Across Oceans and Into Himself: The Courage and Conviction of Harry Kappen

By Barb Wallace

When Harry Kappen speaks about crossing from Europe to Mexico, he does not describe it as an escape. He describes it as a calling.

Born in Groningen in the north of the Netherlands, Kappen built a life in music long before he built a life across continents. As a young artist, he immersed himself in rock bands, studio sessions, and live performances throughout Europe, gaining a reputation for both musicianship and emotional intelligence. He composed music for Dutch radio and television, learning early how melody and storytelling could shape mood, narrative, and connection. But even then, there was something deeper guiding him.

Later in life, Harry made a decision that surprised many: he pursued formal studies in music therapy. For more than two decades, he worked in youth care, helping individuals and families navigate trauma and transition. He also became a lecturer in an international master’s program in music therapy. “Music,” he has often said, “is not just entertainment. It is connection.” That philosophy would come to define not only his therapeutic work, but also his songwriting.

In recent years, Harry Kappen’s creative output has accelerated. Since the global pandemic, he has released five full-length albums—Escape, Time Will Tell, Four, and now After the Crossing—each revealing a man unafraid to examine both the world and himself. His music has garnered international recognition, including an Elite Music Award for Songwriter of the Year, along with nominations from the ISSA Awards, the Josie Music Awards, and the IMN Music Awards. His songs have charted and earned significant streaming numbers worldwide, expanding his audience far beyond his European roots.

Yet it was not an award, nor a chart position, that would become his most defining milestone.

At the end of last year, Harry left the Netherlands and relocated to Mexico to live with his wife. It was, by his own admission, both exhilarating and terrifying. “You don’t just cross an ocean physically,” he reflects. “You cross it emotionally.” That journey now forms the emotional backbone of his newest LP, After the Crossing.

The album is, in many ways, autobiographical. Written, performed, and produced entirely by Kappen, the ten-track collection explores themes of migration, love, social division, and the fleeting nature of time. The lead single, “Balance,” addresses today’s polarized political climate with a plea for dialogue and understanding. It is not a protest song in the traditional sense, but rather a call for nuance in an age of extremes.

Other tracks reveal different facets of his journey. “No Delays” captures the urgency of life-changing decisions. “We’re Going to the Max” and “While Life’s Rushing By” are heartfelt tributes to devotion and partnership. “Distant Shore” reflects compassionately on the refugee experience, drawing a distinction between chosen relocation and forced displacement. The album closes with “Now,” a quiet meditation on life’s fragility—a reminder that the present moment is both precious and fleeting.

Today, Harry continues his music therapy practice on a smaller scale in Mexico City while dedicating himself fully to his music career. 

He admires artists such as David Bowie, Lennon and McCartney, Thom Yorke, Jeff Beck, and Prince—musicians who were never content to remain in one place artistically or emotionally.

In speaking with Harry Kappen, one senses a man who understands that reinvention is not about abandoning the past, but about carrying it forward with intention. After the Crossing is more than an album title. It is a declaration.

And for Harry Kappen, the crossing has only just begun.

Connect With Harry

www.harrykappen.com