It was a surprise to many when broadcaster AVROTROS announced their entrant for Tel Aviv back in January. And now The Netherlands have kept the surprises coming by revealing “Arcade” — the stunning song that Duncan Lawrence will perform in May. The pared-back and emotional ballad will put the country in good stead as they compete in the second semi final on 16 May.
“Arcade” — Duncan Laurence
Visceral and somehow profound, “Arcade” hears Duncan discussing the “losing game” of love. Raw emotion flows from verse to chorus, and his pain is absolutely palpable. The song showcases Duncan’s undeniable vocal charms. His voice is strong yet carries vulnerability so well. It’s no wonders the bookies have placed this near the top.
The video sees a naked Duncan floating in water. It’s an eerie and gripping visual that lends itself to plenty of interpretation and which leans more artistic than provocative.
Duncan on “Arcade”
Speaking about the song, Duncan said: “During my studies at the Rockacademy I learned to address a big audience, without losing your own story. I went looking for stories that moved me and meant something to me or someone else. I found this inspiration in a story from a loved one that passed away at an early age. The song that developed is Arcade.”
“The words and chords just came to me, from the heart. With the help of Joel Sjöö and Wouter Hardy, we created a shared story: Arcade. Arcade is a story about the search for the love of your life. It’s about the hope to reach something that seems unreachable.”
“I wrote many other songs after I wrote Arcade, but Arcade felt like the heart and also like the start of the search of how I can reach other people with my songs. Of course I was always making music, for years even, but Arcade feels like the start of my career. I want to reach people with my music, and maybe help them or give them something. In the case of Arcade I have some advice for myself and I hope I created that for others as well. One lesson in life: you define your own happiness.”
Duncan Laurence, real name is Duncan De Moor, previously took part in The Voice of Holland. Ilse de lange — who coached Duncan during the show — has already expressed her enthusiasm about him singing at Eurovision.
Ilse praised his song and stated that she wants to mentor Duncan during the Eurovision week. Whether or not she will join him in Tel Aviv remains unclear but with her positivity she’s kept us excited for weeks. And now we know that she was right by saying Duncan’s song is “going to be splendid”.
Duncan shared his thanks on social media earlier. “I’m absolutely honored to be representing The Netherlands during the Eurovision Song Contest. I’m currently so busy with all the preparations. All my focus is on the music, which is the most important thing, and that’s actually what it is all about.”
“Arcade” was written by Duncan himself. The selection committee was “blown away” immediately after they first listened to the song. In May we’ll find out if Duncan can blow away Europe too.
There were a lot of rumours in the lead up to the Dutch announcement about the candidate who will represent The Netherlands this year. This included Dutch superstar Eva Simons who later revealed she is really interested and already had some songs ready.
In the end Eva missed the submission period because she waited for broadcaster AVROTROS to ask her if she wanted to represent the country instead of calling them. Instead, the broadcaster selected Duncan Laurence as their representative for Tel Aviv.
What are your thoughts on “Arcade”? Do you like the song? Will The Netherlands be successful again in 2019? Let us know in the comments below.
Duncan Laurence this years eurovision sexbomb, all time best artist by far
Vote for Netherlands or else
Yes, good entry. Not the winner though. Its the studio version that sells this, not convinced Duncan can sell this live and I’ve a feeling the staging will be a let down. But good luck Netherlands.
Yes good entry, but I prefer Spain, Cyprus or Malta
It’s not as good as Calm after thé storm, i’m still so angry that it didn’t won, but i do like thé song so well done neighbours
I’ve listened to the song for over more than 40 times now and I still get shivers and goosebumbs every time I hear it. I am completely in love with this song. 12 points from me and all my friends, because a lot of people here love it
OMG me too! I feel like half of the 1.8 million views on Youtube is just me hitting the replay button….
MY WINNER
12 points from Spain!
Yes, yes, yes! The last few days we listen to some very good songs! “Arcade” is such a good song! I love it!
Just side comment that will get bunch of negative votes. I saw reaction and the moment you saw a part of his body you loved the song… I felt really wrong about that. I’m gay myself, but can’t we talk about something other than visuals? There’s bunch of pretty men/boys there, but it’s all about music, no?
