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Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025

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Eurovision Song Contest 2025
Participating broadcasterVlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT)
Country Belgium
National selection
Selection processEurosong 2025
Selection date(s)Showcase shows:
18 January 2025
25 January 2025
Final:
1 February 2025
Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2024 2025

Belgium will be represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, which will be held in Basel, Switzerland. The Belgian participating broadcaster, Flemish Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT), will organise the national final Eurosong 2025 in order to select its entry for the contest.

Background

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Prior to the 2025 contest, Belgium had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest sixty-five times since its debut as one of seven countries to take part in 1956, only missing the 1994, 1997, and 2001 editions.[1] Since then, the country has won the contest on one occasion in 1986 with the song "J'aime la vie", performed by Sandra Kim. Following the introduction of semi-finals for 2004, Belgium had featured in nine finals. In 2024, "Before the Party's Over" by Mustii failed to qualify for the final.[1]

The Belgian participation in the contest alternates between two broadcasters: Flemish Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT) and Walloon Radio-télévision belge de la Communauté française (RTBF), with both broadcasters sharing broadcasting rights. Both broadcasters and their predecessors had selected the Belgian entries using national finals and internal selections in the past. In 2023, VRT organised the national final Eurosong in order to select the Belgian entry, while in 2024, RTBF opted for an internal selection. On 8 May 2024, VRT confirmed its participation in the 2025 contest and announced that it would select its entry through the national final Eurosong 2025.[2]

Before Eurovision

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Eurosong 2025

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Eurosong 2025 will be the national final that will select the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. The competition will consist of two pre-recorded showcase shows that will be broadcast on 18 and 25 January 2025, followed by a live final on 1 February 2025 where the winning song and artist will be selected. All three shows will be hosted by Peter Van de Veire and broadcast on VRT 1, as well as on the broadcaster's online streaming platform VRT MAX.[3]

Format

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Eight artists were sought to compete in Eurosong. The competition will include two non-competitive showcase shows that will be broadcast on 18 and 25 January 2025. Each shows will feature four of the eight artists presenting their candidate Eurovision song without any staging and a cover version of a past Eurovision Song Contest song. The final will take place on 1 February 2025 where the winner will be chosen by an expert jury and public televoting.[4]

The jury panel will consist of:[5]

  • Gustaph – singer and vocal coach, represented Belgium in 2023
  • Bart Cannaerts [nl] – television presenter and comedian
  • Merol – Dutch singer and actress
  • Emmelie de Forest – Danish singer-songwriter, winner of the 2013 contest
  • André Vermeulen – journalist and Eurovision specialist
  • Els Germonpré – music coordinator for VRT 1
  • Leslie Cable – Eurovision Head of Delegation for Wallonian broadcaster RTBF
  • Stephan Monsieur – chairman of OGAE Belgium
  • Jasper van Biesen – author of 65 Years of Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest
  • Indy van Cauwenbergh – choreographer
  • Kim Debrie – presenter at Radio 2
  • Anja Daems – presenter at Radio 2
  • Laura Govaerts [nl] – presenter at MNM
  • Imane Boudadi – director and presenter at MNM
  • Nona Van Braeckel – digital creative at Studio Brussel

Competing entries

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An application period for record labels, artist managers and producers to propose artists was opened in May 2024, and an A&R Team (Arts and Repertoire) consisting of music and media experts from VRT, which among its members included editor-in-chief Cliff Vrancken and general music coordinator Gerrit Kerremans, shortlisted several artists to submit two songs by September 2024.[6][7] A jury panel consisting of radio, television and music experts selected eight artists for the competition following several auditions rounds at the Reyerstoren [nl] in Brussels, with their candidate Eurovision songs being selected together with VRT.[7][8][9] The names of the eight acts were announced on 11 November 2024.[3][10] The candidate Eurovision songs to be performed by the artists were announced on 13 January 2025, along with 18-second snippets of each entry.[5][11]

Artist Song Songwriter(s)
Grace [nl] "Pull Up"
Jelle van Dael "Monster"
  • Jelle van Dael
  • Lindi Konings
  • Udo Mechels
  • Willem Vanderstichele
Le Manou "Fille à papa"
  • Manou Maerten
  • Willem Vanderstichele
Leez [nl] "Perfectly Imperfect"
  • Lisa van Rossem
  • Loek van der Grinten
  • Philipine Nancy Corporaal
  • Will Knox
Lenn [nl] "Air Balloon"
  • Len Neefs
  • Willem Vanderstichele
Mentissa "Désolée"
  • Lili Louise Musique/La Passée Editions
  • Mentissa Mpatha Ngandu
  • Vianney Bureau
Red Sebastian "Strobe Lights"
Stefanie Callebaut [nl] "Gloria"
  • Jeroen Swinnen
  • Stefanie Callebaut

