After the first heat of Eurosong 2016 on last Sunday, the Belgian-Flemmish broadcaster VRT revealed today the names of the 5 competing songs and a small description of each. It is worth noticing that all the songs are in English.
Last Sunday in the first show of Eurosong 2016 we saw the five hopefuls performing Eurovision covers, now this weekend we will be hearing the competing songs for the first time. Today VRT revealed the titles of the songs that will be performed by the five Belgian candidates and short descriptions of the style of them. The singers and their song titles are:
- Adil Aarab – In Our Nature (Adil brings a song with a message, a well-arranged pop song with energetic refrain)
- Amaryllis Uitterlinden – Kick The Habit (An atmospheric and richly arranged pop song with a story and an addictive chorus)
- Astrid Destuyver – Everybody Aches (Astrid’s fragile voice comes fully into its own in this contemporary combination of a soul-ballad and electronics)
- Laura Tesoro – What’s The Pressure (This is Laura as we know her: energetic and driving funkpop. Coupled with a set of searing winds have to give that spark)
- Tom Frantzis – I’m Not Lost (Tom throws out all the stops with a contemporary beautiful pop song)
The second heat of Eurosong 2016 will be on the 10th of January where as previously mentioned the five candidate songs for Stockholm, will be presented to the Belgian audience. Just as in the first show, there will not be an elimination. Tom Helsen and Beverly Jo Scott will be the judges providing the participants some advice for their voice and stage presentation. The final show will be held on January 17, with Hadise and Christer Björkman as judges. The winner will be decided by ten European juries and the TV viewers via televoting.
Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
Belgium has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 57 times since making its debut as one of the seven countries at the first contest in 1956. The only countries with more appearances are Germany (59), France (58) and the United Kingdom (58). Belgium has been absent only three times in total, due to low scores in the previous years that relegated them from the contest. The country has won the contest once, in 1986, when Sandra Kim won with her song J’ aime La Vie in Bergen, Norway. Sandra is the youngest winner in the contest’s history as, despite the fact she claimed she was 15 years old when she won, she was actually only 13, something that was against the rules; EBU nevertheless allowed Kim to keep the victory when her secret was revealed. Currently, the minimum age for participation is 16 years of age on the day of the final and thus Sandra Kim will remain the youngest winner unless the age limit is lowered. By winning in 1986, Belgium became the last of the French-speaking countries to win the contest.
Belgium has two national broadcasters of the contest, Flemish broadcaster (VRT) and Wallonian broadcaster (RTBF). The two broadcasters alternate organizing the entry selection for the Eurovision Song Contest each year. VRT normally hosts a national final, Eurosong, when selecting their entries for Eurovision, while RTBF holds an internal selection process for its entries.
Last year, RTBF chose a The Voice Belgique participant, Loïc Nottet, who came second in the 2014 edition of the talent show. He represented Belgium with his song Rhythm Inside in the first semi-final of the competition. He managed to qualify for the final and came second with 149 points. In the final, Loïc finished fourth with 217 points. It was the best result for Belgium since 2003 and it was the highest amount of points ever awarded to Belgium. It was also the first time ever that an entry that finished fourth scored over 200 points.
Below you can watch the five contestants at Eurosong 2016 performing Heroes, in the first show:
