Due to a career spent shuttling between Europe and the Southern United States—ever the heartland of country music—Dutch singer Ilse DeLange's mainstream success has become an enduring bridge, popularising the US-bred genre in the Netherlands. Her debut World of Hurt has disparate influences, with adult contemporary themes segueing into gospel choruses, and her quavering lilt means she shares the space occupied by country icons like Shania Twain and Faith Hill. Now a reality TV show coach and Eurovision veteran, her buoyant twang remains intact on latter day hits like "OK" and "Heartbeat".