Hans van Hemert (7 April 1945 – 7 October 2024) was a Dutch record producer and songwriter. Mouth and MacNeal and Luv' are among the pop acts he produced. He won an ASCAP award for the song "How Do You Do" by Mouth and MacNeal. and composed three songs for the Eurovision Song Contest.
Van Hemert started his career in 1965 when he worked at Phonogram Records and his relationship with this record company lasted until 1979.
He produced and co-wrote songs for Q65, The Motions, Ro-d-ys, Zen, Group 1850, Big Wheel, Somerset, Ramses Shaffy and Liesbeth List, Sandra & Andres, Kamahl, American Gypsy, and Vulcano.
Among the bands Van Hemert worked with: Mouth and MacNeal.
This duo scored big hits not only in their homeland but also abroad between 1971 and 1974:
"Hey You Love" (a Dutch Top 5 single in 1971).
"How Do You Do" (this single was a Dutch #1 hit in 1971 but also a German Top 5 hit, #2 in Canada, and US Top 10 Hit in 1972 when it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.) This song sold two million copies worldwide.
"Hello-a" (a #1 hit in the Netherlands and Germany in 1972).
"Ik Zie Een Ster" / "I See A Star" (a Dutch and English Top 10 hit, this song was chosen to represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 (the year ABBA won it) where it finished in third place.
Luv' (1977–2020) was a female pop trio he formed with the help from Piet Souer and a manager, Han Meijer (later replaced by Pim Ter Linde). This girl group had popular hit records in large part of Continental Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Among their hit singles were: "U.O.Me", "You're the Greatest Lover", "Trojan Horse", "Casanova" and "Ooh, Yes I Do". This formation sold seven million records.
In addition to Mouth and MacNeal, he wrote two other Eurovision songs: "Als het om de liefde gaat" by Sandra & Andres (#4 in 1972) and "The Party's Over" by Sandra Reemer (#9 in 1976).
Van Hemert composed and produced "Wij houden van Oranje", a football song performed by André Hazes to support the Netherlands national soccer team at the UEFA Euro 1988. The same year, he wrote a track recorded by Yann Andersen for a UNICEF campaign.
In the late 1990s, he created an independent music production company (Hans van Hemert Productions) that still licenses his hits to labels for 1970s nostalgia compilations.
In addition to Luv', he produced other girl groups:
in 1981: Babe (this pop act was formed by Peter Koelewijn).
in 1994–1995: Lily Marlene (also created by)
in 1997: Patty Cash (whose members were chosen by Patty Brard)
in 2005–2006: Bling Inc. (also created by)