Waylon has always been open to returning to The Common Linnets. The singer said this on Wednesday in the 538 Afternoon Show. “Everyone is making a comeback right now. Now this would be a comeback.”
Waylon and Ilse DeLange participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014 as The Common Linnets. They came second with their song Calm After The Storm. After their great success, they broke up and had no contact for a while. DeLange continued the band and went on tour with the other band members.
“The door has never been closed for me,” says Waylon. The singer reiterated that he and DeLange have no feud. “A few years ago we saw each other in a restaurant. Then we walked up to each other and I said: ‘Isn’t it time we gave each other a big hug?’ And then we gave each other a big hug and maybe even a tear. Do you know what it is? The greatest success in her career and the greatest success in my career, we share it with each other.”
DeLange said in an interview with LINDA (Magazine) this week that she could no longer work with Waylon because he wanted to do things in a different way. “Due to our success during the Eurovision Song Contest – Calm After The Storm was number one in fourteen countries – many opportunities came our way,” the singer explains. According to her, that is where the disagreement arose. “Waylon wanted to tackle that in a way that I didn’t think was possible, so I said: ‘I’m going to jump on that train anyway. Participate or not, but I’m jumping on it’.” Source: nu.nl
The Swedish city of Malmö will tighten security measures during the Eurovision Song Contest, you can read on the host city’s website. The measures follow criticism of Israel’s participation and possible protests against it.
“The city, the organizing broadcaster, the police and everyone else involved are doing everything they can to ensure that the event runs safely,” the message reads. “We are taking safety measures throughout the city, with a strong focus on the central locations of the Eurovision Song Contest.”
Police deployment will be increased in and around the city. Bags are also not allowed to be brought to the event. “We have to look out for each other and help each other. That is why it is especially important that everyone follows the instructions of the municipality of Malmö and other authorities.”
Israel’s Eurovision participation has been criticized for some time. Israeli forces have been active in the Gaza Strip since the attack by Hamas on October 7. Thousands of civilians have already been killed. According to critics, Israel therefore does not belong in the Eurovision Song Contest. Organizer European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has repeatedly emphasized that the Eurovision Song Contest is a “non-political event”. Nevertheless, Russia has not been welcome since 2022 due to the invasion of Ukraine.
The Eurovision Song Contest lasts from May 7 to 11. Israel is participating this year with the song Hurricane, sung by singer Eden Golan.
Joost Klein participates on behalf of the Netherlands with the song Europapa. He will play in the second semi-final. The artist was asked earlier this week by Nasrdin Dchar, Najib Amhali and Ramsey Nasr, among others, to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest due to Israel’s participation. “Unfortunately, it’s too big of a dilemma to pass on to a little harlequin like me,” he responded. Source: nu.nl
The song Europapa from our Dutch Eurovision Song Contest entry Joost Klein remains immensely popular, also among bookmakers. The song fluctuated around 5th place and was briefly in 4th place, but is now more firmly in that position after the top three songs.
Joost Klein increases his chances of winning and rises one spot at the bookmakers. He is now in fourth place on the list, ahead of only Italy, Croatia and Switzerland. This means the song remains undeniably popular.
It was previously announced that more than three-quarters (79 percent) of the Netherlands believe that Klein will make it to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. In December last year, only half of Dutch people thought that would work, and even at the beginning of this month that percentage was still 59 percent. Source: Hart van Nederland
Joost Klein gave Eurovision Song Contest fans a preview of what he wants to achieve in Malmö on Saturday evening in AFAS Live in Amsterdam. “Tonight is definitely in the cookie recipe, but I’m not going to show the cake yet.”
28 of the 37 participating artists performed their songs to the audience in AFAS Live during Eurovision in Concert on Saturday evening. The sold-out pre-party of the Eurovision Song Contest attracts fans from all over the world and is seen as one of the benchmarks for bookmakers.
Joost Klein ends the evening with his Europapa. He tells nu.nl in advance that this evening should really be seen as a small foretaste. “We will taste that real cake on the ninth and eleventh.”
