Over the last few days, he has been releasing new songs from his forthcoming album on De Wereld Draait Door. And today Waylon finally revealed which one he has chosen for the Eurovision Song Contest. The country-rock crooner will perform ”Outlaw In ‘Em” in the second semi final of this year’s Eurovision.
A straw poll conducted by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf suggests people won’t be so enthused by the decision. Their poll, which had amassed around 2,000 votes between last night and today at 18:30PM CET, saw “Thanks But No Thanks” winning with 41% of the vote.
Waylon “Outlaw In ‘Em” Live
Waylon “Outlaw In ‘Em” Studio version
Fans had a feeling he had chosen “Outlaw in ‘Em” in the moments leading up to the official confirmation. That’s because a three-minute version of the song suddenly appeared on Spotify. This is, of course, the maximum length a Eurovision song can be.
Waylon chooses his Eurovision entry “Outlaw In Em”
During tonight’s show we got to take a look back on the five songs. After that there was a little interview with Cornald Maas. The host of Eurovision In Concert was once again on the selection committee. He said that while he gave his opinion, ultimately Waylon made the decision on his own.
There was also a little video about how last year’s winner Salvador Sobral inspired a lot of male singers to take part this year. Countries like Italy, Germany, Ukraine, Armenia and Denmark are all bringing guys to the show.
Waylon eventually returned to the chair where he had debuted each of his songs, and from the intro it became clear which he had chosen. Host Matthijs van Nieuwkerk called it “Aerosmith or Bon Jovi like”.
So what do you think of the choice Waylon made? Is it the right one or could he have chosen a better entry? Let us know in the comments below!
I absolutely love the song… I totally admire Waylon as a performer… he’s got a great voice for this style of song. Whether it’s really ‘Eurovision’… well, he made it to the final but then, so did others that I abhorred (each to their own!). I really hope the song does well – but as others have said, it’s a gamble…. Then again, who knows with Eurovision! But if they don’t like it, hey ho…. I’ll still crank up the volume on the car stereo when it comes on…
Waiting for the clip and stage performance. Black White Rock stage that perfectly follows the flow. Waylon in leather jeans and famous hat supported by a team with backing vocals giving a huge surprise act on stage! Go for it!
The Netherlands is going to surprise. Victory is coming for them! Goodluck Waylon!
Yes, this is a gamble and I appreciate this verses trying to make a formula to win. Yes this is a contest and I Actually like one of his other possibilities much better, but it would not win with all the ballads once again. Certainly different. Staging will be a BIG part of the appeal. SO we have to see. Will qualify for sure. Final. Jury votes high. Public is uncertain….. GOOD LUCK!!!!
I lOVE thuis song!!!
He’s a winner!!!
And a good looking man!!!!
Waylon is the best!!
Gutsy choice. This was the most explicitly-Rock in a contest that rarely rewards Rock, and the most explicitly-Country in a contest that rarely rewards Country (excepting the last Country performance from this exact artist, of course).
Straight into my top, will be very interesting to see how they stage it.
He nails the genre to be sure but will that much twang sell to the jury and the voting public? It could struggle mightily.
You can watch the first live performance of Waylon – Outlaw In ‘Em with his band on you tube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMn8JxQMx_8
And here is the whole concert.
https://www.nporadio2.nl/nieuws/22555/liveblog-waylon-bij-muziekcafe
And this is for the deaf people.
Great! With lyrics.
Outlaw in em – Waylon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4awYtPI3h8
Something different… county like the common linnets and rock combined. Better that most soft poppy me too songs. The NETHERLANDS rock it! A winner for 2018!
Well, another song that is not my cup of tea. I like Americana but more in the vein of Bonnie Raitt but this is entering the Bon Jovi territory. Having said that, I praise the fact that this song is also a true piece of music and Waylon delivers it with a lot of passion and authenticity. Easily the best country song ever in the ESC that I can remember.
Yes, here is the Winner of 2018, Waylon from the Netherlands
I’m somewhat curious overhere ;-)…what’s your favourite Lisa?
I’m not a fan of the genre and the song doesn’t seem to have the magic that calm after the storm had… It’s a gamble and I hope it pays off!
Great country anthem. Sounds like the real Nashville stuff and not a cheap copy.
This would actually be a good opener for semi final 2. It would certainly grab the attention.
