V11 x BIRD presents: Gerson Main

You may already know Gerson Main as the striking guitarist with a fur hat from Akwasi’s band. Together they played the music from the Daar Ergens project during Festival De Keuze in 2013. But since 2015, at least half of the Netherlands has known him from The Best Singer-Songwriter in the Netherlands. Thursday 3rd April he will be performing in V11, Rotterdam.

Born in Paramaribo, Gerson Main moved to the Netherlands at a young age. School wasn’t his thing. After being kicked out of high school, he found his path in music. At 20, he started a music program at ROC Amsterdam, later continuing at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He made his mark as a guitarist, playing with artists like Akwasi, Typhoon, Dio, Steffen Morrison, and Sarah Jane. In 2014, he teamed up with Akwasi and Rob Dekay to release Dorst, a track that went gold in the Netherlands.

In 2015, he joined De Beste Singer-Songwriter van Nederland, where his songs Deejay and Waarom Leven We Niet in een Folder took him all the way to the finals. Although he lost to Anna Rune, his career took off. That summer, he released his first single, a fresh take on Benny Neyman’s Ik Weet Niet Hoe. Thanks to a KPN commercial, the song gained traction, landing spots in both Dutch and Flemish music charts.

By 2016, Gerson was everywhere; playing festivals like Noorderslag, Lowlands, and Solar Weekend, and releasing his self-produced debut album, De Slechtste Singer-Songwriter van Nederland. The album’s title reflected his playful, self-deprecating style, but his talent was undeniable.

In 2017, he switched gears, debuting a theater/music show, Ga Weg, Maar Blijf, while also writing for other artists. He featured on tracks like Sef’s Oceaan, Donnie’s PingPong, and Dio’s Luchtkastelen, the latter becoming a 3FM Megahit.

Beyond his own music, Gerson’s creative reach extended to writing jingles for major brands like KVK, NS, and even the 2021 Olympics. Never one to sit still, in 2023, he announced a poetry collection in the works. Then in 2024, he dropped his second album, Weg van Dit Feestje, proving that his journey is far from over.