Just under a month before he will take the Eurovision stage for the first time, Klein is busy preparing. “Dancing, or singing, or training, or psychological conversations. It’s maintenance on all sides. It’s like MOT every day. I see myself as a car.”
It is hard work and although Klein is looking forward to the Eurovision Song Contest, he is also already thinking about what comes next. “I’m busy with the real moment. But secretly to protect myself, I also look forward a bit. I try to live in the moment, but for the person I am and the rules in my head I have to do that (looking ahead).”
Real enjoyment is not always easy for the singer, who has always been open about the mental problems he encounters. “It’s harder than I thought. But I’m so passionate about this. There’s so much passion, so much time, so much effort, and money. There are dozens of people working on this every day. Enjoyment gets through it sometimes, but is not the goal. The goal is to do the very best.”
“I actually enjoy being on stage the most. That’s where I feel at home,” says Klein, who effortlessly captivates the audience on Saturday evening. “I feel great, thank you for this therapy session.” Source: nu.nl.
Joost Klein understands “the pain” of the people who asked him in an open letter to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest because of Israel’s participation, despite the war in Gaza.
“Unfortunately, it is too big a dilemma to pass on to a little harlequin like me,” Joost said to the press present at AFAS Live in Amsterdam prior to Eurovision in Concert. “If I were a world leader, I would have done something a long time ago, I hope.”
In any case, the singer does not plan to skip the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden next month. “No, I have already booked. I have already signed contracts. The transfer will continue.”
Actors Nasrdin Dchar, Najib Amhali and Ramsey Nasr, among others, signed the open letter to Joost. For Eurovision in Concert, the largest Eurovision pre-party, there will be a demonstration by the pro-Palestinian organizations BDS Netherlands and Rotterdam Palestine Coalition. Source: nu.nl
Durch artists Najib Amhali and Nasrdin Dchar have called on Joost Klein to withdraw from his participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Over 250 people with a creative profession signed a letter calling for a boycott due to Israel’s participation.
“While preparations for the Eurovision Song Contest are in full swing, one of the participating countries, Israel, is carrying out a genocide of 2.3 million Palestinians,” the letter reads. Ramsey Nasr, Walid Benmbarek, Jerry Afriyie and Tofik Dibi also signed the letter.
The writers refer to Klein’s Eurovision song Europapa, in which he quotes his father. “It’s a world without borders,” Klein sings. “Your father’s utopia does not exist for Palestinians,” the letter writers respond. They “emphatically” ask Joost to consult himself about his participation in the event, which will take place in Sweden in May.
“The horrors in Gaza touch us deeply,” AVROTROS, the broadcaster responsible for the Dutch participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, responds to the call. “We also hope that there will be an immediate end to the suffering. But the Eurovision Song Contest is an apolitical music festival and not a competition between the governments of countries. This is therefore not the place where this deep-rooted conflict can be resolved.”
The pro-Palestinian organizations BDS Netherlands and Rotterdam Palestine Coalition are organizing a demonstration on Saturday just before Eurovision in Concert in Amsterdam’s AFAS Live. During this pre-party, 30 of the 37 participating countries will perform with their entry. The Israeli delegation is not present. The organization of the demonstration consists of Dutch volunteers and is not linked to the EBU, which organizes the Eurovision Song Contest. The organization previously announced that it feared reactions to the Israeli entry Eden Golan if it came to the concert.
The demonstration will take place on Saturday from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM on the square between AFAS Live and the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam. A similar event was also demonstrated in London last week. In several European countries, artists are being called on not to participate in an event where Israel is also welcome. Source: nu.nl
Former Eurovision Song Contest participant Humphrey Campbell is seriously ill. His family announced this to the ANP on Wednesday evening. The singer participated in the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the Netherlands in 1992 with the song Wijs Me De Weg.
