{{Short description|Dutch singer-songwriter}} __NOTOC__ {{Infobox musical artist | name = Meau | image = MEAU (2022).jpg | caption = Meau in April 2022 | birth_name = Meau Hewitt | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|2000|05|10}} | birth_place = Blaricum, Netherlands | origin = Weesp, Netherlands | genre = | occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}} | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar}} | years_active = 2020–present | label = Excited About Music | website = {{URL|https://www.meauhewitt.nl/}} }} '''Meau Hewitt''' (born 10 May 2000), known mononymously as '''Meau''' (stylised in all caps), is a Dutch singer-songwriter from Weesp, North Holland.<ref name="wn">{{cite web |date=27 October 2021 |title=Singer-songwriter MEAU is uitgeroepen tot 3FM talent |url=https://www.weespernieuws.nl/nieuws/mensen/251325/singer-songwriter-meau-is-uitgeroepen-tot-3fm-talent |access-date=16 April 2022 |website=WeesperNieuws |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=8 April 2022 |title=Interview Singer-songwriter MEAU |url=https://www.demorgen.be/tv-cultuur/ik-dacht-dat-ik-dat-giftige-hoofdstuk-had-afgesloten-tot-ik-met-een-vriendin-over-haar-relatie-sprak-toen-besefte-ik-wat-er-was-gebeurd~bc597d7e/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=10 April 2022 |work=De Morgen |language=nl}}</ref>
Her 2022 song {{ill|Dat heb jij gedaan|nl|quotes=y}} was a number-one hit in the Netherlands.
== Early life == Meau Hewitt was born in Blaricum and grew up in Weesp.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PP22: Meau strooit met tegeltjespoëzie |url=https://3voor12.vpro.nl/update~7635b379-868a-4497-b283-8f3bd2a35cac~pp22-meau-strooit-met-tegeltjespo%C3%ABzie~.html |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=3voor12 |language=nl}}</ref> Her mother's family comes from Suriname and her ancestors on that side of the family were slaves on a plantation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MEAU stapt zo in de helikopter naar Bevrijdingsfestivals: 'Heel veel zin in' |url=https://www.nporadio2.nl/nieuws/nieuws/0d4d7067-68f0-431d-a9f8-f55e42291512/meau-stapt-zo-in-de-helikopter-naar-bevrijdingsfestivals-heel-veel-zin-in |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=NPO Radio 2 |language=nl}}</ref> Her Surinamese grandfather was also a musician, and played in the band Sonora Paranamera.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zangeres Meau breekt door met hit 'Dat heb jij gedaan': "Heel persoonlijk verhaal" |url=https://www.nhnieuws.nl/nieuws/296776/zangeres-meau-breekt-door-met-hit-dat-heb-jij-gedaan-heel-persoonlijk-verhaal |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=www.nhnieuws.nl |language=nl}}</ref>
When she was eight years old, Meau performed in Kinderen voor Kinderen, a well known children's choir, from 2008 to 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Van Kinderen voor Kinderen naar een hit op 538: Meau gaat hard! |url=https://www.538.nl/trending-tracks/van-kinderen-voor-kinderen-naar-een-hit-op-538-meau-gaat-hard |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Radio 538}}</ref> In 2012 and 2013, Meau and her friend Alanis Blom tried for the Junior Songfestival, both solo and duet, though neither reached the finals.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd8yG5gcLlg |title=Junior Songfestival - Maeu & Alanis - Highschool - Finale Auditie (2012) |date=2012-07-10 |last=AVROTROS |access-date=2024-11-04 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDNaVaPbSB0 |title=Meau - Andere wereld {{!}} Auditie Junior Songfestival 2013 |date=2013-04-03 |last=Junior Songfestival |access-date=2024-11-04 |via=YouTube}}</ref> From 2013 to 2017, she went to Vechtstede College in Weesp.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Beukers |first=Gijs |date=2023-07-07 |title=Meau: ‘Ik hou van chaos in het leven, op alle fronten’ |url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/cultuur-media/meau-ik-hou-van-chaos-in-het-leven-op-alle-fronten~b112d375/ |website=De Volkskrant}}</ref> From 2018 to 2021, she completed her training at the Herman Brood Academie.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Singer-songwriter MEAU uitgeroepen tot NPO 3FM Talent |url=https://npo.nl/pers/persberichten-en-publicaties/singer-songwriter-meau-uitgeroepen-tot-npo-3fm-talent |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=npo.nl |language=nl}}</ref>