Uhm, his naked bum has nothing to do with being pretty or the triple x… Him being naked is elevating the vulnerability of the song. Please, listen carefully and do some research. And yes, this entry is all about the music! He wrote the lyrics AND music to his song. He’s not one of those entries that hires someone else (from another country) to do the writing and production…
Oh my god. This is going to win. I have Fallen in love with Duncan and the song.
I still can’t get the connection between this song
his voice is nice but the song is dull
I could more agree! Good but nothing special
it’s worldclass song, Duncan Laurence is the only artist who is gonna be internationally famous, even more than Celine Dion he’s better
Arcade reminds me of sam smith, kate bush sort of mix PERFECT
I’d really love to see the song the same way y’all do, because if so many people love it so much there must be something great to this song, but I just really don’t get it. To me it’s a well-done, yet not very exciting pop ballad, that after listening to it three or four times is not memorable to me at all and I could see it doing top three with the juries but I just can’t imagine it getting anywhere near this places with the televote. It’s definitely a decent song and I would probably appreciate it on… Read more »
Here is his first live performance of the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRpw1dLPfgM
He is able to deliver the emotions of the song.
WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER
yaaaaaasss!
2nd in the bookies, Netherlands is usually good, couldn’t wait for it… But hearing it it just didn’t give me anything. I have absolutely no idea what does this have to be considered a 2nd favourite, it’s an entry that can mostly hope to reach the final.
And eventually won
It’s not my absolute favourite, but this is probably the winning song. 😉 I don’t mind NL 2020.
Uffff..at long last, a decent song !!
Explain decent
How often can you listen to the song and still think it is a winner? Try it out.
One of the most wonderful songs that we have the honour to be hearing in Eurovision!
Timeless masterpiece!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTTgoCnVxaU&feature=youtu.be
I’m deeply moved
good song but boring in some parts – all you people can hate on this comment all you want but are you sure you are not over-appreciating this just because it is something new, or just because it is the Netherlands ? In your eagerness to find something new and special do not overlook the previous songs over this because it is nothing special. Someone said before that melodically it is simple – it has none of the emotions of Salvador’s entry, or the strong message and the quirks of netta’s song so hold your horses everybody -it is bland.… Read more »
That’s your point of view. I personally find it way more touching than Salvador’s song. His voice live is perfect (you can check the first live version of the song on YouTube). The structure of the song leading to that last chorus is really powerful. To me it is the most deserving song so far, and I don’t care about the country, the « new » feeling or anything you talked about. It will be a contender for the win – and a well deserved one to me 🙂
No, the song didn’t tell anything to me, I don’t get the hype. It will go down in the bookies as well, until in May I don’t know if it will stay in top 10.
I wish you all the best in Tel Aviv, but it’s a no from me. I’m tired of emotional love ballads.
Music is feelink 😀
This is Eurovision
Eurovision is music
Yeah, my comment wasn’t understood ?
Beautiful song. Great singer. Goosebumps. I was, however, horrified to read that Pannecoucke will be responsible for the visuals on the night. Pannecoucke has ruined all Dutch songs visually since the Common Linnets and undoubtedly he will ruin Duncan’s chances of victory as well. Again. Will the Dutch broadcaster AVRO TROS never learn??
Really? Ugh… The staging needs to be perfect
This year Ilse de Lange is going with Duncan to Israël! She will Join the staging team also. When Ilse is in the picture, I Personally not worry About the staging.
Except he didn’t screw up the Common Linnets. He needs to stage it intimately, like that.
I think he can pull a Portugal 2017 and win. Netherlands is one of the countries dying to win and host the show so I think this is their time since 2014 when they were robbed.
Perfect voice and emotional ballad which isn’t the typical Eurovision one. They need to pull a wonderful staging, dreamy-like similar to the video. Nothing massive, just something dreamy that will make the viewers travel somewhere else.
Good luck and fingers crossed for Amsterdam!
Ok, production is great but someone saw the live performance?
Duncan will never do a performance like in the video and Eurovision fans do not rate video productions.
I do not understand how you can only evaluate the video without considering that it can be just another ballad, it’s a difficult song to play and it can be disastrous in live, I can not do a complete evaluation considering only the video, we’ll wait…
He just performed live on NL television, excellent performance. Be prepared!
This is beyond amazing!
Im deeply moved and I can’t believe he delivers live even better than one could even imagine!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTTgoCnVxaU&feature=youtu.be
I sincerely hope we’re going to Amsterdam next year (or Lisbon, Conan is still my Nr.1, but this year it’s a shared first place with Duncan)
540.000 views on YouTube already. This song is going places!
