He’s already had a mind blowing week, after revealing his entry for Eurovision “Arcade”.

But for Duncan Laurence the madness has only just begun.

After having to keep his involvement in Eurovision a secret for many months, he has now managed to knock Russia’s Sergey Lazarev from the first place in the betting odds.

And on top of that he has performed “Arcade” live for the first time. The performance took place on Dutch talk show De Wereld Draait Door. Featuring backing vocalists, beautiful piano playing and strings the acoustic performance was mesmerising.

The performance is moody, dark and decidedly stripped back but all the more beautiful for it. How that will translate to the stage in Tel Aviv remains to be seen.

The song also came with a very interesting music video as well, which has already had over 1.1 million views on YouTube. The video captures the vulnerability of the song, displaying how Duncan tries to swim to the surface and break through for air. He also appears completely naked in the video.

In February, after loads of speculation and mystery, Duncan was confirmed as the chosen one to represent the Netherlands in Tel Aviv.

Duncan is the first relatively unknown artist to take a shot at Eurovision, after six years of sending well-known ‘A-list’ artists to represent the country.

It was worth the wait, because Duncan did not disappoint! The 24-year-old Rock Academy graduate already got Ilse DeLange’s support. Ilse used to be Duncan’s coach when he auditioned for The Voice Of Holland back in 2014. He didn’t win the show, but kept in contact with Ilse. The Common Linnets singer is also the one who recommended Duncan to the committee.

Do you think Duncan Laurence can surpass The Common Linnets’ success? Let us know in the comments below.

GET MORE NETHERLANDS NEWS HERE

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Karin Myrvang Nyborg
4 years ago

The Netherlands taken by storm . Great impression made in Norway. Duncan went right to the top in prewiue on TV in Norway saturday.

Nicky91
Nicky91
5 years ago

Duncan Laurence, Loreen 2.0 the dutch Sergey Lazarev

eurovision icon

nothing can go wrong for Netherlands, Duncan is the all time best artist of the world

gaizkagon123
gaizkagon123
5 years ago

He is the winner of eurovision 2019!

Jean Francois Gautier
Jean Francois Gautier
4 years ago
Reply to  gaizkagon123

boring..i think people had enough of the usual ordinary every-year ballads. i believe people want something fresh. something which gives you a vibe. something you want to dance to. i’d rather go for Switzerland, Spain, Cyprus or Malta

AngieP
AngieP
5 years ago

Beautiful performance, beautiful song, beautiful voice! Everything is beautiful in this entry! Best of luck! TeamNetherlands!

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
5 years ago

Well, OMG! This is a song! This just confirms my opinion, that it would have been a much smarter moove to take this version. It would stand out so much more, because it gives space to his amazing voice (some notes should be worked out, though), the melody breaths so much better… Unfortunatly NL took the safer road… Anyway, I am really rooting for NL (besides IT and PT), because this is such a great effort.

Malin
Malin
5 years ago

What! This is rediculus. What a fantastic song. This is so good!!!!! I have waited to listen to the other countries songs until melfest is over. Started whith the Netherlands. So exited so I have to write in Swedish. Vilken jäkla låt, fick Loreen känsla. Som många av hennes låtar från CDn med Euforia. Han har samma känsla i rösten live som Loreen. Inga andra jämförelser dock med drottningen … men… fan vad bra!!! nu ska jag leta efter en silver låt efter jag lyssnat på denna några tusen gånger. Hörde först live versionen och golvades. Nu ska jag se… Read more »

Bill
Bill
5 years ago

The video is great at selling sex appeal…and that´s it. When it comes to a live performance it does not stand out.
I´m sorry but for someone who´s saying that “loving you is a losing game”, it DOESN´T feel like he means it , it all sounds aseptic and boring.

