ABOUT:
Koen Vael is a country artist based in a small town in the south of the Netherlands. At the age of 4 he got inspired to play music on multiple instruments, by artists such as The Eagles, Willie Nelson and George Strait. Because of the significant role music played throughout his life, he applied to Rock City Institute in 2020 and successfully graduated three years later.
During Fall in 2024 Koen Vael appeared on a TV show called “Holland's Got Talent” and made it to the semi-finals. Koen pursues his purpose of breathing new life into authentic country music. While walking the fine line between classic and modern country, Koen Vael delivers raw emotion, heartfelt lyrics and tradition throughout his songs. As a Dutch artist, Koen bridges the gap between American and European country fans, fueling the genre's rising popularity across both continents. With his debut single “Hate Me” his journey begins, pursuing a successful music career and chasing the American Dream with Nashville as his main goal.
LATEST RELEASE
Walking a path fueled by ambition toward an unknown destination is something every dream‑chaser knows well. You don’t always know where you’re headed—but something in you insists you’re on the right road. Through setbacks and breakthroughs, through the highest highs and the deepest lows, you learn there’s no middle ground. You either keep going, or you let the dream die. And for some people, quitting simply isn’t an option.
That’s the heart of the song written by Grammy‑nominated songwriter Keith Hatrick, Buma Award‑winning songwriter Marcel Fisser, and country artist Koen Vael at Lady Luck Studios in Nashville.
No matter the circumstances, you keep fighting for the thing that refuses to let you quit. In other words: Stay Steady On The Gun.
This story hits home for Koen. A Dutch‑born country artist carving his way toward Nashville, he knows exactly how hard, lonely, and relentless the climb can be when your dream is bigger than your surroundings. But that doesn’t hold him back.
The message comes wrapped in an uplifting beat, raw and honest vocals, twangy guitars, a crying pedal steel, melodic fiddles, and a steady bass line—all that a country song really needs.
GOOD AS GONE
You get in the car, leaving your toxic (ex-)partner behind after everything they put you through, and you drive off.
Afraid of the loneliness and uncertain about what the future might bring, you cover mile after mile.
But you never hit rock bottom - in fact, it turns out you’re better off this way.
Slowly, it becomes clear that you made the right choice.
Every mile you drive brings you closer to happiness - you were done with it.
That’s what Good As Gone is really about.
The song, as it is now, came together after a rewrite with Marcel Fisser and Maurice Van Hoek.
The inspiration came from an Italian newspaper article about a man who decided to walk 350 kilometers to cool off after an arguement with his wife.
We built on that story, and the uptempo instrumental quickly gave us the idea to take it in a slightly different direction - not coming back at all.
