The Netherlands will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Switzerland, AVROTROS reported on Wednesday. Joost Klein was asked to participate again, but he declined the offer.
AVROTROS says it has had months of discussions and consultations with the European Broadcasting Union, the organization behind the Song Contest. AVROTROS now has sufficient guarantees “that structural changes will be implemented at the music festival”.
Joost Klein was offered the opportunity to participate again, the broadcaster says, but he ultimately chose to decline the offer. “Registration for new songs for 2025 is now open.”
Klein himself has also responded. “My team and I had everything ready, but it just doesn’t feel right. I am grateful for all the love from all over the world, but I still haven’t recovered from this year. I need to give myself more time to heal.”
AVROTROS previously expressed doubts about participating in 2025, partly because of the disqualification of Joost Klein and the unpleasant atmosphere behind the scenes. The broadcaster still believes that the disqualification of the Dutch participant in Malmö was unnecessary and disproportionate. Klein is the first artist to be excluded from participating while the Eurovision Song Contest was already underway.
The singer is said to have made a threatening gesture towards a camerawoman. The Swedish judiciary decided to stop the investigation into the incident at the beginning of August. The judiciary could not establish that Klein had made his “threatening gesture” with the intention of causing the camerawoman “serious fear”.
The original deadline for registration was 15 September. The EBU had granted AVROTROS an extension until 1 November. Source: nu.nl
According to the EBU, the Public Prosecution Service’s decision to dismiss the case does not detract from the fact that, according to the EBU, Klein acted in violation of EBU rules. His disqualification was therefore justified according to the EBU. Unfortunately, it does not state which rule was violated that justifies such a draconian punishment as disqualification.
Continuing to maintain the publicly stated view that Joost Klein committed a disqualifying act is without a doubt a defamatory accusation. After all, anyone who deliberately attacks someone’s honour or good name by accusing them of a certain act with the apparent aim of publicising it commits the criminal offence of defamation. AvroTros could therefore file a complaint of defamation against the EBU.
All the more so now that the consequences of the disqualification have also manifested themselves in the Netherlands and the Netherlands can therefore be regarded as the place where the crime of defamation was committed.
Gerard Spong, Amsterdam.
The above concerns a letter to the editor of de Volkskrant, from the Dutch lawyer Gerard Spong, in which he indicates that the statement of the EBU, without reason for the disqualification, is libel and that an official complaint can be filed against this. I wonder if AVROTOS or Joost Klein will take action on this. Personally, I would consider this a strong action. 😊
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) still fully supports the decision to disqualify Joost Klein from the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. The Swedish authorities decided on Monday to discontinue the investigation into the artist.
EBU boss Jean Philip De Tender states in the statement that the Swedish authorities’ investigation was about whether a criminal offence had been committed and not “whether Mr Klein behaved inappropriately and violated the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest”.
According to De Tender, the Swedish authorities’ decision not to prosecute Klein therefore has “no influence” on the decision to disqualify the singer. The EBU therefore continues to support the decision.
The Dutch entry for the Eurovision Song Contest was disqualified in May after an incident behind the scenes of the event. The singer allegedly made a threatening gesture towards a camerawoman.
On Monday it was announced that the Swedish authorities had decided to discontinue the investigation into the incident with Klein due to a lack of evidence. According to the investigators, it cannot be proven that Klein’s action “led to serious fear” or that he “had such intentions”.
Klein’s manager said that the singer is “incredibly happy and relieved” that the investigation into the alleged violent incident has been stopped. “We, as a team, are incredibly happy and relieved that this uncertain period has now come to an end. Finally we can say it out loud: there was never a reason for this case.”
AVROTROS wants to have a meeting with the EBU in the short term, in which Klein’s “unjustified disqualification” will be central.
The investigation into the incident involving Joost Klein at the Eurovision Song Contest has been discontinued. The Swedish Public Prosecution Service reported on Monday that there was a lack of evidence. This means that Klein will not be prosecuted.