The 66-year-old singer was about to go on tour to fifteen theaters next year. “He was really looking forward to this, but unfortunately this tour cannot go ahead. The theaters will be contacted for a replacement program,” his management said. It is unclear what exactly Campbell has.
Campbell achieved ninth place with his song Wijs Me De Weg. The Eurovision Song Contest was held that year in Malmö, Sweden.
The singer continued to work with artists such as Rob de Nijs, Paul de Leeuw and Ruth Jacott. The latter singer was in the background choir during his Eurovision Song Contest participation. In return, he also sang in the background a year later during her participation in the event.
Europapa, the song with which Joost Klein will compete in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, is a tribute to his father. The song also features Paul Elstak.
“It is a letter I wrote to my father,” Klein told about Europapa in a special broadcast of De Avondshow met Arjen Lubach on Thursday. Klein previously told NU.nl that he grew up with the Eurovision Song Contest. Together with his parents, he always watched it at a young age.
The song, which has clear gabber influences, ends with an ode to his parents. The song then slows down in tempo and the singer addresses his father directly. Klein’s parents both passed away when he was young.
“My papa and my mama are forever my heroes,” he sings at the end of Europapa. “Rain on the window and I stood at the window crying. Darkness far too early, it’s winter in spring. ‘I miss you every day,’ is what I secretly whisper. You see dad, I listened to you.”
“It’s a very surreal feeling. I think it’s really fat that I get to share the art I made with my friends now,” the 26-year-old Klein told us. Besides Elstak, the music video also features rapper Donnie, René Froger and S10.
“The Eurovision performance will be a full circle experience of turning sadness into euphoria,” the artist said of his performance in Malmö in May. “When people see my act, the first reaction should be: what is happening here? To then touch the viewer anyway. An invitation to dive deeper. At first glance it looks like a very happy act, but once past that, blood, sweat and tears lie.”
The title of the Song Contest song had been known for several weeks, but neither Europapa‘s lyrics nor its subject matter had been known yet. Klein announced on the talk show. Lubach and Klein have known each other for years, the presenter told at the start of the show.
Klein will be in the second semifinal of the Song Contest on Thursday 9 May. He will then compete against Belgium, Austria and Greece, among others. Ten other countries will then have already qualified for the final which is on 11 May.
This year’s Song Contest will be held in the Swedish city of Malmö, after Loreen won the event for the second time last year with Tattoo. The first semi-final will take place on Tuesday 7 May. Source: nu.nl.
Now that the Eurovision Song Contest is already seven months behind us, Mia Nicolai still seems to be distancing herself from her ‘mentor’ Duncan Laurence. “We would have benefited from additional training.”
It is perhaps one of the biggest mistakes in the Dutch history of the Eurovision Song Contest: the participation of the musically struggling couple Mia & Dion. Expectations were high, because former winner Duncan Laurence was their ‘mentor’. What did that mentorship entail? Even Mia Nicolai doesn’t know.
Mia has no idea what was actually part of Duncan’s duties. He came over every now and then with his friend Jordan and their dog, but that was about it. Het Parool asks her: “And Duncan Laurence? As creative director, he would guide you throughout the entire process. Has he fulfilled his role well in your opinion?”
The troubled singer does not exactly stand up for him: “Ehhh. This would mean that it had been clearly agreed in advance what that role would entail. That there was a list of appointments that we could have ticked off afterwards. But that list was not there.”
So that list was just as absent as Duncan himself. All very professional. Would it have been smart to draw up such an appointment list, Het Parool then asks. Mia: “I don’t think that’s a bad idea at all in any working relationship, indeed.”
The false performance that Mia & Dion gave in Madrid at the time was truly cringeworthy; then things went wrong again in Amsterdam. And Duncan? He was posting selfies of himself on Instagram. How is that possible? “I understand that question, but you really have to ask Duncan.”
Everything breathes that Mia finally dares to admit that Duncan was a mentor from hell. Who did she feel supported by? “By my parents, friends, the people of Avrotros.”
