C’est la Vie

Claude: Greece and Iceland

Claude’s performance in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest was most appreciated by viewers in Greece and Iceland. In both countries, the Dutch singer received six points, good for fifth place.

In total, Claude received 42 points from the viewers for his performance with C’est La Vie. He had hoped for more, the singer said after the Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland.

Fourteen of the 37 countries gave Claude audience points. Claude eventually came twelfth. He owed that largely to the points of the professional juries. He received a total of 133 points from 23 countries.

The juries of Ireland, Poland, Spain and Iceland gave Claude ten points, the second highest score. Source: nu.nl

Music is My Love

As soon as ‘C’est la vie’ was released, Claude shot up with the bookmakers of the Eurovision Song Contest. Final-worthy. Top three. Or maybe even a win?

Text: Jeroen Keijzer. Image: ANP

Are you looking forward to the Song Contest?

“Yes, a lot. We have a group app with all the participants and there is a friendly atmosphere in it. There is no competition between the artists at all. It is actually very pleasant, everyone texts each other. I am nervous in a way, but I am more looking forward to it than I am nervous. About 160 million people will be watching, it remains the largest stage in Europe. I can handle that pressure well, also because 160 million is such a bizarrely large number that I cannot imagine it. The only thing I can do is prepare myself very well. I do all kinds of exercises with a vocal coach. And I sing ‘C’est la vie’ very often, so that I know exactly how to deliver it.”

Who and what are you taking with you to Switzerland?

“My mother and sisters are coming to the semi-finals, plus some friends. And if I make it to the finals, I’ll bring my backing band. My family will watch the finals at home, because I think that day will be completely chaotic. Will a loved one be coming? No, I don’t have a girlfriend yet; music is my great love. As for stuff: I was at an airport recently and saw all kinds of cuddly toys in a shop. I realised how nice it is to attach a lot of value to something like that, that it becomes a lucky charm. I briefly thought about buying one, but in the end I didn’t. I will bring two photos. One of my family and one of my friends. I’m also going to ask Stien den Hollander – S10, who came eleventh in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 with ‘De diep’ – if she decorated her hotel room as a living room. Because you live there for about two weeks.” Stien is a good friend of yours. Did she give you any tips? “It’s so nice that Stien has also experienced all this, so that I can talk to her about how she experienced it. We were already friends before the Eurovision Song Contest came my way. One of her first texts to me was even: “Do you know what you should do? Participate in the Eurovision Song Contest! We often have lunch together and then we talk about everything. And now of course a lot about the Eurovision Song Contest. Her most important tip was: let it all wash over you. No one can really tell you what to expect, because it’s such a madhouse. Just go into it relaxed.”

You are participating in ‘C’est la vie’. What is the message you want to convey with the song?

“That sometimes things happen that you can’t control. And that you can get upset by that, but that you have to realize that there are so many other things that are going well. So, get on with it and think: c’est la vie, that’s life. My mother gave me that message. When ‘C’est la vie’ was leaked a day too early, I was really upset about it, because I wanted to determine the time it would be released myself. At a certain point I forced myself to see it in perspective, yes, it’s a shame that it happened, but there are so many other things I can be grateful for. The fact that I’m healthy. That I can breathe, walk, eat and drink. And I also drew strength from the fact that the reactions to the song were positive.” Source: Televizier Magazine.

Lucky Number 13

Claude will perform thirteenth in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest. This was announced by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) on Thursday. After the Dutch entry, only Croatia and Cyprus will follow.

The first semi-final will take place on 13 May and will be opened by Iceland. In this semi-final, Claude will compete against favourites Sweden and Estonia, among others. In the second semi-final, on 15 May, Australia will perform first. Finland will close that evening.

Switzerland is organising the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel this year. As the winner of the previous edition, the country is automatically assured of a place in the final. The five largest financing countries, the so-called Big Five – Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom – have also qualified directly.

Although these six countries do not have to participate in the semi-finals, they will perform during one of the shows. In the first semi-final, in which Claude will also perform, Spain, Italy and host country Switzerland will perform. Because these countries do not receive a starting number, Claude is officially thirteenth on the list, but in the full line-up of the evening he will enter the stage as the fifteenth participant.

The Netherlands is participating in the Eurovision Song Contest for the 65th time this year. Claude represents the Netherlands with the song C’est La Vie. According to the bookmakers, he has a chance of a top 10 position. Sweden and Austria are currently seen as favourites for the win. The Netherlands is currently in fifth place in the predictions. Source: nu.nl.

Claude Sings First Time

Claude performed his song C’est La Vie on television for the first time on Saturday at Eva, and for a small audience. The singer will be taking the French-English song to the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel.

Claude performed while walking through the corridors of Eva. At the end, he stood in the rain with a group of dancers. He sang the song in tune, although he was a bit nervous.

At the beginning of the broadcast, Claude said that he was a bit nervous about performing the song to an audience. “I actually didn’t have any tension until I saw all these people sitting there and thought: oh, there will be a lot more of them soon.”

The singer gave a little hint of his Eurovision performance: he will be dancing. He did not want to give any more details about the choreography for C’est La Vie.

The Eva broadcast focused on the first time that Claude watched the Eurovision Song Contest. That was in 2014, when Conchita Wurst won. A very small part of that winning song can be heard in the clip of C’est La Vie.

Wurst had come to the studio especially for Claude. The Austrian artist sang Rise Like a Phoenix and gave Claude a tip: “Don’t party. There will be time for that later.”

Claude’s mother was seen in the broadcast in a previously recorded interview. She said that she is proud of her son. In an interview with NU.nl, she said earlier that she thinks that C’est La Vie tells very well what she taught her children: that life sometimes takes strange turns, but you have to keep going. “I always told my children: one day it will be okay.”