Amsterdam 2020!
770 000 🙂
Already over 800.000. Passing the 1 million today!
Hot naked dude in music video. I wonder if it could’ve helped
Melodically speaking, mediocre at best
I am amazed!!!! This is the winner among released songs so far. Great job The Netherlands
The first few seconds are amazing. Then with each passing second it gets more and more boring. By the time the clapping started I felt it sounded like a thousand songs I’ve heard before in a movie or movie trailer. I do not see what people like about this song
And i don’t see why u don’t like it. Thats the nice thing of music. Everyone have a different taste of music.
O.k let me correct myself…after another listening tgis is a beautiful song and has great potential…
First Portugal, and then Netherlands. It will be hard to decide this year!
I think Sweden’s strongest. This comes next. Then Australia and Protugal
it’s easiest year ever, Netherlands is the winner, vote for them or else
Fun to hear what dutch people think. Would you be shocked if Neterlands won:)? it was long time ago 🙂
I would not be shocked… I would totally understand it!
I am shocked that it is actually a good song, had not expected that. 😀
Lovely voice …
Woke up with this song and a cup of coffee.
Everytime I hear it I want to flote with it..closing my eyes and just let me carry
away on the sound of his Voice. This song touch me so deep, I feel it allover my body.
oh come on..all you need to start the hype is to see a dutch naked man’s butt? the song is well produced but generic. Italy’s song has a better production is more catchy and has more meaning. Even Greece is better than this. Btw “love..losing game” was used before by amy whinehouse and in a better song.
A contender for the win and the hate is coming already, so many jaleous people here. This entry is now nr 2 with the bookies and that’s not because it’s generic, boring or bad…
Well said.
Please excuse my HONESTY(not hate) – i do not hate the entry. Why can’t people digest comments that are not according to their beliefs baffles me. And yes it may be a contender in your view not in mine. And please stop with the bookies – that is just a trend – you should take it into account only after the rehearsals and the semi live performances. I just do not understand the hype…sorry ..and you should understand the meaning of the word jealousy before using it 😉
“all you need to start the hype is to see a dutch naked man’s butt?” is prejudice and borderline discrimination, not honesty. Even though Italy is also my clear favourite atm, it’s not about digesting comments that are against someone’s belief, it’s about respecting others. Practice what you preach.
Oh I am practicing what i preach..that line from my comment comes directly from this review : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41sY7bDP7eY&t=182s – it was not a judgement or a prejudice but an observation of what some reviewers commented on the song. And also mark the punctuation -I asked a question – it was not a statement. In my comment my statement refereed on what i feel about the song not about the people. Again with the touchy feely emotions people? It saddens me how easy it has become to point fingers and yell prejudice these days.
You are bringing subjective opinions like if they were objective: “Italy’s song has more meaning”, “even Greece is better than this”. I respect that you like those songs more than Arcade, but those are just your personal opinions, not statements. And, honestly, its not up to you (or me) to decide if a certain song has more or less “meaning”; that’s something personal.
That said, I like the Dutch entry more than the Greek (though I like their song too) and much more than the Italian.
Am seriously hoping for either Amsterdam or Reikjavik 2020
If one can not make a statement in his/ her own name what is there left for us? We each have our opinions and I am stating mine.
Hey good for you, that is your opinion, do you feel relieved now?
There is a big difference in sharing your opinion, you choose do it the more hatefull way… and mostly what you share you get back but even more….
and then you say, why can’t I just share my opinion? Duhhhh I totally respect your oppinion, but your arguments why you think this is a bad song are totally bull….
In my opinion.
where is the hate? and if you point to the “naked butt” part please read one of my comments from above where i mentioned what’s up with that, and my arguments for why i think it is overhyped(not bad – please read what people write before you preach) are simple – while listening to this song i remembered another and i preferred to go and listened to that one before this one even ended – after that i cam back and listened to duncan’s song for a couple of times to try and understand why everyone is so excited about… Read more »
Well said.
It would be nice if people read about the meaning of the video…..so easy to talk about nudity….but thats common to critisize
If it was a woman we wouldn’t have this conversation 😉 plus Amy Winehouse didn’t invent Loving you is a losing game haha…..