All in all, Mia’s Eurovision experience with mentor Duncan was like a ride without a destination – lots of movement, but nowhere to go. “I do think we would have benefited from extra training in the months before.”
Joost Klein will represent the Netherlands during the Eurovision Song Contest next year. The selection committee chose his song from more than six hundred entries.
“There were many entries from all kinds of genres, but in our opinion his entry has the greatest hit potential,” says Twan van de Nieuwenhuijzen, chairman of the selection committee.
“You hear his well-known combination of party and nostalgia in the song. We think that Joost will put on a great act with his creativity and positively surprise the Netherlands and Europe.” The song with which Klein will go to the Eurovision Song Contest will be announced at a later date.
The selection committee did not unanimously go for Klein. Nevertheless, everyone supports the choice, says Van de Nieuwenhuijzen. “Choosing between the last five potential entries was extremely difficult. But Joost has a song that we really think has the potential to do well throughout Europe. That was the deciding factor. And he is also someone who very nice and good in a very infectious way.”
Klein sees a dream come true with his participation: “I used to watch it every year with my parents, glued to the TV. It is an honor that I can represent the Netherlands and I will do everything I can to achieve the best result.”
The 26-year-old Klein, who releases his music under his first name Joost, makes a mixture of pop, happy hardcore and pop punk. He is best known for his song Friesenjung, which has been listened to more than 100 million times on Spotify. This song also caught on in countries such as Belgium, Germany and Austria.
Last summer Klein performed on the main stage of Lowlands, among others. He also performed at Pinkpop and gave two sold-out concerts at AFAS Live.
A total of about six hundred songs were submitted, broadcaster AVROTROS reports. A special selection committee listened to this. Krezip singer Jacqueline Govaert, Eurovision Song Contest expert Cornald Maas and radio DJ Sander Lantinga, among others, helped decide on the artist and the song.
The Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Sweden in 2024, because Swedish singer Loreen has won the music festival for the second time this year. In Liverpool she won with her song Tattoo. Eleven years earlier she was allowed to take the trophy home thanks to the song Euphoria.
The Netherlands is competing against 36 other countries, it was announced earlier this month. Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Italy, among others, are participating in the 68th edition.
The final of the Eurovision Song Contest will take place on May 11, 2024. The Netherlands must first qualify for this during one of the semi-finals. These will take place on Tuesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 9.
Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper are heading to the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Burning Daylight. On Tuesday, a short teaser appeared on social media in which little can be heard yet, but the title of the song becomes clear.
In the short video, we see Cooper and Nicolai, but no music can be heard yet. The song, which they co-wrote with Duncan Laurence, will not be announced until Wednesday.
“The song is an ode to trial and error,” Cooper previously told me. “It’s about recognising that we are just people trying to do our best too and that it’s not bad to make mistakes. It’s about getting back up afterwards, choosing something better and moving on.” The singer speaks of “a very hopeful song”. “Mia and I were both able to put some of our personal story into it,” he says.
Mia and Dion are competing on behalf of the Netherlands in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest. If they manage to place in the top ten, they will advance to the final. That will take place on 13 May in Liverpool.
S10 is participating in the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin with the song De Diepte (the Depth) this year. The 21-year-old singer says she is relieved that the news is now finally out.
S10 announced the song on Thursday morning in Tuschinski in Amsterdam. The singer reacted emotionally after the release. “I do this for all the people who have been so deep, for that Stien from back then.”
“It is an ode to the sadness and memories that you carry with you. Everyone experiences events in their lives that are difficult. That is something that all people share together and I hope that you feel less alone when listening to it song,” said S10, who was born as Stien den Hollander.
It is the first time since 2010, when Sieneke participated in Ik Ben Verliefd (Sha-La-Lie), that a Dutch song has been selected. She was unable to qualify for the final at the time. The last time before this was in 1998, when Edsilia Rombley finished fourth with Hemel en Aarde.