Too american for europe
I wrote off the Common Linnets before Copenhagen, but they were incredible. This is such an unexpected choice and so unlike the songs already chosen that it could stand out in just the same way, and attract a significant pile of votes from those who wouldn’t normally pick up the phone. I still don’t feel like we’ve heard this years winner yet, but I’d like it if this does well.
What are all these comments saying NL will win like this is some kind of a new Euphoria? Are you guys from NL?
Seriosly guys? Country music in Europe? It’s like saying Bulgarian chalga might win an MTV award…
This might win Texasvision, not Eurovision.
Sorry, not sorry.
The only good thing about NL is that it’s in an extremely weak semi final.
I feel pity foar half of SF1 songs which in the final will be replaced by somemediocre SF2 entries.
That’s nonsense.
Be happy Netherlands brings (ONCE MORE) variety to esc!
I agree SW!
@ U tho…what’s wrong with Europeans singing country music…please explain…
What is there to explain? Is like Swedes singing Latin music or Romanians rap/yodel… What is the problem?!
The fact that NL brings variety doesn’t mean it will win.
I am addressing to the comments below saying that NL now is a deffinite winner. Which for me is BS.
I really enjoy this song, but I can’t see it getting broad following in the ESC. Not a lot of europeans appreciate country, I don’t think.
Also, I’m getting a shade of Blake Shelton’s “Hillbily bone” here. Both lirycally and melodically… and I don’t really mind, but does anybody else hear it too?
#teamwaylon #outlawwinner
Yes baby – You’re gonna be the winner!
Hate it. Bottom 5.
Good choice! Excellent! My nbr. 1
Appalling title
Yes, because in the Eurovision Song Contest, we judge songs PURELY off their title
@Fatima…come on it’s 2018…we don’t live in the Middle Ages anymore…
Nice choice, now Eurovision has wide variety of songs even personally i don’t really like this. When everyone just too distracted with the “song contest” while i just see the competition is just to make this event more exciting. You may not like every entries that in but it doesn’t mean you have to bash them and questioning why people like those songs.
Ah GOOD CHOICE! Congratulation Waylon.. I hope you the best in ESC 2018!
The best from those five. I don’t especially like it, but has a lot of staging potential.
Wow. You guys actually like this?
Am honestly surprised. Did not want him to pick this song at all. Putting his voice (which can be amazing) on this track is in all honesty, a waste. It’s too noisy and he does not look natural performing it. *Sigh* He had a couple of good songs, too.
Good choice, looking forward to see Waylon on ESC-stage in LXA. Concerning professionality my Nr 1 until now, in my TOP 5 with Czechia, Italy, Germany and France.
WOW! I LOVE IT!!! I am so happy he chose this! 😀
Glad to see so much negativity here, I see it as a good sign. It was the same for T.C.L. in 2014. Al lot of you guys obviously feel threatened by this entry, again.
Not the case. It’s simply not my cup of tea
and guess many of us expect already something different in the contest. But appreciate the variety given and surely will do we.
Such a banger! This will definitely qualify for the final and a top 10 position should be possible!
I wouldn’t have expected anything less from a man who took his own stage name from one of the godfathers of outlaw country music (alongside Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard), Waylon Jennings. It seems to fit his personality as a singer. I like that he’s taking a huge risk with this song (and country is a very hit-or-miss genre when it comes to Eurovision)…for all we know, he could either equal or best “Calm After the Storm” (so, basically top 2) or he could very well go the route of Texas Lightning (Germany’s 2006 artist) and place middle… Read more »
My new top: Bad: 23. Alekseev – Forever (Belarus) OK but not incredible: 22. Lea Sirk – Hvala, ne! (Slovenia) 21. AWS – Viszlát nyár (Hungary) 20. Rasmussen – Higher Ground (Denmark) 19. Eleni Foureira – Fuego (Cyprus) 18. Sanja Ilic and Balkanika – Nova deca (Serbia) Very good: 17. DoReDos – My Lucky Day (Moldova) 16. Vanja Radovanovic – Inje (Montenegro) 15. Sevak Khanagyan – Qami (Armenia) 14. SuRie – Storm (United Kingdom)* 13. Eugent Bushpepa – Mall (Albania)* 12. Laura Rizzotto – Funny Girl (Latvia) 11. Zibbz – Stones (Switzerland) Awesome: 10. Christabelle – Taboo (Malta) 9. Waylon… Read more »
* – could move higher following revamp
3 rd place for Spain hahaha.
