Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008

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Eurovision Song Contest 2008
Country Belgium
National selection
Selection processEurosong '08
Selection date(s)Heats:
27 January 2008
3 February 2008
10 February 2008
17 February 2008
Semi-finals:
24 February 2008
2 March 2008
Final:
9 March 2008
Selected entrantIshtar
Selected song"O Julissi"
Selected songwriter(s)Michel Vangheluwe
Finals performance
Semi-final resultFailed to qualify (17th)
Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2007 • 2008 • 2009►

Belgium made its 50th appearance at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. This year Flemish broadcaster VRT was in charge of selecting the Belgian entry and chose it through the programme Eurosong. The winning song was selected on Sunday, 9 March 2008.[1]

At the Eurovision Song Contest Belgium performed in the first semi-final in Belgrade on 20 May 2008. They performed sixth on the night between the debut entries of San Marino and Azerbaijan. After scoring 16 points the song finished 17th out of 19 entries and failed to qualify for the final. It was also the last Eurosong to date.

Before Eurovision[]

Eurosong '08[]

Eurosong '08 was the national final that selected Belgium's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. The competition consisted of four heats that took place on 27 January, 3 February, 10 February and 17 February 2008, two semi-finals that took place on 24 February and 2 March 2008, followed by a final on 9 March 2008 where the winning song and artist were selected. All seven shows took place at the VRT studios in Brussels, hosted by Bart Peeters and broadcast on Eén.

Format[]

Four heats took place on 27 January, 3 February, 10 February and 17 February 2008. From each heat, five entries competed and two proceeded to the semi-finals. Out of the remaining non-qualifying acts from the heats, two wildcard acts were selected to proceed to the semi-finals. The semi-finals took place on 24 February and 2 March 2008. From each semi-final, five entries competed and two proceeded to the final. Out of the remaining non-qualifying acts from both semi-finals, a wildcard act was selected to proceed to the final. The final took place on 9 March 2008 where the winner was chosen. The results of all seven shows were determined by public televoting.

During each of the seven shows, a panel of three experts provided commentary and feedback to the artists and selected the wildcard acts to advance in the competition. These experts were:

Competing entries[]

On 24 April 2007, VRT opened a submission period for artists and composers to submit their songs, with the deadline concluding on 23 November 2007.[2] 450 entries were submitted, and on 17 December 2007, the broadcaster announced the twenty entries selected for the competition.[3][4]

Artist Song Songwriter(s)
A Butterfly Mind "Lonely Hearts on Wheels" Annelies Cappaert
Brahim "What I Like About You" Brahim Attaeb, Alan Glass
Di Bono "I'm Not Sorry" Frederic Di Bono, Liset Alea
EFR "Your Guiding Star" Sergio Quisquater, Vincent Pierins, Patrick Hamilton
Elisa "Around the World" Ove Andre Brenna
Ellis-T "My Music" Regi Penxten
Esther "Game Over" Alan Ross, David James, John McLaughin, Esther Sels, Ingrid Mank
Eva Darche "We Breathe" Marc Paelinck, Jamie Winchester
Femme Fatale "Decadence" Gerard James Borg, Mik Tanczos, Frank Jordens
Francesco Palmeri "Vagabundo" Francesco Palmeri
Geena Lisa "Wheel of Time" Geena Lisa, Sebastien Duthoit, Yves Barbieux
Ishtar "O Julissi Na Jalini" Michel Vangheluwe
Katy Satyn "Magical Sensation" Jens Engelbrecht, Stina Engelbrecht, Anders Lennartsson, Göran Månsson
Kenza "Breaking All the Rules" Rudolf Hecke
Nelson "If I Can't Find My Love" Nelson Morais
Paranoiacs "Shout It Out" Hans Stevens, Raf Stevens
Raevan "Shut Down the Heatmachine" Michael Garvin, Marc Paelinck
Sandrine "I Feel the Same Way" Michelle Lawson, Peter John Vettese, Felix Howard
Tanya Dexters "Addicted to You" Thomas G:son, Bobby Ljunggren, Henrik Wikström
Tabitha Cycon "Rumour Has It" Marc Paelinck, Marwenna Diame

Heats[]

Four heats took place on 27 January, 3 February, 10 February and 17 February 2008. Five entries competed in each heat and a public televote determined the top two to proceed to the semi-finals. Wildcards were also awarded to two of the eliminated acts which also proceeded to the semi-finals.

