Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010

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Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Country Belgium
National selection
Selection processInternal Selection
Selection date(s)Artist: 25 November 2009
Song: 7 March 2010
Selected entrantTom Dice
Selected song"Me and My Guitar"
Finals performance
Semi-final resultQualified (1st, 167 points)
Final result6th, 143 points
Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2009 • 2010 • 2011►

Belgium participated at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, with Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep (VRT) having selected the 52nd Belgian entry for Eurovision. Tom Dice was selected by VRT to represent Belgium at the Contest, held in Oslo, Norway in May 2010, performed the song "Me and My Guitar", written by Dice, Jeroen Swinnen and Ashley Hickin.[1] It ended 1st in the Semi-final 1, and brought Belgium's first ever qualification since the introduction of semi-finals. The song placed 6th in the grand final, marking the first top 10 result for Belgium since 2003 and for a Flemish act since 1977, and also at the time became the most successful entry brought by VRT since the introduction of semi-finals.

Background[]

Main article: Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest

Belgium debuted at the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 and since has participated a total of fifty-one times. The country was only absent three times in its history: 1994, 1997, and 2001, when low scores in the previous year's contest prevented re-entry. Belgium won the contest once, in 1986 in Bergen, Norway with the song "J'aime la vie" sung by Sandra Kim. The country achieved second place in 1978 and 2003, however has finished in last place a total of eight times. Since 2005 Belgium has failed to appear in any final of the Contest.[2]

Belgium is represented by two broadcasters at the contest (Radio télévision belge de la communauté française (RTBF) and Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep (VRT)), each taking turns sending entries to the contest; RTBF is French-speaking, while VRT is Dutch-speaking (Flemish). All entries prior to 1999 except for 1977, where sung in either French or Dutch, but Belgium has never sent a representative singing in German, its third official language. While VRT usually organizes a long-lasting national final, RTBF has a history of internal selections with varying levels of success, from a second place for Urban Trad in 2003 to a bottom 5 place in the semi-final for The KMG's in 2007.

Before Eurovision[]

Internal selection[]

VRT confirmed their intentions to participate at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest on 13 May 2009. The broadcaster also stated that they would consider new possibilities related to an adjustment of the format of the Eurosong national final.[3] Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws later reported that VRT were considering two possible options: to internally select their artist and organise Eurosong '10 in order to select the song, or vice versa.[4] Among artists rumoured for the competition included Milk Inc., Natalia and Eurovision Song Contest 2003 runner-ups Urban Trad.[5] On 17 September 2009, VRT announced that a national final would not be held despite huge interest in the Flanders, and instead several experts were contacted to develop a new selection process based on seven criteria listed by the broadcaster.[6][7][8]

On 25 November 2009, the broadcaster announced that they had internally selected Tom Dice to represent Belgium in Oslo. Tom Dice was the runner-up in the third series of X Factor Belgium 2008, which was organised by VTM.[9][10] On 7 March 2010, the song "Me and My Guitar" was presented as the Belgian entry for the contest during the television special Eurosong 2010: een song voor Tom Dice!, broadcast on Eén. The song was written by Tom Dice himself along with Jeroen Swinnen and Ashley Hicklin. In addition to the presentation of the song, Dice performed cover versions of other songs, including "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis, "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon and "Like a Virgin" by Madonna. Five experts consisting of Marcel Vanthilt (singer and television presenter), Siska Schoeters (Studio Brussel presenter), André Vermeulen (Belgian commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest), Peter Van de Veire (radio MNM presenter), and Sergio (represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002) provided suggestions to Dice for his performance at the contest.[11][12][13] The presentation received a market share of more than 35% in Belgium.[14]

Chart performance[]

The week after the song presentation, "Me and My Guitar" charted in the official Belgian charts in both Flanders and Wallonia, Ultratop. In the Flemish charts, the song entered at number 2, beaten only by Natalia & Gabriel Ríos' cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", in aid for relief after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. In the Walloon charts "Me and My Guitar" entered at number 24.[15] "Me and My Guitar" also entered into the Dutch Top 100 at number 85.[16] The following week, "Me and My Guitar" went to number one in Flanders and number 18 in Wallonia.[17]

Promotion[]

