Belgium‘s Laura Tesoro is a force of nature. She is young, free and funky, and can roll with the punches — as when Kate Ryan trashed her on Twitter. wiwibloggs caught up with the Belgian starlet after her first rehearsal and Laura was riding high on a performance that changed more than a few opinions. As we now know girlfriend totally slayed the pack, finishing third in her semi-final — even coming ahead of Jamala with the jury. In the final she had to open the entire show, but she still managed to come 10th. In short, Laura slayed.

And that makes re-watching her old interviews all the more interesting. Laura knew not to pay attention to initial reactions to her song and instead had her eyes fixed on the reaction to her “total package”. Playing the waiting game really paid off.

She’s underwent intensive preparation for the contest to ensure she gave Belgium its best chance of repeating Loic’s success last year.

“The schedule has been really hectic, we took a lot of time to figure out how to upgrade the act and song, and search for backing dancers who could sing as well as dance.”

The entire process has been a learning experience since Eurosong.

Laura was modest throughout. “I didn’t expect to win, there were five different artists, with different genres and that was an opportunity for us to all learn from each other.”

In Stockholm she admitted that “What’s The Pressure” is her favourite track that she’s recorded and that the rehearsal was amazing, “because the stage is huge and beautiful.”

 

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Amor Amankwah
Amor Amankwah
7 years ago

Happy for Laura but how the hell did she get placed before Jamala in the jury vote? Even if you did not like Jamala’s song to place it behind Belgium’s very weak, dated track was very strange.

Angel
Angel
7 years ago

I was pretty angry about the way the media in my country pushed Laura forward in our national selection. I really thought she wouldn’t pass the semi final with that song. I still don’t like the song but wow what a performance, she nailed it. She didn’t have the best song but she sure had the best performance. I also think she would have ended up higher if she didn’t have to open the show. I’m very proud of her.

mawnck
mawnck
7 years ago

I’m with Kate Ryan. If that’s funk, then I’m Muddy Waters.

I’m not saying Laura’s 10th place was unfair. Just wrong. 🙂

Huh
Huh
7 years ago

Not a lot of people here believed in Laura’s funk and success, even some of the people who commented here before.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
7 years ago

She did great.

Steven Keenan
7 years ago

So glad that she was one of the success stories this year. She deserves it! She oozes positivity and remained in my top 10 songs from the national final to Eurovision and is still going strong!

Jonas
Jonas
7 years ago

They should have had a “mistake” backstage camera stumble shot as an homage to Kate.

Maya
Maya
7 years ago

I would like to see Kate Ryan dance and sing like that at the same time!

Well done Laura, if you didn’t have the bad luck of opening the show you would have finished in an even higher spot!

Malfidus
Malfidus
7 years ago

I really, truly couldn’t stand this song when I first saw it (way back when it was first announced), but she really pulled it out of the bag at Eurovision. It was a fun, memorable song and I think it deserved to do well. It’s what Say Yay wanted to be but failed.

XoniPeligrosa
XoniPeligrosa
7 years ago

Her song was really good! Still dont know why people didnt like it

Stan
Stan
7 years ago

@ Pollaski Russia is doing well this century, that’s for sure. I think 3rd is a good position for them this year, considering the song is not as good as last year’s and nothing can beat baking cookies on stage as an act! It’s a nice list. I am proud to see that Belgium is ranked 3rd (after Germany and Malta) if you take out countries that are part of a block (Nordic, Baltic, former YU) or have large diasporas! All our entries that survived the semis also ended up in the top 15, so I think both our broadcasters… Read more »

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

@Hector

How is it unfair?

Just because you don’t agree with a decision doesn’t mean the decision is corrupt.

Alex
Alex
7 years ago

She was amazing, Belgium is doing so well the last years, well done!

I thought she would do better in televoting but the draw position hurt her a bi.t

Héctor
Héctor
7 years ago

I didn’t like it, I still don’t like it. In fact, I think her 10th position is unfair.

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

My reply to Stan’s post… not Stan’s song. The hell is wrong with me.

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

Since its relevant with Stan’s song- here’s my 21st century Eurovision standings (Top 25 only)

1. Russia
2. Sweden
3. Ukraine (+1)
4. Greece (-1)
5. Turkey
6. Azerbaijan
7. Norway
8. Denmark
9. Romania
10. Armenia (+4)
11. Bosnia & Herzegovina (-1)
12. Estonia (-1)
13. Serbia (-1)
14. Germany (-1)
15. Malta
16. Latvia
17. Belgium (+1)
18. France (+2)
19. Italy (-2)
20. Spain (-1)
21. Israel (+1)
22. United Kingdom (-1)
23. Austria (+1)
24. Iceland (-1)
25. Netherlands (+1)

jr esc nl
jr esc nl
7 years ago

@Laburnum
same with my mum 🙂

ESCArgy
ESCArgy
7 years ago

I guess Angus wrote this article because he was the only one of the Wiwi jury who loved Belgium’s song!

