Mart Hoogkamer Reflects on Beer Shower, Path to Fatherhood, and Growth
Singer Mart Hoogkamer, 26, opened up about the notorious beer shower incident in Beckum in May 2022, which marked a turning point in his career. Speaking recently, he revisited that tumultuous time, revealing the emotional toll it took. “There was definitely an atmosphere of judgement, like – ‘What a jerk Mart is, why is he running away’,” recalled Hoogkamer.
A Change in Perspective
Looking back, Hoogkamer acknowledges the audience’s anger, but insists his reason for leaving the stage wasn’t due to a bruised ego. “I understood where they were coming from,” he admitted. “I just felt a surge of anger, seeing all these children drenched because of it.” The incident made him question everything, explaining, “There were a lot of young children at the front, and they were soaked. That made me so angry. Only, back then, I was quite young. Reflecting now, I should have handled it differently. I should have responded more professionally and maturely. It was tough to deal with.”
Burnout and Finding Strength
The fallout from the incident triggered a period of intense insecurity. Hoogkamer confessed, feeling lost and unsure: “You become so insecure, like… I don’t know what. If everyone first sings along to all your songs, and then you get booed and pelted with beer bottles. You think: I don’t want this anymore.” Juggling 400 performances a year took a toll, leading to burnout. “Things didn’t always go as planned,” he shared. You enjoy 375 shows, and maybe 25 go wrong. But you keep thinking about those last ones.”
“I needed help, and I sought it. “I also did shows at times when I was tired, exhausted, actually empty. And people in my family even thought I was on drugs, which absolutely wasn’t the case,” fra
nkly admitted.”
Therapy became a lifeline. “Three times a week for four or five months, and I came out stronger, but during this period, it felt like the ground was pulled out from under me,” he shared.