The Dutch entry must first prove itself in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest. She will then compete against Bulgaria, Ukraine and Croatia, among others. If she is among the top 10 on May 10, she will advance to the final on Saturday, May 14.
The Eurovision Song Contest will take place in the Italian city of Turin this year, after Maneskin won in Rotterdam with Zitti e Buoni. The first semi-final is on May 10, the second on May 12 and the final takes place on May 14.
S10 will represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin next year. Broadcaster AVROTROS announced this on Tuesday afternoon via social media.
“I almost explode with happiness at the idea that I can participate in the Eurovision Song Contest this year,” S10, full name Stien den Hollander, said in an initial response. It has not yet been announced which song she will travel to the Italian city with. In recent years, AVROTROS first announced an artist and followed with the presentation of the song in March.
Eric van Stade, general manager of AVROTROS, says on behalf of the selection committee that the S10 song “shows courage and authenticity”. Van Stade reports that S10 will perform her song in Dutch. For the first time since 2010, when Sieneke represented the Netherlands, a Dutch participant will sing in their own language.
Cornald Maas, commentator at the Eurovision Song Contest and part of the selection committee, says that the entire committee was “overwhelmed” by S10’s song. “You are immediately taken into the story she tells, both lyrically and with the composition. It is a really strong song that we have chosen.”
The 21-year-old singer and rapper, who told her team that she wanted to take a shot at the Eurovision Song Contest ticket, has two albums and two EPs to her name. In 2019 she released the album Snowsniper and Vlinders followed a year later. With Adem Je In she scored her biggest hit to date earlier this year. She has released the song both solo and together with rappers Frenna and Kevin. S10 has been under contract with the record label Noah’s Ark since 2018.
S10 takes over from singer Jeangu Macrooy, who finished 23rd last May. It is the first time since Trijntje Oosterhuis’s participation in 2015 that a solo singer has been sent to the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the Netherlands.
Because the Italian band Maneskin won in Rotterdam, the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest will take place in an Italian city. The semi-finals will be held in Turin on May 10 and 12 and the final will take place in the same city on Saturday, May 14.
The Netherlands is not the first country to announce a candidate for next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Belgium previously announced that it would send singer Jérémie Makiese and Bulgaria presented its entry Intention from Intelligent Music Project last weekend.
This week the 65th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, following the country’s win at the 2019 contest with the song Arcade by Duncan Laurence. The Netherlands was set to host the 2020 contest, before it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcasters Nederlandse Publieke Omroep(NPO), Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) and AVROTROS, the contest was held at Rotterdam Ahoy, and consisted of two semi-finals on 18 and 20 May, and a final on 22 May 2021. The three live shows were presented by Dutch television presenters and singers Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley and Jan Smit, and Dutch YouTuber and make-up artist Nikkie de Jager.
Thirty-nine countries participated in the contest, of which twenty-six re-entered the artists chosen for 2020 (albeit with different songs, as per the contest’s rules). Bulgaria and Ukraine returned after their absence from the 2019 contest, while Hungary and Montenegro did not return after their participation in the 2019 edition. Armenia and Belarus had originally planned to participate, but Armenia withdrew due to its social and political crises following the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, and Belarus was disqualified after submitting entries in violation of the rules twice, and not providing an eligible entry before the deadline.
The winner was Italy with the song “Zitti e buoni“, performed by Måneskin and written by the band’s members Damiano David, Ethan Torchio, Thomas Raggi and Victoria De Angelis. France, Switzerland, Iceland and Ukraine rounded out the top five, with France and Switzerland achieving their best results since 1991 and 1993 respectively. Italy won the combined vote and televote, but placed fourth in the jury vote after Switzerland, France, and Malta. Italy was the second member of the “Big Five” since its introduction to win the contest after Germany in 2010. For the first time since 1995, none of the top three entries were performed in English, with France and Switzerland performing in French, and Italy in Italian.