Tom Dice filmed an official music video for "Me and My Guitar" in the United States, which was released in April 2010.[18][19] Tom Dice promoted his entry for Eurovision in Europe, attending and performing at the Eurovision in Concert preview event in Zaanstad, the Netherlands on 24 April, alongside acts from 17 other countries in Eurovision.[20] Belgium was also the host of a Eurovision party, held in Antwerp on 30 April, with entries from Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Ireland, Malta and Serbia joining Tom Dice in the line-up. Almost all the participants also appeared on regional TV channel TV Limburg.[21][22]

At Eurovision[]

Belgium competed in the first semi-final of the contest on 25 May, and performed 10th on stage, after Poland's Marcin Mroziński and before Malta's Thea Garrett. It ended 1st with 167 points and thus qualified for the final. The public awarded Belgium 3rd place with 146 points and the jury awarded 1st place with 165 points.[23][24] Belgium then competed in the final of the contest on 29 May, performing 7th on stage, after Bosnia and Herzegovina and before Serbia. It ended 6th with 143 points, with the public awarding Belgium 14th place with 76 points and the jury awarding 2nd place with 185 points.[24][25]

Voting[]

Points awarded to Belgium[]

Points awarded by Belgium[]

References[]

  1. ^ Schacht, Andreas (25 November 2009). "Tom Dice for Belgium to Oslo!". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  2. ^ "History by Country: Belgium". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  3. ^ Van Bedts, Raf (13 May 2009). "Eén: 'Eurosong 2010 is momenteel niet onze prioriteit" (in Dutch). Eurosong.be. Archived from the original on 27 May 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
  4. ^ Siim, Jarmo (11 August 2009). "Belgium going for internal selection?". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  5. ^ Hondal, Victor (11 August 2009). "Belgium: VRT to go for partially internal selection?". ESCToday. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  6. ^ Viniker, Barry (17 September 2009). "No Eurosong for Belgium". ESCToday. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  7. ^ Siim, Jarmo (17 September 2009). "Changes to be made in Belgian selection". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  8. ^ Klier, Marcus (17 September 2009). "Belgium: Seven criteria for Oslo entry". ESCToday. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  9. ^ Hondal, Victor (25 November 2009). "Tom Dice to represent Belgium in Oslo". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 28 November 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  10. ^ "Tom Dice gaat naar het Eurovisiesongfestival" (in Dutch). VRT. 25 November 2009. Archived from the original on 29 November 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  11. ^ Dahlander, Gustav (7 March 2010). "Tom Dice will sing Me and My Guitar for Belgium". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 9 March 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
  12. ^ Grillhofer, Florian (7 March 2010). "Live: Tom Dice presents his song for the Eurovision Song Contest". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 10 April 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
  13. ^ Grillhofer, Florian (7 March 2010). "Tom Dice to sing Me and my guitar at Eurovision". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 10 April 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
  14. ^ "High TV ratings for Tom Dice's song presentation". Oikotimes. 8 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ Montebello, Edward (19 March 2010). "Tom Dice number 2 in Flanders". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 23 March 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  16. ^ dutchcharts.nl – Tom Dice – Me and My Guitar Archived 9 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ Dufaut, Dominique (1 April 2010). "Tom Dice charts in Belgium". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  18. ^ Jiandani, Sanjay (20 April 2010). "Belgium: Tom Dice releases official video". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 22 April 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  19. ^ Siim, Jarmo (21 April 2010). "New videos for Belgium and Greece". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 24 April 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  20. ^ Romkes, Rene (28 March 2010). "Netherlands: Eurovision in Concert 2010". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 5 May 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  21. ^ Montebello, Edward (2 May 2010). "Seven countries star in Belgium". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 5 May 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  22. ^ Siim, Jarmo (9 April 2010). "Big Eurovision party organised on 24 April". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  23. ^ "First Semi-Final of Oslo 2010". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b Bakker, Sietse (28 June 2010). "EBU reveals split voting outcome, surprising results". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 1 July 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  25. ^ "Grand Final of Oslo 2010". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b "Results of the First Semi-Final of Oslo 2010". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  27. ^ Jump up to: a b "Results of the Grand Final of Oslo 2010". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.

External links[]

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