Cornald Maas, The Netherland’s figurehead of the Eurovision Song Contest, is currently working on a documentary about Duncan Laurence’s victory at Eurovision 2019. Titled Op weg naar de winst, which could be translated as “The way to victory”, it will take a look at how the Dutch scored their first win in 44 years.

Speaking to Dutch newspaper AD, Maas described the project this way:

“I will try to answer how The Netherlands succeeded after years in which nobody in the Netherlands seemed to have faith in The Netherlands at Eurovision, although every year we came a bit closer to a victory. Thanks to Duncan Laurence, we finally won. I will outline the dark days where ended up at the beginning of this century, but I will also cover the turning point that Anouk started back in 2013. ”

Cornald tweeted about his documentary, saying, “And that’s the way it is”, referring to AD’s article about Cornald creating the documentary.

Maas, who is also a member of the Dutch selection committee and was intensively involved in the choice of Laurence, will interview Eurovision stars Ilse DeLange, Duncan Laurence and Ruth Jacott for this the documentary.

Jacott participated in 1993 — the first time that Maas was involved at the contest — and ended up sixth with the song “Vrede”.

Maas says: “She was actually the first to approach it as it became the standard in recent years: very goal-oriented and with her own team. Still, after Edsilia Rombley in 1998, things became stuck and strangled for the Netherlands. About eight or nine years ago we had even become the biggest loser at the contest. The Netherlands did not make it to the Grand Final for eight years in a row. At this moment, the viewing figures hit rock bottom. Nowadays, everything has been turned around. In a way, we have even become a guide country. I want to highlight that transformation in my own way.”

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#TeamDuncan is klaar voor de finale! ??

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The documentary will be broadcast by broadcaster AVROTROS on NPO1. The intention is for it to air on Wednesday evening, May 13, 2020, the day between the first and second semifinals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam Ahoy.

Are you excited? Do you think Cornald is the perfect person to create this documentary? Let us know in the comment section down below!

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Richard
Richard
4 years ago

Well I rather enjoyed De Toppers!

Alex
Alex
4 years ago

interview anouk too!!

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago

Anouk was responsible for the upswing, but she was also responsible for their only non-qualification since 2013.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

I don’t think so. It was Trijntje who ruined it. She was vocally flawless but a train wreck in every other way. Had she not been so lazy/boring/tasteless/whatever it was, “Walk Along” would have qualified easily. Maybe you can fault Anouk for not traveling to Vienna and making sure Trijntje didn’t make any decisions, but it’s still Trintje who tanked The Netherlands. “Walk Along” may be very simple and repetitive and should have been revamped, but I still listen to it, I actually kind of love it.

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago

I kinda feel the opposite. Even Trijntje’s talents couldn’t save such mediocrity. Anouk would never have entered with this song herself. I guess the No. 2 slot didn’t help either.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

It probably wouldn’t have. It was the number 4 slot, though. Oh, and apparently, Anouk “just” wrote the lyrics. Tobias Karlsson is credited with the music.

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago

Oh, right. I guess I block out the details of entries I can’t stand. Still, early in semi-final 1 is always tough. I suppose the real culprit is whoever matched this song with Trijntje – anybody could have sang Walk Along, her talent was wasted. If she had gotten a song that really showed off her abilities, she might’ve gotten somewhere.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

LOL you walked right into that one. The only culprit here AND the one who matched Trijntje with that song was… surprise, surprise… Trijntje! She was going through Anouk’s computer and said “I want that one”. Anouk even stated how surprised she was that Trijntje was going for such a commercial number. Nobody but Trijntje herself wasted her talent. Not on the song but on her own unwillingness to make a real effort.

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago

Okay, you win this round. I knew she didn’t have a clue about the contest, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Anouk, I’m sorry.

Rasmus
Rasmus
4 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

why is early in a semi tough when 50% of the voting is a jury who have seen the song many times before they vote? silly

Luke Mockridge
Luke Mockridge
4 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Walk Along was such a bop. It was my pre-contest favourite and I belted it out like no one’s watching.
Actually I love every song of NL from 2013 to 2016 much better than Aracade. Arcade is too cookie-cutter-ish and beige for me, especially in the chorus and the rollercoaster part.
I don’t seem to get you, to look at me one time (walk along, walk along baybear)

#1 Birds
#2 Walk Along
#3 Calm after the storm
#4 Slow down
#5 Arcade

pepe
pepe
4 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

In an interview Anouk told how it happened. Trijntje visited her, told her about that she wanted to do eurovision and if Anouk had a song for. Anouk told her NO. Trijntje asked if she could have a look in Anouk’s laptop. Trijntje then found the demo of Walk Along. This demo was presented to the selection committee and that is where Anouk’s involvement stopped. We don’t know how this demo, sung by Anouk, sounded and we don’t know how much of a finished product it was. And remember it was a song Anouk didn’t release and maybe she thought… Read more »

pepe
pepe
4 years ago
Reply to  pepe

Interview (in Dutch) is here:
https://youtu.be/Relzpk8s65M

Joe
Joe
4 years ago

It really is one heck of a comeback story. They played the long game and it finally paid off, like watching a C-student finally hunker down and study until they’re top of the class.

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

If we are to use that metaphor, we shouldn’t forget that they sent stuff that deliberately wanted to be sent to a special needs school, i. e. 2009. If you mean playing the long game since 2013, I agree. But before that, it wasn’t so much playing the game, as mocking or deluding themselves (bar 2005).

Vincent
Vincent
4 years ago

Hahaha I know, it is understandable that people outside the Netherlands think 2009 was some kind of troll act, a performance manufactured for Eurovision only to mock the contest or trying to be funny. It is difficult to comprehend for many, but it wasn’t meant as troll act at all. De Toppers are an actual real serious established group of singers which attract ten thousands of fans , which have sold out many large arenas. Their extravagance in Moscow is exactly the style in which they have performed for almost 15 years now, and their fans love it. During days… Read more »

Mr. Vanilla Bean
Mr. Vanilla Bean
4 years ago
Reply to  Vincent

There aren’t enough substances in the world that would make me cheer for that. 😛 But being from Austria, I involuntarily got to know similar kind of “music” all too well, so I do know it’s a thing.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  Vincent

I’m agog as to how anyone could seriously have thought that would get a good result.

Lisianthus
Lisianthus
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

The network thought they would do well. And The Toppers themselves did too. We (the Dutch public) did not get to pick the artist, we only got to pick the song. In 2010, we didn’t get to pick the song, we only got to pick the artist. Trust me, a lot of Dutch people knew we didn’t stand a chance in 2009 and 2010.

pepe
pepe
4 years ago
Reply to  Lisianthus

Remember it was only TROS back then, before the merger with AVRO.

James
James
4 years ago

He was “never alone” in hoping things turnaround for the Netherlands.

Gaga
Gaga
4 years ago

I love the dutch enthusiasm after winning the eurovision. Kudos for that