Ch!pz
Biography
Ch!pz is a Dutch pop group formed in April 2003. The original line-up consisted of Rachel van den Hoogen (Rach-L), Cilla Niekoop (C!lla), Peter Rost and Kevin Hellenbrand (Kev!n). Their debut single, Ch!pz in Black, quickly reached No. 1 on the Dutch Single Top 100 and was certified platinum. The follow-up single, Cowboy, achieved similar success, also topping the charts; both songs placed in the top 10 of the Mega Top 100 year-end chart and each sold over 110,000 copies.
Their debut album, *The Adventures of Ch!pz*, was released in February 2004 and included the singles Ch!pz in Black, Cowboy and Captain Hook, the latter enjoying more modest success. In 2005, the group returned with the album *The World of Ch!pz*. The singles 1001 Arabian Nights, One, Two, Three! and Carnival all reached No. 1 on the Dutch Single Top 100, and the album was certified platinum. That same year, Ch!pz launched a clothing line with retailer C&A under the name Ch!pz Cho!z.
Ch!pz also found international success, particularly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where Ch!pz in Black and Cowboy were released. Cowboy reached No. 1 in Germany and Austria, and their first album was certified gold in those countries.
The group later released *Past: Present: Future* as two EPs. The first single from part one was Gangstertown. The first single from part two was One Day When I Grow Up, which also included the Christmas track Christmas Time Is Here, which became a major holiday hit. In 2007, Ch!pz began their first theatre tour in the Netherlands, produced by Joop van den Ende, and won the Best pop group award at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards the same year. They were also invited to perform at the Junior Eurovisiesongfestival 2005 in Rotterdam with Make a Big Splash, later rewritten as Ch!pz Dance Xper!enz.
From February 2008 to February 2009, Ch!pz hosted their own TV show, *Ch!pz Dance Xper!enz*, in which the group taught children the choreography from their music videos. A tour of Dutch schools followed in September 2009. In November 2010, the group’s management announced Ch!pz’s split, stating they no longer saw potential for success; the planned single The New Adventures of Ch!pz was never released. After the breakup, Peter Rost joined the dance and illusion group The Devils, Kevin Hellenbrand began a solo career, and Cilla Niekoop became a presenter for Omroep Brabant.
Ch!pz returned in October 2018, announcing new stage performances, including the Qmusic Foute Party in June 2019. They also performed at festivals such as Paaspop and Dreamfields Festival. Since September 2021, Bram Blankestijn has been part of the group, replacing Peter Rost when he is unavailable for certain shows.
In late 2021 and early 2022, Ch!pz released a series of new digital singles, mainly from the album *Ch!pz Dance Xper!enz*, alongside B-sides from their earlier albums. These included Fiësta, Ain't Nobody, Body's Poppin' and Come To Bollywood (Boom Shakalan). In November 2022, 1001 Arabian Nights (originally released in 2004) saw a worldwide resurgence when it went viral on TikTok: a video of the group comparing the old and new choreography was viewed millions of times and sparked millions of user-created videos. The song hit No. 1 on Spotify’s viral charts in several countries, including Australia, Austria and Sweden, leading to new live bookings, including in Germany from 2023 onward, and their debut in China in October 2023.
In September 2025, Ch!pz collaborated with influencer and radio DJ Bram Krikke to release an updated version of their single Haunted House, with the music video filmed in a haunted house at the Toverland theme park.