The Swedish Public Prosecution Service writes that the investigation into a 26-year-old man who allegedly threatened a camerawoman has been closed. The investigation shows that Klein made a movement in which he hit her camera.
According to the public prosecutor, the incident happened quickly and the stories of Klein, the camerawoman and witnesses differ. Therefore, it is not possible to determine what exactly happened.
“Today, the investigation is closed because it cannot be proven that the act caused real fear and that this was the man’s intention,” writes prosecutor Fredrik Jönsson. Dutch witnesses were also heard for the case. Last month it was announced that the Dutch Public Prosecution Service had reported this to the Swedish Public Prosecution Service.
AVROTROS writes in a response that it finds Klein’s disqualification “unnecessary and disproportionate from the start”. “That is now also the case. We are still very disappointed that the Europapa adventure of Joost Klein and the whole of the Netherlands was brutally ended in this way. The next step is to have a meeting with the EBU management about this matter in the short term.”
In May, Klein was disqualified from the Eurovision Song Contest because of the incident, thus making Eurovision Song Contest history: never before had a country been disqualified while the event was already underway.
The singer qualified for the final on behalf of the Netherlands with the song Europapa. On the day of the final, it became clear that Klein was not welcome on the Eurovision stage that evening. The decision led to anger at AVROTROS.
AVROTROS has expressed its doubts about participating in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, if the organiser European Broadcasting Union (EBU) does not implement changes to its policy. Several delegations complained this year about an unpleasant atmosphere behind the scenes at the Eurovision Song Contest.
Klein himself has not yet shared his side of the story in the media. Since the Eurovision Song Contest, he has hinted several times that he wants to participate again in 2025. For example, during his performance at Pinkpop, he shouted “2025, why not?” and posted “Eurovision 2025” on his Instagram account.
We will never know what would have happened if Joost Klein had been allowed to participate in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, but he impressed Europe even with disqualification. The singer stormed the charts with Europapa last week.
The final of the Eurovision Song Contest attracts millions more viewers every year than the semi-finals that take place during the week. Klein missed his chance to appeal to this large audience because he was disqualified after the second semi-final. Yet this is not reflected in his chart success.
Europapa is the most listened to entry of the year on Spotify. The counter now stands at more than 83 million streams, a significant part of which have of course also been collected in the Netherlands.
He keeps the Italian Angelina Mango at bay, who has been played 72 million times with her hit la noia. Europapa peaked at 22nd place on Spotify’s global hit list a few days after the Eurovision Song Contest. That’s higher than any other entry.
Joost Klein is also doing well in the official charts in Europe. It took first place in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and is at the top among our southern neighbors. In addition, Klein is the highest ranked Eurovision participant in Sweden, Finland and Germany. There he leaves the eventual winner, Nemo from Switzerland, behind him.
Nemo is also doing well in the charts with their winning song The Code. In many European countries they rank highly and in their home country the song is in first place. Baby Lasagna from Croatia, which received the most votes from the public and finished second, can also count on chart success. His Rim Tim Tagi Dim is the most frequently and highly rated after the songs of Joost and Nemo.
Klein’s success is not limited to Europe. The singer is also heavily played in the United States, where the Eurovision Song Contest is not very popular. Billboard reports that American users accounted for more than 7 percent of the 23 million Spotify streams. The last time a Eurovision song achieved such a large share of listeners in the US was when the Italian band Maneskin became successful worldwide.
Europapa’s figures are extra striking, because Klein largely performs the song in Dutch, Billboard reports. Europapa was listened to a total of 1.75 million times in the US last week, which is more than twice as many times as Nemo’s The Code.
Klein has not yet managed to find a place in the official American chart Billboard Hot 100. However, he is at fourteenth place in Billboard’s dance chart. Source: nu.nl.
