The Netherlands participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden. The Dutch entry was selected through an internal selection, organised by the Dutch broadcaster TROS. Anouk represented the Netherlands with the song "Birds", which qualified from the first semi-final of the competition and placed 9th in the final, scoring 114 points.
In early September 2012, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported that TROS had selected singer Anouk to represent the Netherlands at the 2013 contest. Anouk was confirmed as the Dutch entrant on 17 October 2012 through a video message posted on her Facebook account.[1][2] Anouk had been frequently rumoured and suggested by the media as the Dutch representative over the previous years, however she stated that she would only be interested if she was internally selected instead of having to participate in a national final.[3]
On 11 March 2013, Anouk's Eurovision entry, "Birds", written by Tore Johansson, Martin Gjerstad and Anouk herself, was presented to the public during a press conference that took place in Hilversum.[4][5] The presentation was broadcast via radio during the Radio Sterren programme LuiLekkerLucas, hosted by Lucas van Leeuwen.[6] The official video for the song was released on 15 May.
At Eurovision[]
Anouk at the first semi-final dress rehearsal in Malmö.
The Netherlands was allocated to compete in the first semi-final on 14 May for a place in the final on 18 May.[7] In the first semi-final, the producers of the show decided that the Netherlands would perform 8th, following Ukraine and preceding Montenegro.[8] On stage, Anouk had three backing singers: Shirma Rouse, Ricardo Burgrust and Yerry Rellum.[9]
The Netherlands qualified from the first semi-final, placing 6th and scoring 75 points.[10][11][12] Prior to their qualification, the last time the Netherlands qualified to the final was nine years ago in 2004. At the first semi-final winners' press conference, the Netherlands was allocated to perform in the first half of the final.[13] In the final, the producers of the show decided that the Netherlands would perform 13th, following Armenia and preceding Romania.[14] The Netherlands placed 9th in the final, scoring 114 points.[15]
In the Netherlands, both the semi-finals and the final were broadcast on Nederland 1 and BVN, with commentary provided by Jan Smit and Daniël Dekker.[16]
The national jury that provided 50% of the Dutch vote in the first semi-final consisted of Nancy Coolen (singer and television presenter), Carlo Boszhard (television presenter and musical actor), Kim-Lian van der Meij (musical actress, television presenter and singer-songwriter), Eric van Tijn (music producer) and Cornald Maas (television presenter). In accordance with the rules of the 2013 Contest, Eric van Tijn and Cornald Maas were both replaced in the final by Jeroen Nieuwenhuize (DJ) and André de Graaf (music publisher) after their names were released to the public following the first semi-final, but prior to the final. Nancy Coolen, Carlo Boszhard and Kim-Lian van der Meij remained on the jury for the final.[17] The Dutch spokesperson in the grand final was Cornald Maas.[18]
Voting[]
Points awarded to the Netherlands[]
Points awarded to the Netherlands (Semi-final 1)[19]
Netherlands