Also, for the first time since the current voting system was implemented in 2016, more than one country received no points from the televote in the final; these countries were Germany, Spain, the host country the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, the last of those becoming the first country to receive no points from both the jury and televote. It was the second time that the United Kingdom had received no points in the contest, the last time having been in 2003. For the first time since its debut in 2015, Australia failed to qualify for the final, making Ukraine the only country that has never failed to qualify from the semi-finals since their introduction in 2004.
The EBU reported that the contest had an audience of 183 million viewers in 36 European markets, an increase of a million viewers from the previous edition, with an increase of seven percent in the 15–24 year old age range.
For this year, delegations were given the option to use pre-recorded backing vocals. Each delegation could still choose to use backing singers, whether on or off stage, or a combination of live and recorded backing vocals. All lead vocals performing the melody of the song must still be live, according to the rules. As a measure to guarantee that all participants could take part in the contest, every national broadcaster were required to create a ‘live-on-tape’ backup recording prior to the contest, which could be used if a participant was unable to travel to Rotterdam, or subjected to quarantine on arrival. The recordings took place in a studio setting, in real-time (as it would be at the contest) without any edits to the vocals or any part of the performance itself after the recording. A set of production guidelines was also revealed to ensure fairness and the integrity of the recordings.
Other rules for the entries stayed the same in the 2021 contest. This includes that the maximum length for a song is three minutes, that there can be at most six performers on stage, and that the compositions (lyrics and music) must not have been commercially released before 1 September of the year before. Following the cancellation of the 2020 contest, the EBU explored the option of allowing the songs selected for the 2020 contest to compete in the 2021 contest, which needed to be discussed with the Eurovision Song Contest reference group and the national broadcasters. Victoria, Bulgaria’s representative for 2020 and 2021, publicly expressed her support for such a move. However, on 20 March 2020, the reference group decided that, in accordance with the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest, the 2020 songs would not be eligible to compete in the 2021 contest.
Pierre Kartner, also known as Father Abraham (with the Smurfs), thinks that Sieneke Peeters failed so badly at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010 because she performed there with a fake organ.
Sieneke stood on the Eurovision stage with the extremely sweet song Ik ben Verliefd (sha-la-lie). It was one of the last Dutch entries in the ‘old style’. It was only in 2013 that a quality improvement was made at the Eurovision team of the AvroTros with Anouk at the helm.
But how is it possible that almost no one in Europe voted for Sieneke? “The performance could have been better,” complains Pierre Kartner, the writer of her song, in the VARA Gids. “The organ should have been a real Amsterdam organ. With an organ grinder and then Sieneke in traditional costume, with a cart full of cheese on stage.” This way you show the old-fashioned Netherlands in full regalia, says Pierre. “Continue that line completely, because that is the Netherlands!”
Because a real organ was too heavy for the glass Eurovision stage, AvroTros decided to send a fake organ. As a result, you missed the authentic feeling, Pierre thinks. What other mistakes have been made? “They could also have put me at the piano; they all know me from the Smurfs. ‘The father’ used to sometimes appear on the cover of the VARA guide. Not this time.”
Pierre still believes in his song. In fact, he thinks it’s a shame that everything has changed so much because of Anouk. “I think it’s a shame that we are drifting further and further away from that atmosphere in terms of choice. People want to be entertained. Like a circus, it should be a party. Why not ‘Sha-la-lie’?”
Jeangu Macrooy will represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Birth of a New Age. The singer released the song for the first time in a livestream that could be followed on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook on Thursday night.
Macrooy co-wrote the Song Contest entry with Pieter Perquin, better known as Perquisite, who also produced last year’s entry, Grow. The chorus consists of a sentence in Sranantongo, the language of Suriname, in which Macrooy sings that no one can break him.
Speaking to Cornald Maas, Macrooy explained that he wanted to honour his origins in the song. For him, the song is about living an authentic life and showing resilience in difficult times.
Macrooy was chosen by the AVROTROS selection committee last year to represent the Netherlands at the Song Contest with his song. However, the event was cancelled due to the corona crisis. Each participating country was given the opportunity to send the same artist again, but a different song had to be provided.