Joost Klein did not threaten anyone during the incident after the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest. This is what his lawyer Jan-Ake Fält said to the Swedish broadcaster SVT. According to the lawyer, the singer denies having committed any criminal offences.
Klein was disqualified from the final of the Eurovision Song Contest last weekend due to an incident with a camerawoman. “As I understand it, there was an agreement between him and the organization,” the lawyer explains. “Because it is a sensitive moment for him, he would not be filmed leaving the stage. He would be met by his team, but still the camerawoman was there.”
According to the lawyer, Klein asked her to stop filming, which she did not do. “Then he pushed the camera, but he denies threatening her.”
The lawyer tells ANP that Klein is having a hard time with the situation. “He of course feels completely distraught by everything that has happened. And rightly so, because it has been completely taken out of context. Of course he is sad that he was not allowed to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest as a result.”
According to SVT, the case should occur in Sweden at the beginning of June. The police use a faster procedure for the investigation, because there is enough evidence. So he will hear within a few weeks whether he will be prosecuted or not. Source: nu.nl
This is my last publication/forwarding on the ‘Joost News’ until there has been a ruling by the Swedish court.
Things are going “pretty well” with Joost Klein, who participated in the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the Netherlands but was disqualified hours before the final. This is what Twan van de Nieuwenhuijzen, Head of Delegation at AVROTROS, said to RTL Boulevard on Sunday.
“It was an eventful weekend with a lot of emotions, which have still not fully settled or been processed. We are of course very disappointed,” says Van de Nieuwenhuijzen, who is also chairman of the selection committee. The entire delegation watched the final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday evening, while enjoying “pizza, cola and a few glasses of wine”.
“Joost is doing quite well,” Van de Nieuwenhuijzen continues. Klein even went to an official Eurovision afterparty on the night from Saturday to Sunday. “Joost is a handsome and strong personality. That’s how he stands and that’s how he deals with it.”
X shows a photo of a Eurovision fan and Klein at the party. “I’m not into negativity,” Klein reportedly said about his presence at the afterparty. The fan also shares a fragment of dancing to Europapa during the party. Source: nu.nl
The Dutch artist Joost Klein will not be competing in the Grand Final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Swedish police have investigated a complaint made by a female member of the production crew after an incident following his performance in Thursday night’s Semi Final. While the legal process takes its course, it would not be appropriate for him to continue in the Contest.
We would like to make it clear that, contrary to some media reports and social media speculation, this incident did not involve any other performer or delegation member.
We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate behaviour at our event and are committed to providing a safe and secure working environment for all staff at the Contest. In light of this, Joost Klein’s behaviour towards a team member is deemed in breach of Contest rules.
The Grand Final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest will now proceed with 25 participating songs. Source; EBU.
I think EBU’s decision is way over the top (my opinion for now). Joost is charged with allegations of intimidation, but let’s wait until ‘proven’ guilty. When Joost seems to be innocent, AVROTROS should submit a substantial claim for damages for all costs incurred, because money, that is what the EBU is all about (just check where main sponsor Marrocanoil is originated) United by Music, my ass. United by Money. Right now, I am done.
Joost Klein is suspected of threatening an employee of the Eurovision Song Contest. The alleged incident took place on Thursday evening at the Malmö Arena, Swedish police said.
The employee filed a report on Friday. The investigation has now been completed, a police spokesperson told NU.nl on Saturday. The spokesperson does not want to confirm that Joost is the suspect.
In addition to the suspect, the police also interviewed the person who filed the report and a number of witnesses. The investigation has been transferred to the public prosecutor.
On Friday, the EBU, which organizes the Eurovision Song Contest, had already announced that Joost was involved in an incident. That is why his rehearsal and his performance for the jury assessment did not take place on Friday. The EBU did not want to say at the time what had happened in the incident.
