Joost Klein
A chaotic, genre-mashing Dutch rapper who exploded from YouTube absurdity into a chart-topping phenomenon with his hyper-energetic anthems.
Born 1997 (age 29)·Dutch musician·Birthday: November 10·Generation Z
Biography
Joost Klein began as a digital-age provocateur, crafting bizarre, fast-cut YouTube videos that cultivated a dedicated online following. This internet-native sensibility bled directly into his music, which emerged as a frenetic and joyful collision of hip-hop, gabber, hardstyle, and pop. Rejecting polish for chaotic energy, his tracks are built for viral moments and mosh pits. His breakthrough into the mainstream was sudden and massive. The 2023 collaboration "Friesenjung" with German rappers became an inescapable summer hit across German-speaking Europe. He then doubled down in 2024 with "Europapa," a heartfelt, high-BPM ode to European unity and his late parents, which won the Dutch public vote and secured his place representing the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest. Klein's act—a blend of sincere emotion and intentional, cartoonish overload—has made him a defining voice for a generation raised on internet chaos, proving that unbridled enthusiasm can be a potent artistic force.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Joost was born in 1997, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Joost Was Born
The biggest hits of 1997
#1 Movie
Titanic
Best Picture
Titanic
#1 TV Show
ER
Joost's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1997Born
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2002Started school
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Became a teenager
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Could drive
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Could vote
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Turned 21
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 29 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with his self-written song "Europapa."
- Achieved a major international hit with the collaborative single "Friesenjung," which topped charts in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
- Built a significant independent career, releasing ten studio albums and cultivating a massive online following before mainstream chart success.
Did You Know?
His online alias and early channel name was 'Eenhoornjoost' (Unicorn Joost).
He studied at the University of Groningen but left to focus on his music and video career.
The music video for his song "Scandinavian Boy" was filmed entirely on a vintage VHS camcorder.
“I make music for the chaos inside your head.”
