Lenny Kuhr

Lenny Kuhr
Kuhr at Het Grote Songfestivalfeest in 2019
Kuhr at Het Grote Songfestivalfeest in 2019
Background information
Born
Helena Hubertina Johanna Kuhr

(1950-02-22) 22 February 1950
Eindhoven, Netherlands
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Spouse(s)
Gideon Bialystock
​
​
(m. 1974; div. 1981)​

Rob Frank
​
(m. 2003)​

Helena Hubertina Johanna "Lenny" Kuhr (born 22 February 1950) is a Dutch singer-songwriter. She was one of the four winners of the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 with the song "De troubadour".

Career

Lenny Kuhr at the Nationaal Songfestival in 1969
Lenny Kuhr's Eurovision Song Contest 1969 dress

In 1967, she started a singing career in the Netherlands, performing songs in the French chanson tradition. She represented the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 with her composition "De troubadour" (lyrics by David Hartsema; orchestra conducted by Franz de Kok). She was one of the four winners that year.

In the early 1970s, Kuhr was more successful in France than in her home country. In 1970, she toured with Georges Brassens. Late 1971, she had a top 10 hit in France with "Jesus Christo".

In 1980, she had her biggest hit in the Netherlands: "Visite", a song she performed with the French group Les Poppys. She has been releasing records ever since, though without major chart success.

Lenny Kuhr was one of the artists who recorded the song "Shalom from Holland" (written by Simon Hammelburg and Ron Klipstein) as a token of solidarity with the Israeli people, threatened by missiles from Iraq, during the Gulf War in 1991.

Lenny Kuhr performed "De troubadour" during the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam, in a segment called "Rock the Roof", together with other Eurovision winners.[1] Kuhr later recorded the song in five additional languages: English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.

In March 2024, Kuhr was heckled while on stage by pro-Palestine activists during a concert in Waalwijk.[2][3] In February 2026, Kuhr announced that she would retire from performing and move to Israel after May.[4][5]

Personal life

In May 1973, Kuhr was assaulted while waiting for a train at Haarlem railway station, suffering a nasal fracture that required surgical repair.[6][7] The following year, she married the Israeli doctor who had performed the operation and subsequently converted to Judaism.[8][9] Together they had two daughters before emigrating to Israel in 1980.[10] The marriage ended in divorce just one year later, prompting her return to the Netherlands in 1981.[10][11]

After her divorce, Kuhr was romantically involved with songwriter Herman Pieter de Boer from 1981 to 1993. She married a second time in 2003.

In October 2023, Kuhr's grandson was injured while serving in the Israeli military during the Gaza war.[12] Kuhr has publicly sympathised with Israel in the context of the war.[13][14] In 2026, she announced that she and her husband would emigrate to Israel, stating that their decision was motivated by concerns over growing antisemitism in the Netherlands.[15]

Discography

  • 1969: Lenny Kuhr
  • 1971: De zomer achterna
  • 1972: Tout ce que j'aime / Les enfants
  • 1972: De wereld waar ik van droom
  • 1974: God laat ons vrij
  • 1976: 'n Dag als vandaag
  • 1980: Dromentrein
  • 1981: Avonturen
  • 1982: Oog in oog
  • 1983: De beste van Lenny Kuhr (compilation album)
  • 1986: Quo vadis
  • 1988: Lenny Kuhr (compilation album)
  • 1990: Het beste van Lenny Kuhr (compilation album)
  • 1990: De blauwe nacht
  • 1992: Heilig vuur
  • 1994: Altijd heimwee
  • 1997: Gebroken stenen (also released in German as Gebrochene Steine)
  • 1997: Stemmen in de nacht
  • 1999: Oeverloze liefde
  • 2000: Visite (compilation album)
  • 2001: Hollands glorie (compilation album)
  • 2001: Fadista
  • 2004: Op de grens van jou en mij
  • 2005: Panta Rhei
  • 2007: 40 Jaar verliefd (live album)
  • 2010: Hollands glorie (compilation album)
  • 2010: Mijn liedjes mijn leven (CD/DVD boxset)
  • 2011: Liefdeslied
  • 2013: Wie ben je
  • 2017: Gekust door de eeuwigheid
  • 2019: Het lied gaat door
  • 2021: Favorieten Express (compilation album)
  • 2022: Lenny Kuhr

References

  1. ↑ "Eurovision". BBC. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "Concert van Lenny Kuhr in Waalwijk verstoord door pro-Palestijnse activisten". NOS Nieuws (in Dutch). 24 March 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  3. ↑ "Activists heckle singer Lenny Kuhr, 74, over Israel links". DutchNews. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  4. ↑ "Lenny Kuhr (75) stopt met optreden en verhuist naar Israël". nos.nl (in Dutch). 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  5. ↑ "Lenny Kuhr emigreert na laatste concert naar Israël" [Lenny Kuhr emigrates to Israel after final concert]. RTL.nl (in Dutch). 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "Zangeres Lenny Kuhr op station mishandeld". De Telegraaf. 30 May 1973. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Spoedoperatie Lenny Kuhr". De Telegraaf. 5 June 1973. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Lenny Kuhr gaat trouwen met haar dokter". De Telegraaf. 6 June 1974. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "Lenny zal joods worden". De Telegraaf. 17 June 1974. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Lenny Kuhr heeft Israël in het bloed". Algemeen Dagblad. 24 December 1983. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "Lenny Kuhr gescheiden". Algemeen Dagblad. 16 July 1981. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Kleinzoon Songfestival-winnaar Lenny Kuhr zwaargewond, zangeres naar Israël". NU.nl. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Lenny Kuhr 'droevig en kwaad' over songfestivalbesluit: 'Alle ogen zijn wel erg gericht op wat Israël doet'". Algemeen Dagblad. 13 September 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Lenny Kuhr zegt vaarwel in Utrecht en vertrekt naar Israël: 'Heel erg tragisch'". WNL (in Dutch). 1 June 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Lenny Kuhr vertrekt naar Israël: 'Ik ga weg omdat ik me schaam voor dit land'". Nieuws van de Dag (in Dutch). 4 June 2026. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
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