== Career == Meau's first song "Kalmte" was released in 2020.<ref name=":0" /> In September 2021, she released the single "Dat heb jij gedaan", written about the emotional abuse she suffered in a toxic relationship. At first she considered the subject matter unsuitable for radio, but it reached number one on the Dutch Top 40 for eight weeks in 2022. At the time, she worked as an employee at the Rijksmuseum, but she would quit because of her fame.<ref name="nrc">{{cite news |date=12 January 2022 |title=Meau over haar megahit 'Dat heb jij gedaan': 'Je wordt fucked up in je hoofd' |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2022/01/12/meau-over-haar-megahit-dat-heb-jij-gedaan-je-wordt-fucked-up-in-je-hoofd-a4078601 |url-access=subscription |access-date=16 April 2022 |work=NRC Handelsblad |language=nl}}</ref>
In June 2022, she released a song with Racoon, "Dans m'n ogen dicht".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samenwerking Dans M'n Ogen Dicht van MEAU en Racoon uitgeroepen tot TopSong |url=https://www.nporadio2.nl/nieuws/nieuws/03edd070-e601-4b84-9e5b-716e6918983c/samenwerking-dans-mn-ogen-dicht-van-meau-en-racoon-uitgeroepen-tot-topsong |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=NPO Radio 2 |language=nl}}</ref> In May 2023, she released her debut album ''22'', which released number nine on the Dutch Albums Chart.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-07 |title=WAUW! Mijlpaal voor de 23-jarige zangeres MEAU |url=https://www.shownieuws.nl/entertainment/nieuws/artikelen/wauw-mijlpaal-voor-de-23-jarige-zangeres-meau |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Shownieuws |language=nl}}</ref> It won an Edison Award for best Dutch-language release.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Son Mieux en Mula B. uit Den Haag winnen Edison Pop |url=https://rijswijksdagblad.nl/Den%20Haag%20&%20Regio/son-mieux-en-mula-b-uit-den-haag-winnen-edison-pop |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=rijswijksdagblad.nl |language=nl}}</ref> She participated in season 16 of the reality show ''Beste Zangers'', which aired beginning in September 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-30 |title=Beste Zangers-kijkers willen géén Duncan Laurence: ‘Geen zin in’ |url=https://www.mediacourant.nl/2023/05/beste-zangers-kijkers-willen-geen-duncan-laurence-geen-zin-in/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Mediacourant.nl |language=nl-NL}}</ref>
In January 2024, she released the song "Stukje van mij" in collaboration with telecommunication company KPN, about the consequences of sexting and revenge porn.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MEAU and KPN release the song ‘Stukje van Mij’ (Piece of Me) to combat forwarding |url=https://www.overons.kpn/nieuws/en/meau-and-kpn-release-the-song-stukje-van-mij-piece-of-me-to-combat-forwarding/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=MEAU and KPN release the song ‘Stukje van Mij’ (Piece of Me) to combat forwarding |language=en}}</ref> It became her second top ten hit, and the music video won the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Lions awards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=‘Stukje Van Mij’ wint hoogste reclameprijs in Cannes |url=https://www.overons.kpn/nieuws/stukje-van-mij-wint-hoogste-reclameprijs-in-cannes/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=‘Stukje Van Mij’ wint hoogste reclameprijs in Cannes |language=nl}}</ref> In October 2024, she released "Het midden", a collaboration with Belgian singer-actress Pommelien Thijs. It reached number one in Belgium (Flanders).