Music | Koosje and Marco

Koosje is a Dutch singer-songwriter whose style draws on influences from neo-soul, folk and R&B riffs, though she also has a penchant for rich jazz harmonies and vocal freedom.
Contrary to earlier announcements, Koosje will be accompanied by Marco Zago, an Italian pianist, keyboardist, composer, arranger and music teacher. As well as Koosje’s own repertoire, they will also perform works by other composers and arrangers.

Koosje was born into a close-knit theatre family: her father is a director and her mother a drama teacher. She began acting at the age of eleven and by the age of fourteen was already appearing in plays, operas and musicals. A year later, she sang her first proper aria from the opera *De Kus van de Pontamour*. This aria was composed especially for her voice by the iconic Bob Zimmerman. She has performed with artists such as Colin Benders, Ernst Daniël Smid, Steve Reich and Gwilym Simcock.

She studied for a year at the Academy of Theatre and Dance in Amsterdam, continued her training in jazz singing at the Amsterdam Conservatoire and eventually enrolled at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, where she studied Music Education. In 2016, she graduated cum laude with a degree in singing, as well as in arranging, composition, vocal coaching and conducting.

In the run-up to her new album, she released three singles: ‘Quiet Portrait’, the title track ‘One More’ and ‘Beyond My Control’.

On 9 May 2025, she released her new album.

On 10 May, Koosje performed alongside João Erbetta and her band to a sold-out crowd at Bitterzoet in Amsterdam during the ‘One More’ release party. At the event, the famous jazz vocalist Fay Claassen presented her with the Rabo Talent Award.

In December 2025, she went on tour with performances at Paard (The Hague), De Doelen (Rotterdam), Merleyn (Nijmegen) and TivoliVredenburg (Utrecht).

She also made a live recording, together with the Metropole Orchestra, Cor Bakker and Bob Zimmerman, of a musical theatre number she wrote with João Erbetta. Furthermore, she performed at Podium Klassiek with Cor Bakker.

Marco Zago is an Italian pianist, keyboardist, composer, arranger and music teacher who graduated from the ‘F. Venezze’ Conservatoire. For over fifteen years, he has moved effortlessly through the European music scene, where he has performed with a wide range of artists including Koosje, Leo Di Angilla’s Cajon Jazz Trio, Prog Legends, Alexia, Sonohra, Oliver Onions and the Orchestra Ritmico-Sinfonica Italiana.

His musical style ranges from jazz and neo-soul to progressive rock and pop, combining technical finesse with a strong artistic identity of his own. He is renowned for his expressive playing, refined musicality and the ability to imbue every performance with its own unique character.