Mrs. Einstein

Executive summary

Mrs. Einstein is a Dutch all-female vocal group that mixes close harmony with theatre and humour. The singers built their name on Dutch stages first, and they describe their work as “music you can watch”. In 1997, the group represented the Netherlands at Eurovision with the Dutch-language song Niemand heeft nog tijd, written by Ed Hooijmans. However, Eurovision is only one chapter. Their wider story includes theatre tours, a 1997 studio album, and long careers by the members in Dutch TV, cabaret, and choirs. Today the official line-up counts four singers, and the group still presents itself as a theatre act. 

Theatre roots and early years

The roots go back to Dutch cabaret and music theatre in the 1980s. Paulette Willemse and Saskia van Zutphen met at the Academie voor Kleinkunst in Amsterdam in 1983. Soon after, they performed with De Meisjes. That group premiered Stuck with A Fantasy in January 1988 at De Kleine Komedie. In the same period, De Meisjes received a Buma Zilveren Harp from Buma Cultuur, an important Dutch talent prize. After this early success, Saskia and Paulette founded Mrs. Einstein and developed a new close-harmony format for the theatre stage. Under the name of Mrs. Einstein the group is active since 1990.

Building the Mrs. Einstein sound

From the start, Mrs. Einstein chose a theatrical path rather than a standard pop-group route. The singers took repertoire from many countries and rebuilt it for the stage. They changed styles, translated lyrics into Dutch, and used short cabaret-style spoken links to turn separate songs into one full programme. This method let them move quickly between comedy, emotion, and storytelling, often within the same evening. They also built many shows around one clear theme, so each concert felt like a story. As a result, the group worked in intimate venues and on television as well. Their network also stretched into Dutch jazz and light entertainment. For example, music databases list releases alongside the Dutch Swing College Band, which fits their love for classic songs and tight harmony. 

Recordings and Eurovision in Dublin

In the late 1990s, NOS sent Mrs. Einstein to the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 in Dublin. On stage, the group performed “Niemand heeft nog tijd”, by songwriter Ed Hooijmans. The band consisted of five singers for that year, including Suzanne Venneker, Paulette Willemse, Saskia van Zutphen, Marjolein Spijkers, and Linda Snoeij. The result stayed modest: the Netherlands finished 22nd with five points. Still, the entry brought national visibility, and the single appeared on the Dutch Top 40 Tipparade in April 1997. Around the same time, Columbia Records released the album Mrs. Einstein Goes Europe. The record collected “Niemand heeft nog tijd”, other Dutch selection songs, and several well-known Eurovision classics, which suited their theatre style. Before Dublin, the group performed six songs in Nationaal Songfestival 1997, and the votes picked the entry. 

New directions after the late nineties

After Eurovision and the 1997 album, the group continued to perform in the Netherlands and abroad for a period. Later, the singers took different paths in the industry, but they kept using their voices as their core tool. Linda founded Canta Kinderkoor in 2004; later she led more pop choirs. She also runs the Italian restaurant Casa Caminita with her husband, and she performs there with guest musicians. Meanwhile, Marjolein built a career as a voice actress and dubbing director. She also sang for 13 seasons in the house band of the TV show Ik Hou Van Holland, presented by Linda de Mol. Paulette and Saskia stayed together in theatre and later toured with their sing-along cabaret duo Vuile Huichelaar. 

Return to the stage in the twenty-twenties

In the 2020s, the Mrs. Einstein name returned to theatres in a four-singer line-up: Linda Caminita, Marjolein Spijkers, Paulette Willemse, and Saskia van Zutphen. Their official website presents WANTED! Country for Dummies as a sung “spaghetti western” with an afterparty-style sing-along. In May 2023, Marjolein shared late tour dates in Rijswijk, Brielle, and Warmond, and she promoted the show’s harmony-driven approach. Around the same time, an interview confirmed that Suzanne Venneker no longer performs with the group. The tour later ended, according to the group’s own tour page, yet contact details remain online via Impact Entertainment BV. As of March 27, 2026, this is the most recent official status available.