MaggieMayhem
MaggieMayhem
5 years ago
Reply to  Bill

Sex appeal? Him being naked has nothing to do with that! If you actually LISTEN CLOSELY TO THE LYRICS (& music), you’ll feel how vulnerable he is. To illustrate this vulnerability, he chose to be naked in this clip. Also, he has already expressed that he will NOT be naked on stage, so relax.

Bill
Bill
5 years ago
Reply to  MaggieMayhem

You relax baby! Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, so get over it.

Pachaz
Pachaz
5 years ago

So boring and voice is not so good …..very far from the vidéo ! I don’t like it

Sabrina
Sabrina
5 years ago

He did a very good job. The lower register still needs better projection, but he nailed the most difficult parts. Also, it was clear that this was a stripped down version, so those who missed the (amazing) production from the studio version will have the whole package in Tel Aviv. I hope he stays strong, because many people will try to drag him down now that he emerged as a frontrunner.

Jessica
Jessica
5 years ago

He sang very well, but I think that the musical part in the studio version is better and more interesting than the version with live musicians. I’m not from the Netherlands, but I want this song to win … the song is beautiful.
And I think that the ballad will win this year, but Russia is too overvalued.

MaggieMayhem
MaggieMayhem
5 years ago
Reply to  Jessica

Agree. I honestly think his management doesn’t want him to spoil anything, and that’s why he did an acoustic version of the song. It still shows that he can deliver live, but it also leaves you guessing and wanting for more…

szonline
szonline
5 years ago
Reply to  Jessica

Netherlands overrated too! This song sounds like interlude.

Yeeep
Yeeep
5 years ago

He IS good, and the song LOVELY…. But something from Coldaplays’ repertoire… nothing new or original… interested to see him LIVE…. Still in my top 5, though

Mikaela
Mikaela
5 years ago

I love this song and I will vote for it like crazy. 12p from Sweden

Jo.
Jo.
5 years ago

Armenia is out too. Now we have all 41 songs.

Esc_Decio
Esc_Decio
5 years ago

I agree
I’m disappointed
He doesn’t look like the guy in the video
I was also expecting something fresh, young, delicate, very sensitive as a performance and not something formal, dark and mature 🙁

Switzerland my number 1 now
But right behind is The Netherlands

Matt
Matt
5 years ago
Reply to  Esc_Decio

Sorry but you guys wanted to see Duncan naked in this live acoustic performance?

IdkYara
IdkYara
5 years ago
Reply to  Esc_Decio

You do realise this was just a stripped down acoustic version for television, right? Avrotros wants everyone to be surprised by the staging, so why show everyone the full package this early on?

Christopher Grevener
Christopher Grevener
5 years ago

Love it! It’s incredible

Malin
Malin
5 years ago

YES!!!!

ESC Fan
5 years ago

He seemed nervous while performing… he’ll have time to practice and rehearse till come May

stommie
stommie
5 years ago
Reply to  ESC Fan

I think the microphone was off at the start.

MaggieMayhem
MaggieMayhem
5 years ago
Reply to  ESC Fan

Yeah, very nervous in the first verse! Still flawless though! I almost feel like his nerves only makes it more vulnerable, exciting and enjoyable. However not too much! His voice is so delicate and sensitive, one false note could ruin it all (Australia 2017 lol).

Albert
Albert
5 years ago

Big like from Israel! good luck!

panos
panos
5 years ago

Does anyone know why the site of oddschecker dont let me in?

bastian
bastian
5 years ago

Poor, poor, poor… Gili… the Israel song got leaked and people are not liking it 😀 Israel doing a double? My ass! Bye gurl!

Jo.
Jo.
5 years ago
Reply to  bastian

Norway 2010. It’s boring and can’t compete against the other male ballads (Arcade, Scream, even Run with the Lions)

bastian
bastian
5 years ago
Reply to  Jo.

Yeah had to think of that one aswell, and i think Nor 2010 was even a bit better that this Israeli entry lol

Jo.
Jo.
5 years ago

some little hype for Malta, 13th now with the bookies. Their song was leaked somewhere.