It is not yet clear whether Joost will be allowed to perform in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday evening. Source: nu.nl
Joost Klein is not allowed to participate in the jury show of the Eurovision Song Contest. The investigation into the incident that emerged earlier today has not yet been completed, AVROTROS reports.
AVROTROS informs the Dutch press that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has not given permission to participate in the show taking place in the Malmö Arena tonight. The professional jury therefore assesses the performance from the second semi-final.
The EBU is investigating an incident involving Klein. No further details have been shared. According to rumors from the Swedish broadcaster SVT, it concerns a violent incident in which the artist is involved. This has not been confirmed in any way.
The EBU speaks of “discussions” that are still ongoing with broadcaster AVROTROS. It is now unclear when anything will be decided.
Tonight would be an important moment for Klein: half of the points awarded on Saturday evening will already be determined during the jury show. On the evening before the final, professional juries submit their points.
During the rehearsal of the finale it became clear that something was going on around Klein. The artist should have been fifth on stage, but the Netherlands was skipped and rehearsals went straight to Israel. Klein did participate in the flag parade that is part of the opening ceremony.
Belarus was refused to participate in 2021 due to the political connotation of the song that the country wanted to submit. In the 68 years that the Eurovision Song Contest has been taking place, it has never happened that a country has been disqualified during the festival. Source: nu.nl
Joost Klein skipped his place in the Eurovision Song Contest rehearsal on Friday afternoon. The European Broadcasting Union is investigating an “incident” involving the artist. It is unclear what is going on.
“We are currently investigating an incident surrounding the Dutch entry. Klein will not rehearse for the time being,” the statement said. The EBU will not comment further.
It is unclear whether Klein will still be allowed to do his rehearsals at a later date. No statements are made in the audience about Klein’s absence.
AVROTROS, the broadcaster that accompanies Klein during the Eurovision Song Contest, was not available for comment. Source: nu.nl.
The Netherlands has secured a place in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Joost Klein and his Europapa are through to the final on Saturday, May 11.
Klein was the third to hear that he has a place in the final. So the artist didn’t have to sit in suspense for too long. It is not yet clear which half he will be in: that will be determined by the organization at a later time.
Latvia, Norway and Austria are also through to the final on Saturday. Furthermore, Israel, Estonia and Greece managed to get a ticket for the final. In addition, Switzerland, Georgia and Latvia can also take the stage again on Saturday in the hope of winning the Eurovision Song Contest.
The Belgian singer Mustii is not through. Denmark, Malta, San Marino, the Czech Republic and Albania also do not go to the final.
Croatia, Ukraine and Ireland already managed to qualify for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Tuesday. Furthermore, Serbia, Portugal and Slovenia qualified for the final, as did Lithuania, Finland, Cyprus and Luxembourg. Australia, Poland, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Iceland then canceled.
Spain, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Sweden are automatically through to May 11. Source: nu.nl
Gover Meit is not only creative director of Joost Klein’s Eurovision Song Contest performance, he and the artist are also very good friends. The grand artist feels extremely responsible for the performance and Klein’s enjoyment, he tells nu.nl.
“I am there for Joost and to ensure that all his ideas can be realized,” says Meit, who previously made a name for himself as Stefano Keizers and Donny Ronny. “But Joost has about a thousand good ideas a month. That’s a lot of ideas to make come true. So I am also a filter and ensure that we come up with an act that can still be followed.”
Klein and Meit have known each other for about 8.5 years now. Meit was associated with a youth platform as a mentor for creative talents. There he met Klein. “Fate really brought us together. From the moment I met Joost there, I saw that we both have a penchant for innovation. That happened so very quickly. I feel like we have always been together.”
Because it clicks so good, Meit feels responsible not only for the act, but also for Klein’s enjoyment of the whole process. “I think I can play just about any role that is needed here. So I am the person who wipes his head with a napkin after the performance, but also the person he goes to talk to in the evening. And with whom he can spar and vent.”