The Netherlands does not have to perform in the semi-finals, as the organising country is automatically qualified for the final. The festival will be held in Rotterdam after Duncan Laurence won on behalf of the Netherlands in 2019.
Macrooy will compete against 25 other countries in the final. A total of 41 countries are competing, 15 of which remain in the semi-finals. The 2021 Eurovision Song Contest will take place on 18, 20 and 22 May in Rotterdam Ahoy.
Belgian director Hans Pannecoucke will also be responsible for directing Macrooy’s performance this year. After the successful edition in 2014, when The Common Linnets came second, he was constantly asked back. So he also portrayed Trijntje Oosterhuis, Douwe Bob and Waylon.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2020 was planned to be the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It would have taken place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, following the country’s victory at the 2019 contest with the song Arcade by Duncan Laurence. This edition was the first and only one in the contest’s history to be cancelled, with it being called off on 18 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The contest was scheduled to be held at Rotterdam Ahoy and would have consisted of two semi-finals on 12 and 14 May, and a final on 16 May 2020. Forty-one countries would have participated in the contest; Bulgaria and Ukraine would have returned after their absence from the 2019 contest, while Hungary and Montenegro had confirmed their non-participation after taking part in the previous edition. All 41 competing artists and songs were confirmed by the relevant broadcasters by early March 2020.
Following the cancellation, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) began discussions of potential carryovers for the 2021 contest, such as the host city and participating artists, with various parties. In place of the cancelled contest, the EBU and its Dutch members NPO, NOS and AVROTROS organised a replacement show, Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light, to showcase the selected entries on 16 May, the day of the planned final. Rotterdam remained host of the 2021 contest on 18, 20 and 22 May 2021; however, the songs selected for the 2020 contest were not eligible for the competition.
The Eurovision Song Contest, which was supposed to take place in Rotterdam Ahoy this year, is canceled due to the coronavirus. The organization of the Eurovision Song Contest confirmed this on Twitter on Wednesday.
“It is with great regret that we announce that we have to cancel the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam,” the press release reads.
In recent weeks, the organization has discussed various options to allow the festival to continue. The measures currently in place in Europe have led to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) having to take “the difficult decision” to cancel the live show this year.
The EBU remains in discussions with the NPO, NOS, AVROTROS and the municipality of Rotterdam. The will is there to still organize the festival in Rotterdam in 2021. “We would like to pay tribute to the organizing team in the Netherlands and everyone else who worked so hard to plan this event.”
It is currently being determined whether people who have purchased a ticket will receive a refund or whether their ticket will remain valid for the show in 2021. When there is news about this, ticket holders will be notified via the email address they used to make their purchase. doing.
Jeangu Macrooy would participate on behalf of the Netherlands in the song competition with the song Grow. AVROTROS has already confirmed that it also wants to work with Macrooy in 2021. “AVROTROS continues to support our Dutch entry and is happy to continue the collaboration with Jeangu in 2021 with new energy and a lot of passion,” a spokesperson said.
The organization of the Eurovision Song Contest is still considering the possibility for artists to keep their song for next year’s edition.
The Netherlands was allowed to organize the Eurovision Song Contest thanks to Duncan Laurence’s win last year in Tel Aviv, where he achieved the highest score with Arcade. The semi-finals of the 2020 competition were scheduled for May 12 and 14, with the final scheduled to take place on May 16.
Apple Music has taken the song Grow and the accompanying video by Jeangu Macrooy offline, after the music platform released it earlier on Wednesday morning. It may be the record with which he will represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest this year.
A recording that could be listened to on YouTube has also now been taken offline due to a copyright claim by AVROTROS. This indicates that it is indeed the singer’s Eurovision entry.
In addition, the album opens with sounds from a slide projector, which could also previously be heard in the teaser that Macrooy posted online on Monday.