Heat 1 – 27 January 2008
Draw Artist Song Place Result
1 Katy Satyn "Magical Sensation" 1 Advanced
2 Raevan "Shut Down the Heatmachine" 3-4 Eliminated
3 Brahim "What I Like About You" 2 Advanced
4 Eva Darche "We Breathe" 5 Eliminated
5 Femme Fatale "Decadence" 3-4 Eliminated
Heat 2 – 3 February 2008
Draw Artist Song Place Result
1 Kenza "Breaking All the Rules" 3-4 Eliminated
2 EFR "Your Guiding Star" 3-4 Eliminated
3 Ishtar "O Julissi Na Jalini" 1 Advanced
4 Esther "Game Over" 5 Eliminated
5 Tanya Dexters "Addicted to You" 2 Advanced
Heat 3 – 10 February 2008
Draw Artist Song Place Result
1 Ellis-T "My Music" 4 Eliminated
2 Tabitha Cycon "Rumour Has It" 3 Wildcard
3 Di Bono "I'm Not Sorry" 5 Eliminated
4 Nelson "If I Can't Find My Love" 1 Advanced
5 Geena Lisa "Wheel of Time" 2 Advanced
Heat 4 – 17 February 2008
Draw Artist Song Place Result
1 Francesco Palmeri "Vagabundo" 5 Eliminated
2 Paranoiacs "Shout It Out" 2 Advanced
3 Elisa "Around the World" 4 Eliminated
4 A Butterfly Mind "Lonely Hearts on Wheels" 3 Wildcard
5 Sandrine "I Feel the Same Way" 1 Advanced

Semi-finals[]

Two semi-finals took place on 24 February and 2 March 2008. Five entries competed in each heat and a public televote determined the top two to proceed to the final. A wildcard were also awarded to one of the eliminated acts which also proceeded to the final.

Semi-final 1 – 24 February 2008
Draw Artist Song Place Result
1 Tanya Dexters "Addicted to You" 5 Eliminated
2 Nelson "If I Can't Find My Love" 1 Advanced
3 Paranoiacs "Shout It Out" 2 Advanced
4 A Butterfly Mind "Lonely Hearts on Wheels" 4 Eliminated
5 Katy Satyn "Magical Sensation" 3 Eliminated
Semi-final 2 – 2 March 2008
Draw Artist Song Place Result
1 Geena Lisa "Wheel of Time" 5 Eliminated
2 Tabitha Cycon "Rumour Has It" 4 Eliminated
3 Sandrine "I Feel the Same Way" 2 Advanced
4 Ishtar "O Julissi Na Jalini" 1 Advanced
5 Brahim "What I Like About You" 3 Wildcard

Final[]

The final took place on 7 March 2008. The winner, "O Julissi Na Jalini" performed by Ishtar, was determined by a public televote.

Final – 7 March 2008
Draw Artist Song Place
1 Brahim "What I Like About You" 4
2 Paranoiacs "Shout It Out" 3
3 Nelson "If I Can't Find My Love" 5
4 Sandrine "I Feel the Same Way" 2
5 Ishtar "O Julissi Na Jalini" 1

At Eurovision[]

Commentary during the event was provided in Dutch by Bart Peeters and André Vermeulen on VRT, and in French by Jean-Louis Lahaye and Jean-Pierre Hautier on RTBF.[5] The Belgian spokesperson was Eurosong '08 runner-up Sandrine Van Handenhoven.[6]

Voting[]

Points awarded to Belgium[]

Points awarded to Belgium (Semi-final 1)[7]
Score Country
12 points
10 points  Netherlands
8 points
7 points
6 points  Estonia
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point

Points awarded by Belgium[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Belgium: 450 songs received for Eurosong 2008". Archived from the original on 26 November 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
  2. ^ Royston, Benny (24 April 2007). "Belgium launches Eurosong 2008". Esctoday.
  3. ^ "Belgium 2008".
  4. ^ Royston, Benny (17 December 2007). "Belgium: 20 finalists for Eurosong announced". Esctoday.
  5. ^ "RTBF – La 1 – Concours Eurovision de la chanson". rtbf.be. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
  6. ^ "Belgium: Sandrine to announce Belgian votes". Archived from the original on 26 April 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2008.
  7. ^ a b "Results of the First Semi-Final of Belgrade 2008". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 24 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Results of the Grand Final of Belgrade 2008". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 24 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.

External links[]

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