay in the delivery of the printed materials caused additional stress. Still, the project had to be finished. It was precisely the collaboration and the deadlines that helped him let go. “It simply had to be finished. There’s also beauty and uniqueness in some of those rough edges.”

A Life of One's Own

The highlight was the album release party. After that, the album began to take on a life of its own. People both inside and outside Laurens’ network listened to it and responded positively. He was interviewed by local media, and his music was played on Omroep Gelderland. “My work took on a life of its own and ended up in surprising, new places.”

What the contribution meant

Groeispurt it possible to collaborate with talented creators and pay them fairly. The grant also gave Laurens confidence and freedom.Groeispurt me a certain degree of legitimacy—like a seal of approval for others that this project was worthwhile. It also gave me that boost: this project is legitimate.”

The project reminded him once again of the importance of collaboration and of the knowledge he had gained from previous projects. He would Groeispurt strongly recommend Groeispurt to other creators, because of the straightforward application process, the collaborative approach, and the freedom to change course during the process.

“For a healthy and vibrant cultural climate, it is important that creators are taken seriously, are able to create, learn to take responsibility, and have the opportunity to showcase their work.”

Laurens also sees opportunities to further strengthen the network among Groeispurt, for example through meetings, workshops, and presentation opportunities. NEGATIVES is available to listen to online, and Laurens performs regularly.