How Giorgio Tuinfort’s Surinamese Roots Shaped Some of the World’s Biggest Hits

From a Piano Left Behind in The Hague to the Top of the Charts: How Giorgio Tuinfort’s Surinamese Roots Shaped Some of the World’s Biggest Hits

Behind some of the world’s biggest stadium shows, festivals and chart hits is the unmistakable touch of an unassuming master pianist. Born in Paramaribo and raised in The Hague, Giorgio Tuinfort made his mark on the international music industry from behind the scenes. Drawing on his classical conservatory training and the warmth and rhythmic sensibility of his Surinamese roots, he wrote and produced the soundtrack to an entire generation.

A Chance Inheritance in the Living Room

Giorgio Tuinfort’s story begins in the early 1980s. He was born in Paramaribo on 30 April 1981 and moved to The Hague with his mother at seven months old. In their new home, a chance discovery would shape his life. The previous occupants had left behind a piano.

The instrument soon became young Giorgio’s refuge and creative outlet. His Surinamese upbringing instilled in him warmth, perseverance and a natural feel for rhythm and melody, and his fingers found their way effortlessly across the keys. At eleven, his exceptional talent earned him a place at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, where he studied both classical piano and jazz.

From the Dutch Charts to Global Stars

At around sixteen, Tuinfort discovered that he could bring his classical training to contemporary beats and productions. During the 2000s, he quickly became one of the most sought-after talents in Dutch R&B and pop. He worked with artists including Re-play, Gordon and Brace, and composed the iconic piano melody for Lange Frans & Baas B’s 2005 number-one hit Het land van. In a few chords, he captured the song’s emotion and sense of identity.

His ambitions soon took him beyond the Netherlands. In 2006, he made his international breakthrough when he began working with American singer and producer Akon. Among the hits they worked on together was Gwen Stefani’s The Sweet Escape. Three years later, Tuinfort began a prolific creative partnership with French DJ David Guetta. He brought the emotional pull of classic pop melodies to the energy of electronic dance music.

The Man Behind Billions of Streams

From the studio, Giorgio Tuinfort helped write and produce a string of international hits that went on to rack up billions of streams. Titanium (David Guetta & Sia), One Last Time (Ariana Grande), Sexy Bitch (David Guetta & Akon), Nothing Really Matters (Mr. Probz) and Scared to Be Lonely (Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa) all bear his musical signature.

His career also gave him a chance to work on posthumously released recordings by his childhood hero, Michael Jackson. He went on to help compose the official song for UEFA Euro 2020. His honours include more than thirty BMI Songwriter Awards, two Grammy Awards, a Golden Harp, a Golden Calf for his score for Bolletjes Blues and the Buma Export Award.

Business Acumen and Lasting Humility

Tuinfort also proved to be a shrewd entrepreneur. In 2018, he capped years of work with a landmark deal, selling the rights to his catalogue of 182 songs to the British music investment fund Hipgnosis Songs Fund in a multimillion deal. The sale cemented his place among the most successful music entrepreneurs to come out of the Netherlands and Suriname.

Through it all, Tuinfort has stayed true to himself. What mattered to him as a boy still drives him today: making music that connects with people. Whether he’s in a multimillion-dollar studio in Los Angeles or at a grand piano in the Netherlands, you can still hear the soul of the boy from Paramaribo in his melodies. It all began with a piano someone left behind in The Hague, and it ended up giving the world songs to sing along to.