And I never said that. I said it was used before, and while listening to the dutch song that line reminded me of amy’s song and that i liked it and I stopped the dutch song and played the amy whinehouse one – that is not something desirable from an “contender” Eurovision entry :)). That is why I say that this song is overhyped – and yes it is my opinion and every one writing here speaks for himself – I accept that and every one should do the same.
Still more country than “Outlaw in ‘Em”
Prove me wrong!
Did you just call this country? This is contemporary/alt-indie and the total opposite of country…. Maybe listen to some Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton and find out what country is all about (and quite honestly, I wouldn’t even call Waylon country).
When I heard the live version with piano I wasn’t too impressed, but this is a case of sublime production making the whole song 100% better. It’s just fantastic, the strings on the final chorus are the icing on the cake. So thank you, whoever produced this.
This is a great song and it has potential to do very well! I just hope they don’t mess anything up when it comes to the staging.
Finally SO BEAUTIFUL!!!! I’m getting coldplay, sam smith and ofcourse Salvador Sobral vibes from this. STUNNING!!! And now 2nd in the odds?? Perhaps Amsterdam 2020 doesn’t sound so bad after all ;D
I don’t follow the hype. This is not my cup of tea.
I understand this has a great production, but i find it boring and forgettable.
I agree with you on the forgettable part (even though I love the song). I hope the staging can help with that, as having a forgettable song is not handy if you want people to vote for you.
It’s bloody amazing! Netherlands coming for that crown!
Netherlands is magic ballade
MY TOP 5
1 Netherlands
2 Iceland
3 Italy
4 Greece
5 Slovenia
To wait for Poland
WOW. I literally had goosebumps throughout the whole song. It is so well written and Duncan just pulls you in with his amazing voice. I have a feeling the staging is going to be spectacular and blow our minds (just like the Common Linnets did in 2014).
You literally had goosebumps during an uninspired indie song sung by an ersatz Chris Martin? I’m not going to question your taste level, but I would recommend you get an MRI in case it’s something neurological.
Okay that’s hurtful Strachan Readen. If you don’t like this song oké. Everyone has its own taste in music. Only you don’t have to be mean about it, if another has a different opinion. Sad….
Strachan is r/iamverysmart. He only listens to Beethoven and watches Rick and Morty. In fact he’s probably in Mensa with his 400 IQ! Sike, he’s more like this guy:
Yeah, and by that, I mean THOSE elitists who use fancy words because they think people would like them.
hmmmm. i’m calling it… italy, netherlands or switzerland this year for the win. obviously we’ll have to see what sergey brings, but it’s gonna have to be epic to beat these 3 – but loving them and here’s hoping! rounding out the top 5 hopefully australia and france. PS, still gutted for maruv 🙁
All this hype for this? It is an o.k song nothing more. I get a feeling like he tries really hard being sam smith and still comes up short…..for me it’s a NQ
It’s alright but I didn’t like it…
I really like the song itself. As of now, I can still hear something a bit distant in his voice (it’s this “too planned”, “too thought out” kind of feeling) so I guess I need to listen to the recording a few times more to really warm up to it.
It’s beautiful. It is.
Studio version is a masterpiece. The big question is how well it translates to the stage.
That being said, I don’t expect him to flop like Belgium 2017 because he can sing live.
Belgium 2017 came fourth. How is that a flop?
Not bad. (So probably in my top 10.)
Might do very well at the contest.
But I don’t see how it’s so groundbreaking or a potential winner. Slightly overhyped probably.
Also my opinion – over hyped…sad..because over the years so many good songs did not get enough recognition because of this phenomenon.
What I also appreciate about him is that he’s also a songwriter, so this poetry was written by him, even though English is not his mother tongue. I never hear this kind of sensibility in UK songs for example, whose lyrics are always so basic and a bit soul-less. I also love that it’s something personal, where the singer’s feeling are channeled in a song, allowing us to become part of his vulnerability. I’m seriously tired of all the recycled, copied and unoriginal songs we’ve been offered lately. So, thank you NL! You have my full support and I will… Read more »
I first heard it without watching the video and I was not overwhelmed. The song, was just ok and a bit boring. So I really wonder what would be of this song without the ( beautiful) video…
I heard it without the video too, and I was mesmerized just the same.
Good for you.
National selection who? These internally selected entries are BRINGING IT!! Apart from a few really good NS entries, the internally selected entries that have come out this week are really amazing.