Belgium is known for waffles, chocolate and fries. But this year it’s introduced a new addictive and tantalising treat: Blanche‘s Eurovision 2017 song “City Lights”.
The mysterious, contemporary track has received an overwhelmingly positive reaction from Eurovision fans and bookmakers, as the song climbed 33 positions in the bookies’ rankings the night it was released to become second favourite for a time.
And it’s now clear that foreigners weren’t the only ones excited. By March 18 the song had cracked both the Walloon and the Flemish charts — making it the very first Walloon Eurovision song to enter the Flemish charts before Eurovision.
In Wallonia, the song did not enter the coveted Ultratop sales charts. However, it did top the Ultratip Bubbling Under chart, making it the 51st most sold single this week. On the airplay charts “City Lights” ranked 34th among all the songs on Walloon radio stations.
The song did remarkably well in the Flemish charts. It entered the Ultratop sales charts in 16th position this weekend, which makes “City Lights” the very first Walloon Eurovision song to reach the Flemish charts before Eurovision. It also ranked 27th in airplay this week, down from 5th in airplay last week.
Symbolic success?
In odd years — 2013, 2015, 2017, etc. — the French-language Walloon broadcaster RTBF selects Belgium’s Eurovision song. In even years, the Dutch-language Flemish broadcaster does. The country has utilised this back-and-forth every year since the very first Eurovision in 1956.
It is very unusual for broadcasters to select representative from outside their region. That radically changed in 2014 when Flemish broadcaster VRT sent Walloon singer Axel Hirsoux to Eurovision after he defeated all his Flemish competitors in the national final. Although his Eurovision attempt wasn’t successful — he placed 14th in the semi-final — he became a symbol of Belgian unity. And now, with her cross-over success, maybe Blanche will be the next symbol of an undivided Belgium.
Belgium has already shown their love for Blanche, but do you think Europe will repeat the love? Let us know in the comments box below!
@DyGh “Belgium has problems y’all, lot’s of Flemings want to be independent but that’s just stupid.”
We sure have problems, literally everywhere you look. But I would not make this about ‘Flemish nationalism’. Believe me – the media makes it way bigger than it really is, unfortunately. Most Flemish people (and I really mean the overwhelming majority) do not care about being independent at all and are happy with the current situation. So let’s leave politics out of it 🙂
@Racal: the stadium doesn’t have a roof
I think Palace 12 in Brussels would be the perfect spot if RTBF wins, Sportpaleis if VRT wins (but their best performance is only 6th)
@DyGh: Btw, I just did a quick Google search. Brussels has the King Baudouin Stadium with a capacity of 50,000. Antwerp has the Sportpaleis which is twice smaller (only 23,000).
Why do you say the only venues are in Flanders?
@DyGh: Sure, the Walloons win Eurovision, then the contest goes to Flanders and all Eurovision tourism goes to Antwerp… That would never happen, that’s not how a multilingual federal country works. 🙂 That would actually be a great way to split the whole country.
I’m Swiss, when TSR (the Swiss French-speaking channel) won the contest in 1988, they organised it in the French part of Switzerland (Lausanne). No question about it. Lausanne is way smaller than Zurich, Zurich would probably have been a more logical choice. But it was never an option.
@James That’s the point! Belgium is divided in 2 (or 3 or 4, depends on how you see it). I can tell you the literal language border is nog good!
@Stan Well tradition says the winning broadcaster should host the next one but because they are taking turns it would be the other one competing.
Praying for Antwerp2018 because Brussels has no arenas which are big enough to host.
I think there’s one loser alone in his room who keeps posting plagiarism accusations under different nicknames:
– “Belgium plagiarized poor Alexe Gaudreault’s song :(”
– “Admit it”
– “plagiarism-out-of-ESC”
… Man, you could at least make an effort and try to look like different person. Be creative, don’t make plagiarism. 😉
80% of this song is copycap of Éclat… Alexe Gaudreault. My 12 points go to Canada.
@Stan
Oh!! Got it!!
@Velorin
Would you care to click on the link before randomly accusing Stan.
this song isn’t plagiat, i’m sorry to say this but Blanche will be the next Sandra Kim and will take the eurovision trophy back to Brussels 🙂
@Stan Can you please stop with your false accusations ?? This even came on Belgian television and Blanche togheter with PIAS ( her label ) checked it out and did plagiarism tests and it came back false, so can you STOP with telling people things you have no clue about ?
