Flemish public broadcaster VRT has revived Eurosong — the country’s iconic Eurovision selection show. According to local newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, Belgium will select its Eurovision 2023 contestant on 14 January.
We already knew that the selection would feature seven artists with two songs each, but HLN — which has consistently provided the Flemish public with insider rumours that have come true — now claims that artists might actually sing three songs.
Although VRT initially announced that the return of Eurosong would mean a series of weekends with prime time television shows, HLN reports that the national final will be concluded rather early. According to the paper the final will take place on 14 January in Brussels.
Next to that, Eurosong 2023 will have a jury panel that will give constructive feedback and advice to the acts, but won’t vote. Eurovision 2019 winner Duncan Laurence is reportedly among the members of the jury panel.
What will Eurosong 2023 look like?
Although HLN has not received all the details on the format yet, they could report in their podcast De Mediawatchers that the selection will have two well-known names, likely including The Starlings, and five unknown acts.
The whole selection process will conclude within the space of one week. Although VRT had wanted multiple Sunday night shows, the broadcaster seems to have settled on a more intense alternative now with multiple shows within the space of one week.
The podcast noted that within the management board of the VRT, there had been a strong call to send an act to the contest it could pour pride into, in contrast to the broadcaster’s somewhat meek efforts in the past.
According to HLN journalist Desna Lespinoy, the show’s host Peter Van de Veire is enthusiastic about the potential of the acts, saying that despite the somewhat unclear initial call for songs, the eventual tracks do deliver what they were hoping for.
Are you excited to see what Belgium will bring to Eurovision? Will you watch Eurosong in January? Let us know in the comments down below!
Unrelated, but the three judges for Vidbir (as voted by Ukrainians) have been chosen.
Taras Topolya (17.41%), Jamala (15.71%) and the frontwoman of the Hardkiss Yuliya Sanina (15.70%) were selected.
Go_A’s Kate only received 9.20% of votes, leaving her 2nd to last, unfortunately.
Some very sad news. One of Belgians most friendliest artists, Nicole ( of Hugo) , who represented Belgium at Eurovision 1973 with the song Baby Baby, has passed away,
An icon
So excited for the starlings . Indeed with Tom dice ( me and my guitar ESF) and his wife Kato . The did I show on tv (VTM) love for music ( liefde voor muziek) . We loved them because Tom dice is good , kato is good but together they are match in heaven.
i still hope belgium surprises us and actually has a good nf. lol
It’s good Belgium is trying unlike countries like Armenia which has only given us boring songs in the past few years.
you may believe Armenia has been boring in your opinion, and I’m okay with that, but they are definitely trying.
They used a national final in 2017 and 2018 in hopes of a good result, when that didn’t work they went internal. That shows they were trying to get a good result and changed their methods when they did terribly. After they did badly in 2019, they had a national final to get a better result. (trying)
Don’t compare two countries doing the same thing, and then for political reasons say one is doing worse than another.
Armenia? Are you sure you didn’t mean Azerbuyjan?
They’ve been dissapointing too, but even longer, their entries from 2014 onwards have been just bland. Personally I wouldn’t have had them on the final other than 2017 & 2019.
I am starting to wonder if it is all over for Belgium before it has even started. Three songs per artist and a very early air date for the national final? These don’t sound like good signs. I can only hope for the best for Belgium.
Denmark 2013 was one of the first chosen songs so that argument goes out the window.
3 songs per artist is a lot though…
OK, maybe the early air date is a bit of an over Reaction on my part (In fact, it would be nice to have like an even pacing of song releases and national finals for once). I guess I’m just concerned That the people behind the Belgian national final may not know what they’re doing Since Belgium Hasn’t done a national final in a long time. They may be a little out of practice and it could show if the quality is bad. I hope everything works out in the end, but I just have that little bit of doubt.
The Starlings Is Tom Dice (Belgique 2010)
Belgium*?
He had the first great Belgian song in years. After two pretty, but underrated NQs in 2005 and 2006, Belgium has sent three abysmal acts in a row. I honesly can’t tell which among Love Power (2007), O Julissi (2008) and Copycat (2009) is the biggest disaster. The suddenly… bam… Belgium brings a masterful top 5-level entry, and actually finishes there with it! Dice was outstanding, and the lyrics are simply phenomenal. Certainly one of my favorites of that era. If Dice and his wife are indeed in, this will be a sweet 2010 reunion between him and Estonia’s Robin… Read more »
Edit: Dice actually finished 6th (2 points away from the 5th), but it’s still a fantastic result, especially for Belgium at the time. It’s also a fan-favorite that aged very well. Some of my friends who don’t follow ESC in general love this song.
Belgium is my last place in both 2007 and 2008. Somehow they managed not to be in 2009, because Netherlands and Bulgaria were surprisingly even worse, but it’s still a three year strike for me. Perhaps O Julissi would be the worst one, though, simply because of they didn’t even bother with the diversity of lyrics. It sounds vaguely Eastern-Slavic at parts, but it’s basically pure nonsense. 😉 2010 was such a good year for me. Belgium is right there on top, but there were many good songs. Perhaps unconventionally, my winner is Spain, but I also really love Ukraine,… Read more »
What year are you talking about? I’m a little confused.
Well that was my Q – i really dont know if He is behind Starlinks tho
Duncan Laurence will be representing Netherlands next year. Conflict of interest, sorry.
As composer….
He’s not voting so no conflict of the sort.