It was previously announced that the Eurovision Song Contest entry would be announced on Wednesday evening. The song will be performed during De Wereld Draait Door. Macrooy is present in the studio and the clip is shown in the talk show. The artist will sing the song live for the first time on Thursday.
In the calm Grow, in which gospel influences can be heard, Macrooy sings about the uncertainty that comes with growing up.
Singer Jeangu Macrooy’s Dutch Eurovision Song Contest entry will be presented on Wednesday, March 4, the organizing broadcaster AVROTROS reports on Twitter.
The Dutch entry can be heard for the first time on De Wereld Draait Door. A day later, on March 5, the singer sings the song live in the talk show. The same strategy was used last year when Duncan Laurence’s Eurovision song was presented.
The name of Macrooy’s song has not yet been announced. Cornald Maas, who is part of the selection committee for the Eurovision Song Contest, describes the song on Twitter as ‘distinctive and distinctive’.
On January 10, AVROTROS announced that Macrooy will represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest. The Surinam-born singer has already released two albums, performed at various festivals in the Netherlands and played the role of Judas in 2018’s The Passion.
After Duncan Laurence’s victory with his song Arcade, the Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Rotterdam on May 12, 14 and 16.
This week the 64th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest took place in Tel Aviv, Israel, following the country’s victory at the 2018 contest with the song Toy by Netta. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan), the contest was held at Expo Tel Aviv, and consisted of two semi-finals on 14 and 16 May, and a final on 18 May 2019. The three live shows were presented by Israeli television presenters Erez Tal, Assi Azar and Lucy Ayoub, and Israeli model Bar Refaeli.
Forty-one countries participated in the contest, with Bulgaria and Ukraine not returning after their participation in the previous edition. Bulgaria cited financial difficulties as the reason for its absence, while Ukraine, which had originally planned to participate, ultimately withdrew as a result of a controversy surrounding its national selection.
The winner was the Netherlands with the song Arcade, performed by Duncan Laurence and written by Laurence along with Joel Sjöö, Wouter Hardy and Will Knox. Italy, Russia, Switzerland and Sweden rounded out the top five; due to a voting error, Norway was originally placed fifth, but placed sixth after a correction. The Netherlands won the combined vote, but placed third in the jury vote after North Macedonia and Sweden, and second in the televote after Norway. Further down the table, North Macedonia and San Marino achieved their best results to date, finishing seventh and 19th respectively.
The EBU reported that the contest had an audience of 182 million viewers in 40 European markets, a decrease of 4 million viewers from the previous edition. However, an increase of two percent in the 15–24 year old age range was reported.
Deze week wordt het Eurovisie Songfestival voor de 61e keer georganiseerd. Gisteravond konden we beleven hoe Douwe Bob zich naar de finale zong met Slow Down. Sinds mei 1956 is het circus dat Eurovisie Songfestival heet, tegenwoordig nog grotesker geworden. Na jaren van rare, gekke en opvallende vertoningen, is het sinds 2004 dat er in een week 3 avonden zijn waarin deelnemende landen meedoen. Ook Australië is dit jaar weer van de partij. Waar het vorig jaar eenmalig mee mocht doen, doet het continent morgenavond gewoon mee in de tweede halve finale. Een reden hiervoor is niet gegeven. Dus onder het mom van the more, the merrier, doen nu niet alleen Europese landen mee.
Het circus verliest steeds minder het Europees tintje. Waar het in 1958 in 7 landen werd uitgezonden, zal dit jaar voor het eerst in de geschiedenis van het Eurovisie songfestival de grote finale in de Verenigde Staten van Amerika live uitgezonden worden. Mede dankzij dit gegeven geeft wereldster Justin Timberlake een optreden tijdens de finale op zaterdagavond (vanzelfsprekend ook ter promotie van zijn nieuwe single). Wat mij betreft mag het Eurovisie Songfestival de komende jaren alleen maar groter worden, waarbij het uiteindelijk een wereldwijd evenement wordt. Don’t slow down..!
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