Kyler
Kyler
5 years ago

Hatrid mun sigra

Ron
Ron
5 years ago

A beautiful, touching, artistic song, but hopefully the live version in Tel Aviv will be more powerful compared to this acoustic one. I’m sad to say this seems to be a relatively weak year of Eurovision. Among the other songs, this with out a doubt stands out. My personal favirite, however, is Sweden!

mark dowd
mark dowd
5 years ago

Netherlands can only lose this now with dull and bland staging….the musical product is (barring the only songs I have not heard from Armenia and Malta)….unrivalled. This is one of the best Eurovision compositions of all time, certainly of the modern era.

andi
andi
5 years ago

you dont have to drag someone down to elevate your favorite.

Ganbi
Ganbi
5 years ago

Meh, this kid doesnt have charisma. Boring. Beautiful ballad but not enough to win. Hopefully a HIT will win this year.

bastian
bastian
5 years ago
Reply to  Ganbi

well this song already sounds like a hit to me

Cat
Cat
5 years ago
Reply to  Ganbi

Could agree more with you… Good ballad but really really not enough to win

ESCalator
ESCalator
5 years ago

Very nice. But this is a stripped down acoustic version. I’m expecting a more powerful soundtrack at ESC,
and hopefully someone doubling up on that falsetto in the refrain to give it more power.

Nico deMask
Nico deMask
5 years ago
Reply to  ESCalator

Agree! I don’t think he’s gonna have 5 dancers on stage, so that gives him a chance to have 5 backing vocalists. That falcetto part is going to be awesome!

Tasha
Tasha
5 years ago

Do people on comments really complaining how Duncan looks different from his clip?lol
of course he looks different standing on the stage with his clothes on and made hairstyle, you were expecting him being naked and swimming in the pool or what? lmao!

though i hope for a wise staging for this gem, they need dress him right, in something airy, transparent and light clothes, and suronding him with a beutiful dark blue lighting , hope they will not mess it up

DDD
DDD
5 years ago
Reply to  Tasha

I hope People will vote for the song they like best, if it typical ESC or not. Vote for the one you like the most. Not the most pretty artist, not because of the dress or the dance, not even the staging. It should be mostly, if not all, about the music and vocal performance. I think the last years ESC has been more about “screenplay, pyrotechnics and special effects. For me this song is very in the top also as an acoustic live version, good vocal and a good song.

Tasha
Tasha
5 years ago
Reply to  DDD

bad staging could kill even a very good song. we have seen it hundreds times… so i hope they will not mess it up for Duncan who has the best song this year

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
5 years ago

Nice that the Netherlands can have a year where they don’t need to worry about whether they qualify or not!

melani
melani
5 years ago

it’s a good song, but I don’t know if it fits the eurovision parameters. i don’t know if we can determine the winner from now.. we should see the staging and many other things.
for me now Miki is the best, we should wait also for the israeli song.

Fatima
Fatima
5 years ago
Reply to  melani

eurovision parameters? What are they exactly? Have you not noticed that every winning song this decade has been completely different from the one it preceded?

melani
melani
5 years ago
Reply to  Fatima

the only thing that I have just said is that the song is very good and even deserves the winning, but we should wait at least for the first rehearsal to see if what we get from the clip is (at leat) the same as what we get on stage. There are many songs that according to their clip videos, they should be the winners, but after you see them on stage .. everything is changed.

melani
melani
5 years ago
Reply to  melani

btw, his live show was great.

Jack
Jack
5 years ago

happy to see it is also working live. he can sing and bring it!

Ganbi
Ganbi
5 years ago
Reply to  Jack

he can sing…but he cant bring it. He’ boring

Jack
Jack
5 years ago
Reply to  Ganbi

matter of taste I guess. I would not have liked an over the top performance here… Let’s wait and see what the staging will bring in Tel Aviv

MaggieMayhem
MaggieMayhem
5 years ago
Reply to  Ganbi

I have a feeling the staging will be vulnerable, uncomfortable, emotional, celestial, and dark. So, good enough to bring home the win.

pastel de nata
pastel de nata
5 years ago

He performed really good, well done. The melody is beautiful. It’s my no.3.