“Through this process I have gained a lot more respect for my own director, Jelle Kuiper. Also because I notice how important it is to have someone by your side who fully supports you.”
Meit is used to being on stage himself, but now notices that he actually finds it even more exciting to accompany someone. “It really is like my child is playing a very important game. And I think anyone with children will know how intense it is to let go. To let him go on that stage and have that whole world wash over him.”
Even after the first photos of Europapa on the Eurovision stage, there was criticism of the performance. Klein and Meit kept talking about “a new form of a moon landing”, which meant that expectations were high. The first images did not meet those expectations for some people and Klein fell with the bookmakers.
The artist told nu.nl that he is having a hard time with it. Meit also sees a role for himself there. “I have been involved in the media world for about ten years now. I know how every time you stick your head above the parapet, you are met with a lot of criticism. So I always help him remember how many people also be helped with this.”
“If we didn’t take risks creatively, who would? I think if I hadn’t been there, it would have been a lot harder for him to keep that trust. I’m lucky to have been a step further. can stand from and always say: let’s not forget how important it is that we try to bring that innovation.”
Klein previously compared the performance at the Eurovision Song Contest to baking a cake: every element belongs in the recipe, he said in conversation with nu.nl. But now that he is in Malmö, he prefers to speak of a bag of chips, because the options are different than expected. Meit believes it is important to add nuance to this. “I would say this is the tastiest bag of chips I have ever eaten. With lots of flippos in it.” Source: nu.nl.
The Dutch TV Guides pay attention to the Eurovision Song Contest this week. The Veronica Superguide pays attention to the Dutch act of 2024: Joost Klein, and asks on their cover: Genius or madness?
It’s ‘that time of year’ again and this time it’s Joost Klein who represents the Netherlands with the crazy Europapa at the Eurovision Song Contest, which is now being held in Sweden. Remarkable? Rather!
There are few songs that cause as much controversy as that of Joost Klein, our entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. Europapa, with a pounding gabber beat full of creative rhyme schemes and wordplay, is very different from our previous entries. Many people wonder: is Europapa a brilliant move or are we going completely wrong with this? According to Alexander van Eenennaam, music journalist at the AD and Song festival expert, it is only logical that the relatively unknown Joost Klein and his song were chosen. “Since Anouk’s participation in 2013, the selection committee has only looked at the song itself and no longer at the fame of the artist. That explains why Joost was considered in the first place,” he explains. “The other songs that had a chance were more common songs, which we have often seen at the Eurovision Song Contest. Europapa may be a bit crazy, but according to the jury it was really the very best song. It may not be to your taste, personally I wouldn’t put the song on at home, but the song is excellent within its genre.”
Alexander emphasizes that there is more behind the song there is only some happy hardcore. Europapa tells the story of Joost who lost both parents at a young age. In the song, he travels through Europe as an orphan to find himself. His parents gave him a broad vision of the world in their upbringing, namely that there are no boundaries. After a long chopping session to some pounding beats, Joost immediately addresses his parents. “I miss you every day, is what I secretly whisper. See, dad, I listened to you,” sings the blonde Frisian. A surprisingly emotional end to the cheerful song. “That emotional charge is important, because it makes Europapa more than just a gimmick,” the journalist explains. It is perhaps also the biggest difference from this year’s other entries. For example, Finland has the song No Rules! from the dance duo Windows95man. It is cheerful, striking and, like Joost, harks back to the recognizable and popular music of the nineties, but still misses the point. The song revolves around a man with long curly hair, a white cap and a shirt with the Windows 95 logo on it. He also wears skin-colored briefs until he finally finds pants. The message: don’t take everything so seriously. In any case, it makes a much less impression with the bookmakers than Joost, as the act is currently at number thirteen.
