Vengaboys: Pure pop or pure pap?

DESMOND SAMPSON asks the ridiculously huge Vengaboys the secret of their success.

Love 'em or loathe 'em, there's no denying the phenomenal popularity of the Vengaboys. In just three years their insidious blend of Eurodisco has catapulted them from touring around Spain in the Vengabus, and performing at illegal beach parties, to jet-setting around the globe on their own private Vengairlines, and playing sold-out stadiums.

"It's been a real surprise," admits Kim, Vengaboys' Brazilian vocalist and choreographer, who tends to speak in exclamation marks. "At first we thought it was going to last just a couple of months, but then people started buying our records and, before we realised it, the first album was a hit and we were pop stars."

"Now, with our second album selling so well we realise it's going to last at least another two years," she grins, adding they already have gigs scheduled up until 2002.

In fact, with six hit singles, including the annoyingly catchy We're Going To Ibiza and Kiss (When The Sun Don't Shine), Vengaboys have become one of the biggest new groups to emerge from planet Europop.

"Umm, I think we're different from Europop bands," insists Kim, dismissing any similarities to acts like Aqua or Eiffel 65.

"Our music has an infectious, good time vibe which you don't hear very often - and when you do, you know immediately that it's us.

"We make party music and everyone in the world, irrespective of where you're from, or your nationality, loves to party," she says, offering her suggestion as to why the Vengaboys have become so successful. "We call it a typical Venga sound."

That sound has propelled their debut record, The Party Album and its aptly titled follow-up, The Platinum Album, has accumulated worldwide sales of over 3 million, including double platinum sales (30,000) in New Zealand, where the album has been sitting at the top or near the top of the album charts for the past seven weeks.

In fact, they're so popular in New Zealand that their Auckland show sold out in hours, prompting the Vengaboys to cancel a Brisbane concert in order to stage an additional gig in New Zealand.

"I was on the Internet a couple of weeks ago and there were lots of messages from kids in New Zealand, who didn't get a ticket because we were only going to do the one concert," says Kim. "I mean, we were already very excited to come over, because it's our first time out there, but the way the show sold-out so quickly made us even more excited to come over. We're going to have a lot of fun and hopefully meet a lot of fans."

They'll probably meet a few foes too - Venga-cynics irritated by the simplistic, occasionally Benny Hill-ish lyrics about partying, holidays and skinny-dipping and seemingly aimed at sub-teens.

"People are entitled to their own opinion, but we don't agree," replies Kim. "If people say that, they're probably just jealous of the success we have because there aren't a lot of bands, like us, who've achieved so much success, so quickly. Besides, our music makes a lot of people happy - not only kids - because all our songs and videos are about having fun. There are no sad songs."

"What's wrong with that, or with targeting kids? It's supposed to be for the youngsters," she says. "Anyway, we hear from a lot of people that it's not only the kids who like it, but their parents, grandparents, aunt and uncles too. The fact that adults also like our music is even better.

"Actually, with this album we did try to reach a bigger audience. That's why it's a bit more poppy than the first one and has more mature songs on it, like the ballad, Forever As One. It's the saddest song we've ever done.

"I don't know whether that's something we will continue to do in the future though. It depends on what our producers decide," she says, alluding to the behind-the-scenes partnership of Danski & Delmundo, a Dutch duo who write, record and produce all the Vengaboys' music.

"They write the lyrics and make the music, then Denice, Roy, York and me go into the studio, add our ideas and vocals, and record it," Kim explains. "It's an arrangement that works very well because they're doing what they're good at, in the studio, and we're doing what we're good at - touring and performing. Besides, those two guys are too ugly to be up onstage with us," she laughs.

"Maybe, in the future, it would be nice to have more input. But at this moment we're really happy doing what we do, especially as we just did it for fun in the beginning - it started out as a joke for us."

But it's no laughing matter for Danski & Delmundo, who've made millions out of masterminding the Vengaboys as a global pop phenomenon. The joke, it seems, is on us.

* The Vengaboys play the North Shore Events Centre on Sunday, July 9 (sold out) and Monday, July 10.