Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper will represent the Netherlands at Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool with the song “Burning Daylight”.
Under the wing of their mentor Duncan Laurence, the Netherlands’s most recent Eurovision winner, Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper hope to bring take home the victory to the Netherlands.
Scroll down to read the “Burning Daylight” lyrics.
Netherlands at Eurovision 2023: Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper with “Burning Daylight”
After an open internal selection, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced unknown singers Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper as the hopefuls for the Netherlands in Liverpool.
Dion Cooper, 29, is a former The Voice of Holland participant, who befriended “Arcade” singer Duncan Laurence in the Amsterdam music scene. Last year, Dion supported Duncan on his club tour in the Netherlands.
Mia Nicolai, 27, is a Dutch singer-songwriter based in the United States, met Duncan’s fiancé Jordan during a writing session. After hearing their voices together, Duncan Laurence suggested Mia and Dion should record a duet on the song “Burning Daylight”. Thus, the Dutch Eurovision 2023 duo was born.
What do the “Burning Daylight” lyrics mean?
Mia and Dion co-wrote “Burning Daylight” with Duncan Laurence, Jordan Garfield and Loek van der Grinten.
Mia and Dion said: “We all have our unique problems and challenges as human beings, which are often universal; a relationship that is ending, losing a loved one, work that doesn’t suit us, stress, or when we are just tangled up with ourselves. Sometimes it feels like we are at a dead end and days go by without meaning. But just when the old is not working and your back is against the wall, there is the opportunity for growth, for something new. Say goodbye to the old life in which you don’t feel so free – goodbye old life.”
Dion added: ”It’s an ode to falling and rising. That we’re all human, that we make plenty of mistakes. That we’re really wrong sometimes, at a dead end. And just when things are not going well, that we ourselves have the choice to go for something better and leave all the old behind. That’s especially the last part of the song.”
”Burning Daylight” lyrics – Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper (Netherlands Eurovision 2023)
Songwriters: Duncan Laurence, Jordan Garfield, Loek van der Grinten, Mia Nicolai, Dion Cooper
I don’t find any joy anymore
From the same old cycle (Cycle)
Don’t know what made me happy before
From all to zero
Where did I go
Between falling and running
I’ve been trying to get on my feet in time
I’ve never been good at crying
Always wanted to be the tough type
I’m sorry I’m just human, I’m
Losing myself while chasing highs
I’m losing myself while chasing highs
And burning daylight
Hmm, I don’t believe in God anymore
Cause where did she go (Where did she go)
I don’t know what I’ve been looking for
I guess a hero (I guess a hero)
Between falling and running
I’ve been trying to get on my feet in time
I’ve never been good at crying
Always wanted to be the tough type
I, I’m sorry I’m just human, I’m
Losing myself while chasing highs
And burning daylight
I’m scared that I’m falling behind
I’m losing myself while chasing highs
I’m losing myself while chasing highs
And burning daylight
Goodbye old life (And burning daylight)
Goodbye old life
Goodbye old life (And burning daylight)
Goodbye old life
Goodbye old life
Goodbye old life
What do you think of the “Burning Daylight” lyrics? Could Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper bring the Eurovision victory home to the Netherlands? Let us know in the comment section down below!
OT: Does anyone know what time Future Lover is coming out?
I’ ve seen the premiere will be at 19.00 CET but where I don’t know…not in the Eurovision channel apparently.
And the music vid based on some snippets looks promising, one part reminds me of Sennek staging in 2018, it seems cool, now I don’t know if what I’ve seen is reliable…we will see.
Update: finally it will be on the Eurovision channel
Yeah 8 more minutes!
They have to do some promotion, go to the London party for example.
Blow them over with this quality song.
I like the “goodbye old life” part but it takes veeeeery long until the song actually gets there. I think it deserves to qualify, but it’s far from certain. It’s definitely not as bad as our other NQ entries though. (Nowadays it’s hard for a Dutch entry to be as bad as entries like Walk Along etc.)
i keep hearing goodbye old lie in the video, they need to work on enunciation
This is really one of the most boring songs in this year selection.Major dissapointment.
And someone doesn’t appreciate quality.
“an open selection”. Yeah, right…
She’s the daughter of a popular politician and lawyer, and her mom is a russian musician
Dion lost in battle rounds of the voice to rapper Brace (which was friend politics decision by notorious Ali B)
I personally want NL to send our own zdob si zdub sometime, they’re called Rowwen Heze, very cool Limburg folk rock & roll
Of course, it’s not a disaster bop or girly ballaf so fandom doesn’t like it. It’s underrated
It’s certainly growing on me. Mia & Dion certainly can sing, the question will be how the Dutch team stage the song as beautifully as past entries like Arcade and Calm After The Storm.
Nice, but is it so easy to just change your whole life? Summoning up the willpower is only the first step, then societal forces kick in to stop you.
I didn’t mean for that to sound as depressing as it does. Smiley face.
You’re right, of course. It’s not necessarily possible, and certainly not easy, to change your life. But it is possible to change your approach to life, and with that your outlook and mindset. I think that’s what they mean, by saying they’re no longer chasing highs (or as Sam put it, having your head up in space, man).
I see what you mean. From aimless wandering, to having some sort of destination in mind. Life is like a game of snakes and ladders, but we can at least try to win.
Or change our concept of what winning means.
“Content” instead of “happy”?
That’s one way of looking at it 🙂
Coffee or tea, Jonas?
Tea, please, I hear it’s good here. Milk, no sugar.
Just how I like it.
*too.
Two teas and an old bookshop.
Mia & Dion: Too many troubles. Going to change things, for the better! Goodbye old life! Hahaha! Wooo!
Societal forces: No.
Seems like a slogan for her father’s party Party for the Animals
Doubt she has had many troubles, but more quite the privileged life, living in L.A, New York
Exorbitant privilege and wealth would certainly help explain the song’s casual approach to completely changing your life.
“Bridges” seems to me to be a far more mature take on the subject. “There is always time to get back on track” could be a note to a future self who has stumbled.
You’re right. A reassuring pep talk.