@Kris
The composer found out during the contest and it was settled outside the court one or two years later
@Stan
How was this allowed!! That’s not plagiarism. Its blatant translation.The melody is 100% same
This is plagiarism. It needs to be a copy, not similar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8IwgusTdyI
@Polegend Godgarina: If only you had a better understanding of how the Belgium divided music industry and radio airplay works, you would understand that french speaking songs or anything coming out from Wallonie rarely if ever charts in the Flanders zone … But I’ll let you take your time contemplating those “25 reasons” Italian singer and his gorilla .. and then I’ll let gain a new understanding of what a flop is within the Belgian territory. If that even matters for anyone desperate to have Eurovision on sunny south Europe ….
@Carlos: Asking people to NOT vote for Belgium is not gonna make people vote for Salvador. So you should rethink your strategy better … cause at the end of the day the gorilla is still gonna be the winner. So why even bother?
The fact people are actively trying to bring this song and Blanche down by throwing false accusations at her of plagiarism sickens me to my core, what is wrong with you ?
@Carlos
Only the part ‘All alone in the danger zone/flame of doubt’ matches somewhat….. The rest of it doesn’t sound remotely similar.
@AverageAron definitely above average though.
Its a good cover.Your voice sounds good in the low notes but it cracked a little at the higher notes.
Also you changed one line. Its ‘But keep the storm that’s in your eyes’
Also I like that your version makes the song sound more chirpier.Its different definitely.But it takes away from the dark atmosphere of the lyrics.
P.S. I’m commenting from an average person’s point of view.I have no music knowledge.
DON’T VOTE FOR PLAGIARISM !!!!!
https://youtu.be/S9RKvhEVGKM
Hello!
I made a cover of my favourite entry this year, Belgium and it would mean a lot to me if you would take a look at it and share your opinion about it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltrFLcOtntI&t=6s
Thank you very much,
Aron
Can’t these two Belgian broadcasters just merged into one and just have two separate channels where one operates in French-speaking Belgium and the other on Dutch-speaking Belgium, and another one dedicated for its German-speakers?
@ESC 4ever
What do ‘Heroes’ and ‘1944’ sound like?
Guys the song isn’t plagiat! The sound maybe sounds the same but that’s it…
Only Teardrops, Heroes, Perfect Life, 1944 and You’re The Only One all sounds like other songs but nobody speaks about it.
Feel pity for Alexe Gaudreault. Has anybody asked her what she feels now?
The song is PLAGIAT
https://youtu.be/Zngq3zrzk1E
After the previous Belgian win, the arrangement was indeed that the RTBF organised and BRT (now VRT) selected the song and artist. I think it was the first and maybe only time that the hosting broadcaster wasn’t competing.
It’s way too early to speculate, but if Belgium wins again, the arrangement will probably be the same. The governements responsible for the broadcasters are not really on speaking terms, so i don’t see another option…
#51 is a bit of a flop position tho, especially for this song
Lol people are saying this sounds like Eclat by that unknown singer… But when a song is popular everyone is looking for reasons to hate it. Anyways i don’t think Walloon will host the contest. Cause the best places to host the contest are in Flanders. Best of luck to Blanche! <3
Btw, @ChickenKyiv? That is rude boy.
Nowadays everybody wants independence and exits.
Putin and Trump are laughing.
For foreigners it’s like: ‘ok there are two parts but who cares’. WE DO CARE ALOT. After all, we don’t have 6 governments for nothing! (Maybe we do but that’s my opinion)
I hope music will bring Belgium together, just as it did in 1956 for Europe.
Belgium has problems y’all, lot’s of Flemings want to be independent but that’s just stupid.
but the question is: will Flanders or Wallonia get to host if belgium wins this year? xD a good solution would be letting the wallonian broadcaster host and let flanders send the artist.
I know people who were going ‘i like this, let’s check what it is’ and were really suprised that it’s our Eurovision entry this year. It appeals to people who are not into eurovision at all. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad…
@Chicken Kyiv Barry White died in 2003.
If Sweden does not win, then I hope Belgium does.
wow Blanche is so hot, i’m having a crush at her, good luck to my neighbours 🙂
Cant stand this plagiarized overhyped song
@Chicken Kyiv – D’ya think you’re funny? As if there weren’t tenors and altos in every country. If you don’t know the diversity of human voice and song you’d better keep those silly ideas just for yourself.
There must be some hormones in the Walloon water, 2015 they send a high pitched girly voiced man. 2017 they send a woman with a voice like a 40 year old construction worker/builder. Barry white would struggle to get that deep