In Spain, in the lion’s den, William Janz left the jury of TV show Got Talent España stunned with his portrayal of Julio Iglesias. The 46-year-old MBO teacher from Rijswijk, born as William Jansen, eventually made it to the semi-finals in the talent show. In the four years that followed, his career took off.
“Sometimes I don’t even know which country I’m performing in,” says William. “I am especially successful in the Spanish-speaking countries. Requests come to my manager from every nook and cranny. Due to privacy I can’t name names, but not so long ago I was at a businessman’s birthday, in the middle of the desert in Dubai. I stood there singing at his party. I was even flown back and forth on a private plane. Apparently they think I’m the best Julio impersonator. Of course that pleases me enormously, but I also have to be careful not to get overtired by all that traveling and those different time zones.”
Still, his Dutch fans need not be afraid of losing William abroad. “We have decided to do a tour in the Netherlands. We’re starting with twelve theaters, and if they sell out quickly, we’ll do something special. I can’t say anything about that just yet. And of course I hope that many people will enjoy my new single, Milonga, in the coming summer months.”
However, his success also has a downside. “I can only teach two days a week. It just can’t be combined with singing anymore.”