In 2019, the Netherlands made history thanks to Duncan Laurence, whose emotional ballad Arcade took first place. Europapa is so much different from Duncan’s entry. The question is why we didn’t go for a quiet emotional song again? Alexander notes that the pace of Eurovision entries has increased every year. In 2024, there are almost no ballads. According to the AD journalist, this has to do with a major change in the voting procedure. Where everything used to be in the hands of the professional jury, nowadays the opinion of the viewer also plays a major role. During the semi-finals, the public decides via televoting which country will go to the final. And that can be useful for Joost, the Eurovision expert explains. “Ballads don’t do well with the viewers. They are less likely to enter your living room. Such a striking song as Europapa is more likely to attract the attention of people at home and get more votes.” This is also where the power of social media comes into play, something Joost has mastered well. “He is a born marketer and grew up with social media. He is so good at it that he can easily reach people at home.” He previously proved that he knows how to gain fans through social media with his hit Friesenjung, which ended up in countries such as Germany and Austria via TikTok videos and became a true hit there.
While writing this article, Joost is number three among the bookmakers. So it’s starting to look more and more like we can make a profit with Europapa. “Anything is possible, but it all depends on the performance itself,” says Alexander. “We don’t know yet what he will do on stage. But without knowing exactly what his act will look like, I dare to predict that he will become number one with the audience. The only question is whether he will able to touch the professional jury with his message.” But according to the music expert, that no longer matters. Europapa has been listened to millions on YouTube and dominates the radio in countries such as Belgium, Germany and France. “Actually, Joost has already won.”
Joost Klein is a creative artist and used to having a free hand in his performances. But the Eurovision Song Contest has a lot of rules and that is quite difficult for him.
“It has often been said to me from high up, especially to Gover (Meit, creative director, ed.): ‘Please, don’t let Joost change anything,'” Klein told nu.nl on Saturday from Malmö.
Last week the artist had two days of rehearsals to fine-tune his Europapa for the Eurovision Song Contest stage. While Klein is normally used to having control over everything that happens, he now has to rely much more on others.
“It’s a crazy process, where I really learn the hard way that if you let go of all control, you get control back. It’s very difficult,” says the artist.
“It takes a lot of getting used to. I’m not going to lie to you, it’s not the easiest thing. And I understand that for the outside world it may only be a three-minute show. But all of us, with a team from this point, almost a hundred people have been working on this for a year.”
The European Broadcasting Union has a lot of rules for a performance at the Eurovision Song Contest. Now that he has had his first two rehearsals, Klein is not allowed to change any major things.
“I believe 100 percent in the concept. In the art that we have created and will create. But I have to admit that so many rules also take a mental toll on myself. There is a lot involved that the audience does not know.”
Klein continues: “You shouldn’t know that. But I’m getting to know it now. And that makes it difficult. I expected some kind of cake, but now it’s just a kind of bag of chips.”
He finds it quite complicated that after seeing the photos of the rehearsals there are also negative reactions and Klein drops at the bookmakers.
“I’m not allowed to use my phone anymore. It’s just very strange. I try to remain myself. So far I don’t really care about it, but I would be lying if I said I don’t care about it. But I am here with the best intentions, also for the Netherlands and not just for myself.”
“I dare say: we make art. And we are now putting it in the Eurovision gallery. Whether it all fits in there, we will see on the ninth and eleventh. And I just hope that the country still has some love left somewhere. for me. And if not, then don’t watch. I’m not the TV boss.” Source: nu.nl
Not Joost Klein (26), but Numidia (24) would have long been the favorite to go to the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the Netherlands. Ilse DeLange (46) would also have been on the selection committee’s list for quite some time. This is evident from a reconstruction of the selection process that ‘Het Parool‘ published on Friday.
According to Het Parool, the choice for who would definitively go to the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the Netherlands was made on November 28 last year in the Nobel pop hall in Leiden. The five artists who were still in the race at the time performed their song in complete secrecy in front of the selection committee of broadcaster AVROTROS. Among them Numidia, Ilse DeLange and Joost Klein. Karsu and The Voice winner Sophia Kruithof are also said to have performed for the selection committee in Leiden.