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Het Midden van Pommelien en Meau meteen op 1 in Ultratop {{!}} RTV |url=https://www.rtv.be/cultuur-actualiteit/het-midden-van-pommelien-en-meau-meteen-op-1-ultratop |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=www.rtv.be |language=nl}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Release date ! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| NLD<br><ref name="dutch100"/> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| BEL<br>(FL)<br /><ref name="bel-fl"/> |- ! scope="row"| ''22'' | 9 May 2023 | 9 || 70 |- ! scope="row"| ''Liefde onderschat'' | 14 November 2025 | 40 || 40 |}
=== EPs === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Release date |- ! scope="row" | ''Kalmte'' | 25 June 2021 |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:4em;"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Album |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| NLD<br>Dutch<br>Top 40<br><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/top40-artiesten/meau|title=Meau {{!}} Top 40-artiesten|publisher=Dutch Top 40|language=nl|access-date=18 October 2025}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| NLD<br>Single<br>Top 100<br><ref name="dutch100">{{cite web |title=Meau discography |url=https://www.dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=meau |accessdate=22 November 2025 |website=dutchcharts.nl}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| BEL<br>(FL)<br /><ref name="bel-fl">{{cite web |title=Meau discography |url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=meau |access-date=8 February 2026 |website=ultratop.be}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| "Kalmte" | rowspan="2" | 2020 | — | — | — | rowspan="4" |''Kalmte'' |- ! scope="row"| "Weet" | — | — | — |- ! scope="row"| "Afgesloten" | rowspan="3" | 2021 | — | — | — |- ! scope="row"| "Relativeren" | — | — | — |- ! scope="row"| "Dat heb jij gedaan" | 1 | 1 | 1 |''22'' |- ! scope="row"| "Stap maar in bij mij"<br><small>(with Paul de Munnik)</small> | rowspan="6" | 2022 | — | — | — | {{Non-album single}} |- ! scope="row"| "Als jij maar bij me bent" | — | 73 | — |''22'' |- ! scope="row"| "Tegen de klippen op" | — | — | — | {{Non-album single}} |- ! scope="row"| "Dans m'n ogen dicht"<br><small>(with Racoon)</small> | 37 | 61 | — | rowspan="2" |''22'' |- ! scope="row"| "Blijven rijden" | 36 | 53 | — |- ! scope="row"| "Avond" | — | — | — | {{Non-album single}} |- ! scope="row" | "Helen" | rowspan="2" |2023 | — | — | — | rowspan="2" |''22'' |- ! scope="row" | "22" | — | — | — |- ! scope="row" | "Stukje van mij" | rowspan="3" |2024 | 7 | 9 | 45 | rowspan="6" {{Non-album singles}} |- ! scope="row" | "Nergens liever" | — | 100 | — |- ! scope="row" | "Het midden"<br><small>(with Pommelien Thijs)</small> | 17 | 33 | 1 |- ! scope="row" | "Vergeef me" | rowspan="3" | 2025 | — | 91 | — |- ! scope="row" | "Een nacht als deze" | — | — | 23 |- ! scope="row" | "Nog even blijven"<br />{{small|(with Douwe Bob)}} | 5 | 12 | 15 |}
==Awards== * Edison Award 2022 for Best Newcomer<ref>{{cite news |last1=ANP |title=Edison voor Utrechtse nieuwkomer MEAU |url=https://www.rtvutrecht.nl/nieuws/3372711/edison-voor-utrechtse-nieuwkomer-meau |access-date=16 April 2022 | language=nl |work=Utrechts Nieuwsblad |date=12 April 2022 |author1-link=Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau }}</ref>
==See also==
* List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 2022
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Official website}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2000 births Category:Living people Category:Dutch women singer-songwriters Category:21st-century Dutch musicians Category:21st-century Dutch singer-songwriters Category:21st-century Dutch women singers Category:Dutch people of Surinamese descent