Eva’s broadcast was a special one: normally the AVROTROS program is on from Monday to Thursday. Due to the World Cup distances, there was no broadcast on Thursday and the Claude special was recorded.

The first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel – Claude will appear on stage – is on May 13. The second semi-final is two days later and the final is on Saturday 17 May. Nu.nl reports from Basel and follows Claude closely. Source: nu.nl

Top 3

According to the bookmakers, Claude has a good chance of winning the Eurovision Song Contest. The singer entered the top 3 in the bookmakers’ predictions with his C’est La Vie.

According to the bookmakers, only Sweden and France have a greater chance of winning the Song Contest in May. This is remarkable because Sweden has not yet chosen an entry and France has only selected an artist.

Claude officially announced on Thursday that he will go to Basel with C’est La Vie, although the song was leaked a day earlier via X. Since the official announcement, Claude has quickly risen among the bookmakers.

The bookmakers have regularly estimated the top 5 correctly in recent years, although the order is not entirely correct. For example, last year the bookmakers thought that Croatia would win the Song Contest, but Switzerland ultimately won.

Sweden will decide on Saturday who will go to the Song Contest for them. One of the favourites for the coveted spot is Måns Zelmerlöw, with the song Revolution. The singer also participated ten years ago and won with Heroes. France is sending artist Louane, but the song is not yet known. Source: nu.nl

Chanson & Pop

Claude from Enkhuizen will represent our country in May at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland. On Wednesday, his French/English song C’est la vie was leaked via the internet, and on Thursday the 21 year-old artist presented his self-written lyrics to the cameras and the song was played on many radio stations.

The big question: does Claude have any chance at the festival?

“Certainly,” responds Edsilia Rombley. She was twenty years old when she represented our country at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest in England with the song Hemel en aarde. She became fourth. In 2007 she participated again, but did not qualify into the final. I am a fan of Claude,” Edsilia says. “His voice and charisma make him a great artist. I give him a great chance in Basel because his song C’est la vie suits him perfectly. That way the audience will see a real performance, an act that you believe in.” It is a good song. Very catchy. With that combination of English and French he immediately appeals to a large audience. There is a dash of drama in the music and at the same time it is easy to sing along. Whether he will win, I find it hard to say, because I don’t know the other entries, but I really think that Claude can finish high.”

Does she have any tips for Claude as an expert by experience? “Go with the idea that your life doesn’t depend on it. That puts things into perspective. Realize that it is an honor that you can do it and enjoy it.”

In 1994, Willeke Alberti represented our country at the festival in Ireland with the song Waar Is De Zon. We scored four points. She is very enthusiastic about Claude. “He is cheerful, talented, modest and spontaneous. That is why this boy deserves a large audience. The song is also really good. It makes you happy. And joy and positive sounds are exactly what the public needs in this day and age.”

Ronnie Tober participated for our country in the Eurovision Song Contest in London in 1968. His rendition of the song Morgen earned one point. Yet his performance at that time was an impetus for his career, he says.

Such a big event is simply fantastic to experience, you want that for every young artist. With his open mind and his beautiful voice, Claude will qualify. The song is a good mix of a chanson and a melodious pop hit. That combination will certainly appeal to a large audience, so I think he will end up high.”

Getty Kaspers was the singer of the group Teach-In, who won the festival in 1975 with the song Dingedong. She also thinks that Claude has a chance to be a top 5 winner with C’est la vie, she told the ANP. The song offers a lot of joy.” The power is that the audience can sing along, she thinks.

I think that Europe at this moment, in this world, needs a Claude and a C’ést la vie“. Source: Jan Vriend, Noord Hollands Dagblad.

Apology

An eighteen-year-old student from Azerbaijan has apologized for the leak of Claude’s C’est La Vie. The teenager released the song via social media a day before the official release.

Record company Cloud9 has been in contact with the student. “He admitted that he was wrong. We have accepted his apology.” The man obtained the song via a closed group on Telegram. “We are still investigating how the song ended up there,” says the spokesperson for Cloud9.

The company is not pressing charges against the student. Other sources report that the boy has received death threats via social media.

Claude officially presented the song with which he represents the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest to the press and the public on Thursday afternoon. The song had already leaked via X a day earlier. Claude told nu.nl that he was disappointed that the song had been leaked. “It sucks, but there are stupider things, c’est la vie.” Source: nu.nl

Claude is going to the Eurovision Song Contest with the song C’est La Vie. In the song, the singer combines French and English lyrics. The song was released a day earlier than planned, because it was already leaked on social media.

The official release of the song is on Thursday. Claude will then also explain what C’est La Vie is about. AVROTROS does not share any further details, but confirms that this is the entry.

The song starts as a ballad, but quickly moves to more uptempo. At the beginning and at the end of C’est La Vie, the piano sounds can be heard that were previously used in a teaser for the song.

Claude has previously said that his song would be bilingual. Due to his repertoire, it was expected that it would be a French-Dutch song, but the singer has chosen French and English after all. In the song, he keeps switching languages.

In the song, he sings about his mother, as he had already announced. During his participation in Beste Zangers, Claude already said that he got his love for music from home. In the song, he seems to sing about a melody that his mother sang to him.

AVROTROS says it is investigating how the song could have leaked. “Also to learn lessons for the future. But it is difficult. We know that it has happened before with other countries,” says a spokesperson. The broadcaster will not take any steps against the person responsible for the leak. “It is what it is, c’est la vie.”

On 19 December, it was announced that 21-year-old Claude will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the Netherlands. He will travel to Basel, Switzerland in May, where he hopes to secure a place in the final in the first semi-final on Tuesday 13 May. Source: nu.nl.