Shows

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Showcase shows

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The two showcase shows were filmed on 10 and 14 December 2024 at the VRT Studio 5 in Brussels and will be aired on 18 and 25 January 2025.[12] In each show four competing artists will each perform their candidate song for the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest without any staging and a cover version of a past Eurovision Song Contest song.[13]

Show 1 – 18 January 2025[14]
Draw Artist Song Cover (Original artist)
1 Grace "Pull Up" "Voilà" (Barbara Pravi)
2 Leez "Perfectly Imperfect" "Heroes" (Måns Zelmerlöw)
3 Le Manou "Fille à papa" "J'aime la vie" (Sandra Kim)
4 Lenn "Air Balloon" "Ik heb zorgen" / "Jennifer Jennings" (Louis Neefs)
Show 2 – 25 January 2025[15]
Draw Artist Song Cover (Original artist)
1 Jelle van Dael "Monster" "City Lights" (Blanche)
2 Mentissa "Désolée" "Rise Like A Phoenix" (Conchita Wurst)
3 Stefanie Callebaut "Gloria" "Tattoo" (Loreen)
4 Red Sebastian "Strobe Lights" "Arcade" (Duncan Laurence)

Final

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The final will take place on 1 February 2025 at the EMG Studio 7 in Vilvoorde.[12] Each artist will perform their candidate Eurovision song and the winner will be selected by the combination of results from an expert jury and a public televote.

Final – 1 February 2025
Draw Artist Song
TBA Grace "Pull Up"
Jelle van Dael "Monster"
Le Manou "Fille à papa"
Leez "Perfectly Imperfect"
Lenn "Air Balloon"
Mentissa "Désolée"
Red Sebastian "Strobe Lights"
Stefanie Callebaut "Gloria"

Ratings

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Viewing figures by show
Show Date Viewers Ref.
Showcase show 1 18 January 2025 528,705 [16]
Showcase show 2 25 January 2025
Final 1 February 2025

References

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  1. ^ a b "Belgium". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  2. ^ Washak, James (8 May 2024). "🇧🇪 Belgium: Eurosong Returns to Select Eurovision 2025 Entry". Eurovoix. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b "De kleinzoon van Louis Neefs en de zus van Metejoor: dit zijn de 8 kandidaten voor Eurosong 2025" [Louis Neefs' grandson and Metejoor's sister: these are the 8 candidates for Eurosong 2025]. vrtnws.be (in Flemish). VRT. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  4. ^ Farren, Neil (14 November 2024). "🇧🇪 Belgium: Eurosong 2025 Artists Revealed". Eurovoix. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Van Franstalig en dansbaar tot klassieke Songfestivalpop: ontdek de eerste fragmenten uit de Eurosong-nummers". vrtnws.be (in Dutch). 13 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  6. ^ Farren, Neil (3 June 2024). "🇧🇪 Belgium: No Public Submissions for Eurosong 2025". Eurovoix. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Van backstage in Vlaanderen tot in Bazel: de weg naar Eurosong 2025". VRT (in Dutch). 17 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Mentissa over haar 'Eurosong'-liedje: 'Mensen zullen verrast zijn'". Songfestival.be (in Dutch). 15 November 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  9. ^ "De kleinzoon van Louis Neefs en een ster uit Frankrijk: alle namen voor 'Eurosong 2025' zijn bekend" [Louis Neefs' grandson and a star from France: all names for 'Eurosong 2025' are known] (in Flemish). Het Laatste Nieuws. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Belgium 2025: Lineup for 'Eurosong' revealed". Eurovision.tv. EBU. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  11. ^ Veen, Robin De (9 January 2025). "Ontdek de nummers en jury van Eurosong 2025". VRT 1 (in Flemish). Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Eurosong: toegankelijk event" [Eurosong: accessible event] (in Flemish). VRT. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Belgium: Eurosong 2025". Eurovisionworld. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  14. ^ "Vanavond: 1e uitzending 'Eurosong 2025'". Songfestival.be (in Dutch). 18 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  15. ^ "VRT MAX". www.vrt.be. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  16. ^ "TV | CIM". www.cim.be. Retrieved 24 January 2025.