The committee would not be entirely enthusiastic about Ilse’s submission. They would find it “too inaccessible” and “too complicated for the festival”. Numidia would provide more enthusiasm with an “English-language song with Berber elements” made with Douwe Bob. There are doubts about Joost Klein’s entry, writes Het Parool. The selection committee is said to have wondered, among other things, whether the ‘fun pop’ of Europapa is what the Netherlands wants to radiate. There are also doubts about the structure of the song, and Joost reportedly made some adjustments to the song upon request.
According to the newspaper, Numidia’s audition, ‘she sings excellently, has charisma and represents the modern Netherlands’, would normally be enough to represent the Netherlands. But Joost Klein would make such an impression with his ‘irresistible earworm’ Europapa and also his “humor, persuasiveness and a well-worded story”, that things will turn out differently.
Jaap Reesema, one of the members of the selection committee, would eventually comment that the other members should put their own taste aside and choose ‘the most promising song’. That was Klein’s Europapa.
On the eve Joost Klein has started his Eurovision Song Contest adventure and is considered one of the European favorites. Tuesday was his first rehearsal on the Malmö-Arena stage. What are his chances and why does Europapa have so much power?
When he left for Malmö in Sweden, Joost Klein could hardly disguise his annoyance about it: he was not happy that the Eurovision Song Contest rehearsals would now be somewhat visible. It ruins the surprise effect of his act – exactly what Klein’s performance always relies on. He prefers to keep everything secret. “You’re not going to film a magician during rehearsals, are you?” he asks in front of the camera at Schiphol.
These are rules that the autonomous Frisian artist will have to deal with over the next week and a half. The Eurovision Song Contest is a media circus. A ubiquitous international music festival that is widely publicized both before and during on social media, blogs and fan sites. And then the Eurovision fire will really flare up from Sunday, with the official opening of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest with 37 participating countries.
The first semi-final with fifteen countries is on Tuesday. Then Thursday is the second semi-final – Joost Klein’s. In the most favorable position of the evening, last, he plays for the Netherlands.
In the meantime, you can picture him in his bright blue suit with those exorbitant shoulder pads and white hair. Although there also appears to be a black ‘travel variant’. Last Tuesday he did his first rehearsal in the Malmö Arena. The participants are allowed to explore the large stage for half an hour, enough to go through the song three times. Some artists play around with the decor, try out their show clothes. The act can still be adjusted.
Press is not yet welcome. But fragments filtered through the official Eurovision channel on TikTok and Instagram. Klein seemed to keep his cards close to his chest with a somewhat clumsy-austere staging without controversial visuals. Of his two companions, Appie Mussa was dressed as a fluffy blue-yellow bird and the Stunt Kabouter stood behind a turntable/monitor with many wires in a starry blouse. And two dancers danced along in white sweatsuits with European Union stars on the back.
Eurovision Song Contest commentator Cornald Maas immediately confirmed on X that a few visual surprises have not yet been released. There is no doubt that Klein will conspicuously pass on his contagious, energetic dance virus. A dancing gabber army on the screens, who knows? Source: nrc.nl
Joost Klein had his first rehearsals in Malmö on Tuesday. The first photos that have appeared show that his good friend Appie Mussa is dressed in a blue bird suit and Klein has two dancers with him.
The first photos show Appie Mussa in a blue bird suit with a blue tie with stars, standing behind a kind of futuristic keyboard. Another photo also shows Klein’s friend Stunt Gnome behind the same keyboard. Both men had also appeared in the Europapa video clip.
The Eurovision organization describes the background of the act via its website as “a manic visual tour of the song lyrics” projected behind Klein. “It is three minutes of pure dance energy, with Joost standing on stage with two dancers in white tracksuits.”
Klein told NU.nl in advance that he does not like the fact that images of this rehearsal are already being shared. “You’re not going to film rehearsals for a magician, are you?”