Belarus last on you list on 23 rd will be better then Italy, Spain, France, Greece and Malta from your TOP 10.
Of course! Neighbouring voting might put Belarus entry better than quality songs, as usual with ex soviets!
Oh stop it.
To quote The Big Lebowski, “Thats just, like, your opinion, man.”
Of corse! It is my opinion and he is giving his. Quality doesnt go together many times with a good result and we all know about this.
This song is just o.k. and that’s all.
Good song, but not good as his song from 2014. The Netherlands in final , thanks to overrated points by juries.
His voice sounds like Axl Rose is places.
I don’t think this will do spectacularly well or anything, but hopefully it will get a respectable result.
…”in” places, I mean…
That was exactly my first thought. Almost trying a little too hard to do so, perhaps?
Very good song, high quality , high level, very profesional , absolutely deserve top 10 , but when i listen Spain after , i say , this is soooo touch , Spain is the winner,
Even if you are right about Spain, dont feel disappointed when you see all Balcan and ex soviets voting each other and not giving points to Spain. Remember this is all very political, so just enjoy their music
It is angry and nervous for 3 minutes without a real climax. I think it will easily qualify, thanks to Waylon being Waylon and song being different, but I predict that it will settle in the Dutch traditional 11th position. AVRATOS does not seem to understand that ‘Calm after the Storm’ was a pioneer song, being maybe first in its genre (unless you count the atrocity called Germany 2005), and the other songs that followed pale in comparison. They need another pioneer to win, not a copycat.
You mean Germany 2006, no?
Yes, sorry I meant 2006.
this song…doesn’t even sound remotely the same as 2014
what…
Not my kind of music but he has a great voice and is hooooot
good luck Netherlands, I think they will do well in the final
I’m a country boy, this song is okay. They guy from Germany has a better country like song though.
Ok, I decided to get it out of the way…. 3 minutes of screaming!
It’s not like it was just Salvador’s win to maybe encourage other male performers. Last year Belgium’s Blanche was the only female soloist to finish in Top 10. The only other woman there was Romania’s Ilinca who shared the spotlight with Alex Florea.
Not crazy about this song. It might work well on ESC stage, though.
Oh, yeah! This is becoming the Dutch signature: country in even years :3
This is a huge song and shall be treated as such. MY!
So they are probably going to introduce him as former member of the Common Linnets. And because of this the audience is going to expect something similar as ‘Calm After the Storm’. They will be in for a big surprise when he starts playing Outlaw in Em. The range on this guy is amazing. THIS is what you want to see at a song contest, THIS is music.
Majority of the voters and watchers who don’t follow ESC for more than 3 night per year barely remember 5 songs that were on last year, if not less. I doubt that much people outside of ESC bubble and Netherlands/Belgium will watch Waylon’s performance and think about The Common Linnets.
*3 nights
*that many people
🙂
Oh dear… I stopped playing this song after the first 10 seconds when I heard it for the first time. It sounded boring, unoriginal and uninspirational! Will have to sum up the courage to listen to it in full to give it a chance! 🙂
I love how Waylon said he thinks this song can finish either first or dead last. He knows he’s taking a gamble w/ this one, but he refuses to play it safe. He is going to Portugal to win. And this song could be a winner.
This is a top 10 material right here!
Hoped for “Thanks but no thanks” this song sounds great but in the end it is getting too rocky for my taste, just too much ! A better ending would make the song so much better for me!
The eurovision version is on youtube, its way less rock on the end 🙂
Probably a fine song overall. Country is not so much for me, but it sounds honest, and it will surely stand out in May genre-wise. Personally I like it best when he forgets the country twang and just sings rock, as is the case with the last part of the song.
7-8/12
I am so, SO glad that he choose this song over some of his “safer” choices. Too many countries this year are sending in “safe” entries, and the amount of risk Waylon is putting in this one will surely take him a long way! We didn’t get much of a taste of it because he performed all five of his songs just sitting down, but with the right staging and stage presence when the actual contest comes, this will go VERY far. He has the potential to make his performance look really badass and sexy if he plays his cards… Read more »
See you in amsterdam 2019!!! Its a winner!!!
No, it’s not