Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019
The Netherlands participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. Duncan Laurence was internally selected by the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS on 21 January 2019 to represent the nation at the 2019 contest in Tel Aviv, Israel. Duncan Laurence eventually became the sixty-seventh winner of the Eurovision Song Contest and the first Dutch entry to win Eurovision in 44 years. The Netherlands received a total of 498 points, with 261 points from the public and 237 points from the professional juries. The Dutch Broadcaster AVROTROS was expected to host the following competition in 2020 before it got cancelled, and will host the 2021 edition in Rotterdam.
Background
Prior to the 2019 contest, the Netherlands had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest fifty-nine times since their début as one of seven countries to take part in the inaugural contest in. Since then, the country has won the contest four times: in with the song "Net als toen" performed by Corry Brokken; in with the song "'n Beetje" performed by Teddy Scholten; in as one of four countries to tie for first place with "De troubadour" performed by Lenny Kuhr; and finally in with "Ding-a-Dong" performed by the group Teach-In. Following the introduction of semi-finals for the 2004 contest, the Netherlands had featured in five finals. The Dutch least successful result has been last place, which they have achieved on five occasions, most recently in the second semi-final of the 2011 contest. The Netherlands has also received nul points on two occasions; in and. In 2018 Waylon ended 18th with the song "Outlaw in 'Em".The Dutch national broadcaster, AVROTROS, broadcasts the event within the Netherlands and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. The Netherlands has used various methods to select the Dutch entry in the past, such as the Nationaal Songfestival, a live televised national final to choose the performer, song or both to compete at Eurovision. However, internal selections have also been held on occasion. Since 2013, the broadcaster has internally selected the Dutch entry for the contest. In 2013, the internal selection of Anouk performing "Birds" managed to take the country to the final for the first time in eight years and placed ninth overall. In 2014, the internal selection of The Common Linnets performing the song "Calm After the Storm" qualified the nation to the final once again and placed second, making it the most successful Dutch result in the contest since their victory in 1975. For 2019, the broadcaster opted to select the Dutch entry through an internal selection as usual.
Before Eurovision
Internal selection
On 21 January 2019, AVROTROS announced Duncan Laurence as the Dutch entrant at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. His song "Arcade" was released on 7 March 2019. After the release of the song, bookmakers installed it as the favorite to win.Promotion
Duncan made several appearances across Europe to promote "Arcade" as the Dutch entry. He performed at Eurovision in Concert on 6 April 2019 at the AFAS Live venue in Amsterdam, as well as the London Eurovision Party on 14 April 2019 at the Café de Paris in London, United Kingdom.In addition to his international activities, Duncan performed his entry on various radio stations across the Netherlands since the song's release. On 1 May 2019, he played a sold-out solo concert at the Zonnehuis in Amsterdam, and on 4 May appeared on AVROTROS' "Muziekcafé", which airs on NPO Radio 2 prior to his departure for Tel Aviv.
At Eurovision
According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big 5" are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. On 28 January 2019, a special allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in. Netherlands was placed into the second semi-final, to be held on 16 May 2019, and was scheduled to perform in the second half of the show.Once all the competing songs for the 2019 contest had been released, the running order for the semi-finals was decided by the shows' producers rather than through another draw, so that similar songs were not placed next to each other. Netherlands was set to perform in position 16, following the entry from Norway and preceding the entry from North Macedonia.
The two semi-finals and the final were broadcast on NPO 1 with commentary by Jan Smit and Cornald Maas. The Dutch spokesperson, who announced the top 12-point score awarded by the Dutch jury during the final, was Emma Wortelboer.
Semi-final
At the end of the show, the Netherlands was announced as one of the ten countries to qualify for the grand final. It was later revealed that they placed first in the second semifinal, receiving a total of 280 points, 140 points from the televoting and 140 points from the juries. Subsequently, at the semi-final winners' press conference, the qualifying contestants all drew to see which half of the final they would compete in. The Netherlands was drawn to compete in the first half.Final
After the running order draw for the grand final, the Netherlands were placed to perform in position 12, following the entry from Cyprus and preceding the entry from Greece.Performance
The live performance features Laurence dressed in blue and playing an electric piano alone on stage with a single spotlight focused on him. He said it was to re-create the emotions and feelings he had when he first wrote the song. The backdrop consisted of blue atmospheric visuals similar to those of the music video, with a white light descending from the ceiling during the second chorus and bridge to symbolize the hope he lost and sought to find again. Offstage backing vocals were provided by Kris Rietveld, Marcel Swerissen and Sarina Voorn.Voting
Voting during the three shows involved each country awarding two sets of points from 1-8, 10 and 12: one from their professional jury and the other from televoting. Each nation's jury consisted of five music industry professionals who are citizens of the country they represent, with their names published before the contest to ensure transparency. This jury judged each entry based on: vocal capacity; the stage performance; the song's composition and originality; and the overall impression by the act. In addition, no member of a national jury was permitted to be related in any way to any of the competing acts in such a way that they cannot vote impartially and independently. The individual rankings of each jury member as well as the nation's televoting results will be released shortly after the grand final.Points awarded to the Netherlands
Points awarded by the Netherlands
Split voting results
The following five members comprised the Dutch jury:- Elise van der Horst – Chairperson – singer, songwriter
- Holger Schwedt – producer
- Ruud de Wild – radio DJ, host
- Henkjan Smits – host, talent scount, producer
- Sabrina Starke – singer, songwriter
Victory