The Eurovision Song Contest will take place from May 7 to 11 this year. Joost Klein will be in the second semi-final on May 9 and will be the last to perform. He then hopes to get a ticket for the final on May 11. Source: nu.nl
Nikkie de Jager will give the points on behalf of the Netherlands at the final of the Eurovision Song Contest on May 11. The presenter will do this during a major event in Leeuwarden, AVROTROS announced on Tuesday.
Leeuwarden is the birthplace of Joost Klein, who represents the Netherlands this year. The broadcast will be broadcast live at the Oldehoofsterkerkhof and there will be various performances. Rappers Brunzyn and Bokoedro, good friends of Joost, are among others.
The party is a joint initiative of the municipality of Leeuwarden, the province of Friesland, pop venue Neushoorn, Omrop Fryslân and presenter Sipke Jan Bousema.
It is the first time that De Jager has awarded the points on behalf of the Netherlands. In 2021 she was one of the presenters when the Eurovision Song Contest took place in Rotterdam.
Joost still has to secure a place in the final on May 9 with his song Europapa. The chance that this will not work seems small. According to bookmakers, the singer is one of the favorites for victory in Malmö, Sweden.
Joost Klein left for Malmö on Monday morning for the Eurovision Song Contest. The artist has his first rehearsals on Wednesday. “Someone is going to give twelve points anyway.”
“I slept more than I expected,” says Klein, who is preparing for a week full of rehearsals. On Thursday, May 9, he will be in the second semi-final and hopes to get a ticket for the final two days later.
The first rehearsals have already started. Klein will be on stage for the first time in Malmö on Wednesday. Some photos of the performance he will give can be seen via the official Eurovision channel.
Klein is not a fan of that. “You’re not going to film rehearsals for a magician, are you?” He prefers to keep everything secret until the semi-final. “What can we say about our show?” he asks Gover Meit, who will join us as creative director. “No, not that moon landing again,” he says, laughing when Meit whispers something to him.
From the start, Klein has used ‘Twelve points to The Netherlands’ to promote itself. By this he refers to the maximum number of twelve points that a jury can award to an entry.
How sure is he of that now? “Well, someone is going to give twelve points anyway. Come on, that’s the bare minimum. My goal was twelve points, that’s what I said from the start. No, what do you want me to say? “Yeah, I’m number one, I’m the best!’ No, I’d like some more coffee for that.”
Joost Klein participates with his song Europapa. He will try to reach the final on May 11. There he would compete against 25 other countries for the win.
Joost Klein takes two good friends to the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Influencers Appie Mussa and Martijn van Eijzeren will be part of the act.
“We have done crazy things in videos, but this will be really great,” says Mussa on Tuesday evening in Sophie & Jeroen. He calls it “an ultimate honor” to share the stage with Klein.
Klein’s two friends do not reveal exactly what Europapa’s act will look like, or how big their contribution will be. “We have a very childish, fun way of making things, that’s what we’re going to show,” says Van Eijzeren, also known as Stunt Gnome. In addition, the influencer says that participating in the Eurovision Song Contest feels like he can play for the Dutch national team. Mussa and Van Eijzeren can also be seen in Europapa’s video clip.
Govert Meit, also known as Stefano Keizers, also joined Sophie & Jeroen last night. He is the creative director of the act and also a good friend of Klein. He also doesn’t want to say much about the design of the performance. “We worked every day for nine months to turn that three-minute act into something that can please everyone in the world.”
Meit also says that he has been friends with Klein, Mussa and Van van Eijzeren for years. “They often call me their uncle,” he says. “They are my creative children, who are super original just like me. I believe in that very much. I believe that it is the future, reaching people with individuality and positivism.”
Europapa is currently number three among bookmakers. Klein’s semi-final in Malmö is on Thursday evening, May 9. Source: nu.nl.
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