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

@Stan

It is amusing that Belgians are thrilled with Tenth, and the Russians are screaming bloody murder over third. But at the same time- its like West Ham fans and Man U fans. Russia is, objectively, the most successful Eurovisoin country in the 21st century. Belgium… is not. So there’s an extreme difference of expectations there.

mad-professor
mad-professor
7 years ago

The song is still bad and the vocals weren’t that great on the night either.

Silvia
Silvia
7 years ago

Fun fact: Did you see the famous knee move of Kate Ryan coming back in the dance routine of Laura? Laura’s way of saying hey to her biggest hater. And she did it way better than Kate who forgot her dance moves in Eurovision 2006 (only semi-final btw). Laura did all suprise us with that wonderfull energetic performance. No doubt she would’ve placed higher if she didn’t had to open. But 10th place is super nice and we’re all so proud of her! Kate Ryan (sort of) apologized on twitter, saying that her rude comment was about the previous act… Read more »

Karen
Karen
7 years ago

This was one of the stand out songs of the contest in my opinion. It was contemporary and radio friendly. She should have sung in Bulgarias slot after coming 3rd in the semi final and should have got 4th position in the grand final instead of Bulgaria.

Thiefo
Thiefo
7 years ago

I always loved her song, even when everybody was throwing shade at her at first, I’m glad she managed to do pretty well and ended up in the top 10. Well done Lauwraaaaah!

Marcus (day one)
Marcus (day one)
7 years ago

I still don’t like the song and think it’s a poor man’s Fluer east.

And I’m shocked that the song even qualified let alone cane 3rd.

I still don’t think Laura suits the song as her voice is weak for a song like this.

And think it performed last in its semi and songs that usually perform last in the semi ranks high.

Although good for her for doing so well.

Racal
Racal
7 years ago

She’s right, I was very skeptical when she won Eurosong, but the way she performed changed everything. She gave an awesome show and brought the song to the highest. You can see she loves performing and she’s good at this. It was also very different from all other songs this year.

Well done!

Jonas
Jonas
7 years ago

Kate Ryan was wrong. Dead wrong. I hope she realized that.

ESCArgy
ESCArgy
7 years ago

I am very happy Belgium got what they deserved this year. Personally, I like “What’s The Pressure” much more than “Rythm Inside”.

@Pollaski

I think that if they had performed later, they would probably be in the top 10 of the televote too.

Stan
Stan
7 years ago

Here we are, all happy with 10th while another country is blaming juries for finishing ‘only’ third… While, I mean… Our song was better, no? And the staging was more tastefull too, slick choreography… Sergey just wasn’t comfortable, he looked like he was worried to fall of his screen all the time… Moreover: we got hurt by the televoters… Ditch the televote! Where’s the petition 🙂

fikri
fikri
7 years ago

her performance is different than everyone else, that’s why.

Stan
Stan
7 years ago

I was a fan already in the preselection. She had more charisma and confidence than the other 4. She just loves perfoming and sells her song. I hope we see more of this in Belgium’s next entries 😉 I don’t agree with you about the starting position, Pollaski. She drew first half, I think than just kicking it off is the best she could get. You don’t want 2-7 in the running order or get yourself caught between acts that outperformed you in the semi’s already. Anything higher than 15th was a succes already! Top 10 is great! RTBF: Keep… Read more »

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

I loved Laura’s song from the getgo (#3 in my first rankings, and that really never changed), but I knew many people didn’t. I think Laura won a lot of people over through sheer force of will- she was eternally optimistic and energetic, and the fact that she owned the stage in Stockholm while so many other preshow favorites did not (coughcroatiacough) it a testament to that. The one time she didn’t look overwhelmingly upbeat was when it was down to the last spot in the final- she looked like she was about to cry in that (can’t blame her,… Read more »

Paul D.
Paul D.
7 years ago

Look, you’re performance was phenomenal, I give you that. But the song is still a very poor attempt

Laburnum
Laburnum
7 years ago

She was my mother’s favourite of the night.

MarioMario
MarioMario
7 years ago

I’m pretty sure Kate Ryan would’ve placed last in her semifinal if she had competed this year, so Laura shouldn’t really take her opinion in account.