Brussels, 14 oktober 2022
More information concerning Belgium’s upcoming NF has surfaced. Belgian fan website Songfestival.be reports that VRT’s upcoming Eurovision selection will feature seven Flemish talents and is set to air mid-February. The competition will take place inside the Paleis 12 indoor arena in Brussels.
Eurosong BE is also slated to feature fourteen songs, two for each participating artist. How long the concourse will take, and over how many different broadcasts, is still a mystery.
VRT refuse to confirm which Flemish artists are set to participate, but there are several we can currently rule out: The following rumoured artists are stated to NOT participate:
- BAZART
- Berre
- Camille D’hont
- Cleymans & Van Geel
- Clouseau
- Laura Tesoro
- Natalia
- Niels De Stadsbader
- Oscar & The Wolf
- Pommelien Thys
Each of these had been reportedly invited by VRT and declined the honours.
This still leaves several names open, specifically that of The Voice winner Grace, who had expressed her interest before. Another heavily rumoured participant, The Starlings, a pop duo consisting of 2010 participant Tom Dice and his wife Kato Callebaut, could also still be a part of the upcoming Belgian line-up.
Even though several big names have now been officially eliminated from contention, VRT also underscores their hunger to win the contest, or as Songfestival.be quotes them: “The competition that is a matter of stately importance is back, and yes, we want to win [Eurovision].”
Whether this will actually amount to anything remains to be seen, but once we have more info, we’ll be here to report on it.
Belgium has boasted an above average qualification record at Eurovision since the return of juries, with disappointing finale placements in the 2021 and 2022 contests. The Benelux state won the contest exactly once, in 1986 with Sandra Kim’s ‘J’aime la vie”. Kim remains the youngest person to ever win Eurovision, being merely thirteen at the time. The best Flemish result is Tom Dice’s 6th place at the 2010 contest.
The winner of Eurosong 2023 will get to represent Belgium at the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Liverpool.
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