fotograaf: Peter van Gelderen.
Farida Merville & Friends
Date: 7 June 2026
Time: 15:00 - 18:00
Artist: Farida Merville & Friends
Location: De Kroegtijger
Price: Free Admission
FARIDA MERVILLE & FRIENDS
From Suriname to the Amsterdam dance scene
Singer/songwriter/producer Farida Merville was born on April 4, 1967, in Suriname and grew up both in the Netherlands and Suriname. “The Girl From Amsterdam” started singing at the age of 17 with her grandfather’s band (“De Vrolijke Jeugd”). In the early 1990s, Farida became active as a session and studio musician. After a performance with Saskia Laroo, she met one of the producers of the well-known Dutch house act Quazar (Eric Putten / Gert van Veen), which led to a fruitful collaboration. As frontwoman and co-composer of Quazar, Farida Merville became a household name in the Amsterdam dance scene. Successful albums and singles followed, including the international club hit Seven Stars (1990), the self-titled album (1991), and the double album Here and Now (1993).
Collaborations and success in the dance scene
Farida also worked with the producers of Atlantic Ocean. As with Quazar, she was frontwoman and co-composer, contributing to two successful singles: Body in Motion and Music Is a Passion, both released in 1994.
As a solo artist, Farida released several singles, including I Just Wanna (1996) and Heartbeats (1997), produced by Edwin Evers.
A unique sound shaped by cultures and styles
Over the years, Farida’s sound and influences have evolved into a unique blend of different cultures and musical styles. Her music combines Neo Soul, Jazz, Funk, and World Music. In 2007, she produced her first studio album Question Mark, which she independently released in 2010.
Theatre and international collaborations
In addition to her own work, Farida has been involved in various projects in recent years, including the theatre show The Grand Ladies of Jazz, together with Graziëlla and Annemarie Hunsel. In sold-out performances at the Bijlmer Theater and the Almere Theater, accompanied by a live band, they performed songs by Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, and Ella Fitzgerald. During that same period, Farida also collaborated with Ghanaian musicians Blay Ambolly (“the James Brown of Ghana”) and Atongo Zimba. With both highlife artists, she performed at numerous festivals in the Netherlands and abroad.
Return with Quazar and new performances
In 2016, Farida resumed performing with Quazar, including shows at Paradiso (Welcome To The Future Special), Tivoli/De Helling in Utrecht (History of House), and in 2017 at Luxor in Arnhem (25 Years of Quazar).
Surinamese influences and personal interpretations
In 2018, Farida gave a successful live performance at the North Sea Round Town festival in Rotterdam, centered around a Surinamese EP titled Te Yu No. The project featured her own interpretations and Sranang (Surinamese) translations of well-known jazz songs and soul classics such as Nina Simone’s Four Women (Fo Uma), Don Raye & Gene de Paul’s You Don’t Know What Love Is (Yu No Sabi), and Bill Withers’ Ain’t No Sunshine (Te Yu No De).
New projects and tribute to Etta James
Together with Lilian Jarad on piano and Thom Goosens on bass, Farida formed the jazz trio Scotch & Soda. In the theatre show The Story of Etta James, Farida and five close friends—including Renate Koningsbloem and Denise Jannah—paid a swinging tribute to the legendary and versatile American singer Etta James from 2017 through 2021.
Live at Red Light Jazz
During her Red Light Jazz performance on Sunday afternoon, June 7, at Café De Kroegtijger, Farida will once again be joined by her “Friends”: Ruben Drenthe on keys, Louis Drenthe on bass, and drummer Patrick Wiebers.
Line-up
Farida Merville – zang
vocals
Ruben Drenthe
keys
Louis Drenthe
bass
Patrick Wiebers
Drums