Eurana
Eurana
5 years ago

The truth? I think a little boring. Run with the lions is my cup of tea.

pastel de nata
pastel de nata
5 years ago
Reply to  Eurana

Talking about boring…

Nitzan
Nitzan
5 years ago

One of the most beautiful songs in ESC history. Iconic.

Gili
Gili
5 years ago

I just heard Israel song….OMG…….Israel is taking double….prepare to cry hard…the contest can be closed(:

Joris
5 years ago
Reply to  Gili

U gonna reply this to every post, brother?

gili
gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Joris

yeah cause he is the winner..any problems with that?. i believe you will stay in silence after hearing the song….i guess you consider freedom of speach as not part of eurovision rules…shame on you

Rimig
Rimig
5 years ago
Reply to  gili

Do YOU consider being annoying part of Eurovision rules?

Pam
Pam
5 years ago
Reply to  Gili

Where??

Bernard 77
Bernard 77
5 years ago
Reply to  Gili

You are obnoxious dude.

gili
gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Bernard 77

learn about freedom of speach, when i identify a winner i publish it, any problem with that? wanna talk about it? hear the song and then lets see how speachless you will become…i would pay millions to see your face when you will hear it

euro
euro
5 years ago
Reply to  gili

i’ve seen it… awful

Anna
Anna
5 years ago
Reply to  Gili

I haven’t heard the song, but I’m sorry to break it to you: Kobi is the dullest singer I’ve ever seen.

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Anna

Yeah . We understood you have great taste in music…next please…go back to your joke named sergey

Henry
Henry
5 years ago
Reply to  Gili

I heard it too.. and it’s dreadful, Israel is lucky that they already have a spot in the final….

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Henry

You might heard bad demo not the real thing so hold your horses

JTM
JTM
5 years ago
Reply to  Gili

Hi Gili

I heard the song from Israel. You’re right. This song is beautiful. I cried all the time, very hard. I have no words for this. Fantastic.

Bob
Bob
5 years ago

Over dated information… 😉 La Haye 2020! 😛

Grftn
Grftn
5 years ago

So obviously now he has become the favorite everybody here is hating on him… It’s tiring

MikolasFan
MikolasFan
5 years ago
Reply to  Grftn

agree, i don’t get why he gets so much hate, for me hating on humble Duncan its like hating on puppy…

Pok
Pok
5 years ago
Reply to  MikolasFan

Netta got more hate than him. It’s the people who love him matter.

Tasha
Tasha
5 years ago
Reply to  Pok

nicely said:) “the people who love him matter”

NickC
NickC
5 years ago

Top of the pack for sure, and I say he may win, but I am not ready to say he will win. The Dutch are not masters of staging. Just remember last year… or 2015….

Eurana
Eurana
5 years ago
Reply to  NickC

What about “calm after storm” ?

Kraken
Kraken
5 years ago

Cmon this with a good staging will definitely do very well…

Ffs
Ffs
5 years ago

Top 3 for sure !

MikolasFan
MikolasFan
5 years ago

it’s an acoustic version ,it’s not how it will sound in Tel Aviv except of his voice of course, which is pure and amazing , anyway with powerful beats and musical instrumental like in clip it will be just perfection!

natth
natth
5 years ago

Winner! Amsterdam 2020.

