Candy Dulfer | Gallery & Mailing Address

Candy Dulfer – Musician (F)

Biography / Gallery

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Biography

Candy Dulfer was born in the Netherlands on 19 September 1969. She began playing the soprano saxophone at the age of six, taught by her father, renowned Dutch saxophonist Hans Dulfer. By the age of twelve, she had already recorded a performance on one of her father’s albums, signalling the arrival of a remarkable new talent.

During the early 1980s, Dulfer performed with the band Upside Down and appeared at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague. She later joined Funky Stuff, a group that quickly became one of the most popular live acts in the Netherlands. After Funky Stuff briefly disbanded in 1987, Dulfer re-formed the group within six months and continued building her reputation as a powerful and distinctive saxophonist.

The Associates

That same period marked a major international breakthrough. Dulfer toured as a support act for Madonna and soon after performed on stage with Prince, an association that would become one of the defining collaborations of her career. Before relocating to the United States, she recorded several tracks with Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame. Their instrumental collaboration, Lily Was Here, became a number-one hit across Europe and introduced Dulfer to a global audience.

Debut

In May 1990, Candy Dulfer released her debut album Saxuality on BMG Ariola. The album featured original compositions written by Dulfer and Funky Stuff guitarist Ulco Bed and was supported by extensive touring across Europe and the United States. High-profile television appearances followed, including The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, and The Arsenio Hall Show. Saxuality was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Pop Recording and went on to sell over one million copies worldwide.

Her growing reputation led to performances with some of the most respected names in music. In 1990, Van Morrison invited her to join him on stage at the Pinkpop Festival, beginning a long-running professional association. That same year, Dulfer performed before an audience of approximately 130,000 people at the Knebworth Festival, appearing with Pink Floyd and delivering prominent solos on Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Money.

Dulfer continued her solo career with the release of Sax-A-Go-Go in 1993, a tribute to her funk and soul roots. The album featured guest appearances by Tower of Power, Maceo Parker, and a specially written composition by Prince. Its accompanying tour took her across Europe and Asia, confirming her status as an international star.

Her third solo album, Big Girl, was released in 1995 and followed a high-profile appearance at the World Liberty Concert in Arnhem, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II. The album included the hit single Wake Me When It’s Over, a duet with David Sanborn, and reflected Dulfer’s continued artistic growth and expanding musical partnerships.

In 1997, Dulfer released For the Love of You, which performed strongly on international charts and peaked at number two on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. Extensive touring followed, including sell-out shows in Japan and major performances across Europe and the United States.

Her association with Prince continued into the late 1990s and early 2000s, including appearances on the New Power Soul Festival Tour and One Nite Alone tours, with performances at venues such as Madison Square Garden. During this period, she also collaborated with artists including Blondie, Van Morrison, Larry Graham, and Chaka Khan.

The late 1990s and early 2000s saw the release of Girls Night Out (1999) and the live album Live in Amsterdam (2001), which showcased Dulfer’s energetic stage presence and long-standing collaborations with Dave Stewart and Hans Dulfer. She continued touring internationally while recording new studio material.

2000s - Present

From the 2000s through the 2020s, Candy Dulfer remained an active recording artist and performer, releasing further albums, collaborating with international musicians, and maintaining a strong touring presence across Europe, Japan, and North America. She has also continued to honour and preserve the musical legacy of her father, Hans Dulfer, while influencing new generations of funk, jazz, and pop musicians.

As of 2025, Candy Dulfer is widely regarded as one of the most influential and recognisable saxophonists of her generation, known for bridging jazz, funk, pop, and soul while sustaining a career spanning more than four decades.