Multiple Dutch radio stations and fans will play the song Lichtje Branden by Suzan & Freek on Wednesday at 10:00 AM. With this gesture, they want to support the duo in a difficult time: it was announced on Tuesday that Freek is terminally ill.
In any case, the stations NPO Radio 2, NPO 3FM, Sterren NL, NPO Radio 5, 538, Qmusic, Veronica, 100% NL, Radio 10, Rijnmond, Omroep West and Den Haag FM are participating in the initiative.
The stations report that they are being flooded on Wednesday morning with reactions from listeners who want to share their feelings and thoughts about the news. Fans are also calling on each other to stream the song at 10:00 AM as a sign of support for the duo.
The song Lichtje Branden comes from the album Dromen In Kleur from 2021. The lyrics of the song are about finding positive moments and the idea that people light a candle for you, even in difficult times.
Freek Rikkerink and his wife Suzan Stortelder announced on Tuesday that the 32-year-old Freek has metastatic lung cancer. Due to these metastases, there is no longer any chance of recovery. The duo also announced that they are expecting their first child at the end of this year. They have stopped performing immediately.