Vadim
Vadim
5 years ago

Live is nice
Video and studio version are excellent

Romeo26
Romeo26
5 years ago

Just OK live performance
Maybe because I was expecting a more innocent cute young guy with sweet bubble ass like in the video

ESC_Leo
ESC_Leo
5 years ago
Reply to  Romeo26

Same lol

JoshUK
JoshUK
5 years ago
Reply to  Romeo26

Is he the naked guy in the video?

natth
natth
5 years ago
Reply to  JoshUK

Yes

Gaston
Gaston
5 years ago
Reply to  Romeo26

+1

Mitt
Mitt
5 years ago
Reply to  Romeo26

Well… I don’t know how old you are or what is young for you, but for me the guy is young…

MikolasFan
MikolasFan
5 years ago
Reply to  Mitt

Duncan is only 24 years old , and what people really were expecting from chamber acoustic version that he would show up naked on stage with bare ass or what? lmao!

UncelDick
UncelDick
5 years ago
Reply to  MikolasFan

yes please! 😛

Bruno
Bruno
5 years ago
Reply to  Romeo26

you do realize that Duncan and guy in the video is the same person, right? lol

Alessandro
Alessandro
5 years ago
Reply to  Romeo26

Will we verify on stage Duncan is the same guy as in the video? Or is there anyway to prove it please?

Hutz_hublot
Hutz_hublot
5 years ago
Reply to  Alessandro

LOL LOL

Nick
Nick
5 years ago
Reply to  Alessandro

its him, doesn’t it obvious? lol
Duncan said it was an amazing experience to shoot under the water, i think he is a real merman

Bob
Bob
5 years ago
Reply to  Nick

Does it really matters? And he looks really thin guy on stage, instead of the man un the water looks strong… Not shure they are only one person…

MikolasFan
MikolasFan
5 years ago
Reply to  Bob

for me they look the same, obviously its his body under water, don’t think he would be lying about it , it’s just silly lol
and who said that thin guys couldn’t be strong and have ling nice muscles?

Pasadena
Pasadena
5 years ago
Reply to  Romeo26

This discussion is just so unworthy of this forum.

Bill
Bill
5 years ago
Reply to  Romeo26

That video is selling sex appeal …and that´s it.

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
5 years ago

It’s between Amsterdam, Rome, Sydney and Bern 2020 😀 I am confident about this!

Shane Dawson @ ESC
Shane Dawson @ ESC
5 years ago
Reply to  ESCFan2009

Agree. Well with Sydney that’s never gonna happen. Maybe if aus win it will be in London

Anita
Anita
5 years ago

Game over. In a way it is now boring, because we feel and almost know, he is going to win. I love “the Eurovision Games” when there is a real competition 😉 and suspense and the live performances can really make the decisive difference at the Final.

Santis_
Santis_
5 years ago

It is one of my favorites but I realize it is also one of the least replayed song on my Spotify list…..

NathanR
NathanR
5 years ago

Unfortunately I didn’t like the emotion he sent when singing live, also I didn’t have goosebumps like when I watch the video studio version.

But still my favorite
Right behind is Switzerland

Ralph
Ralph
5 years ago
Reply to  NathanR

I cannot stop listening to the Swiss entry

PP77
PP77
5 years ago
Reply to  NathanR

Agree. Too cold performance, without emotion. Sweden, The Netherlands in TOP 2 with juries, but out of TOP 3 with televote

Gili
Gili
5 years ago

Don’t understand the hype..Portugal and Italy are s
o much better

Milla
Milla
5 years ago

What hype. Just like fans do every year with some song. Nobody paid much attention to Portugal a couple of years ago and now these minimalistic performances seem to get a lot of attention after that. But I find this very stiff and borig in comparison. Not even one little smile. It’s so cold. I really don’t think it’s a winner. Down vote me as much as you like. I don’t care!

Gili
Gili
5 years ago
Reply to  Milla

This is not a winner..I agree

Pasadena
Pasadena
5 years ago
Reply to  Milla

I think fans appreciate it because it conveys real emotions. Not necessarily because it’s minimalistic.

Gavin
Gavin
5 years ago

I didn’t like the song untill I saw the live performance. He is great! Good luck Netherlands