“Are we going to win?” It is the question I received by far the most in the days before my departure to Malmö. Joost Klein has simply caused a Eurovision hype in his own country. Grown men hum Europapa in the supermarket, their toddlers dance to it through the house.
In terms of national sentiment, the Eurovision Song Contest has many similarities with a major football tournament. Either the Dutch national team will come to collect the title or there will be a threat of a downturn of historic proportions.
Mia & Dion
Immediately admitted: last year’s Oranje entry indeed capsized even more dramatically than the Titanic. Even before Mia & Dion had left the harbor towards Liverpool, it was clear that their ship was taking on water.
The fact that the blame for this lay largely outside the duo themselves was forgotten in the tumult. The two young artists were treated mercilessly in some media and were damaged. And of course: there were grumblings left and right again that ‘we should stop with this nonsense festival now’.
It is all the more remarkable that the mood has turned diametrically within 12 months. In the past, people scoffed at countries that sent ‘circus acts’ to the festival, but now the country is wholeheartedly supporting our own bright blue gimmick. And the question about the win is of course rhetorical: of course ‘we’ are going to win! After all, we are the masters of Eurovision humor, the inventors of Eurodance and the kings of the earworm chorus.
Route to victory at the Eurovision Song Contest
Now that the festival is really about to get going, I think it’s time for realistic expectations. The Netherlands has made a smart and cheerful choice with Joost Klein, but the chance that he will win later is about as good as that of the Dutch national team at a European Championship. Everything has to be right and even then the competition – 2024 has a considerably stronger field of participants than previous editions – should not be underestimated.
The only possible route to profit leads through a surprisingly high rating by the professional juries. After all, they determine half of the final result in the final. Only if the juries place Klein at least in the top 5 will a first place come into view through a major victory among the public.
It’s not impossible. Different from last year – when Loreen with her Tattoo only had to be crowned – the battle is open this year. But it will be very difficult, because professional juries almost never rate party acts too highly. And this year the voting public also has several stunt acts to choose from.
It is therefore more logical than expecting Joost Klein to win, it is to embrace a top 5 ranking as a nice revenge for last year.
About the author: pop music and media reporter Stefan Raatgever follows the Eurovision Song Contest closely for Het Parool. Since 2014, he has attended the Eurovision spectacle eight times. This year he reports from Malmö.
How Amsterdam revived the Eurovision Song Contest
They could not believe in 1970 that the Eurovision Song Contest would become so popular. That year the festival was in a major slump and Amsterdam was given the task of breathing new life into it. How did that turn out? And which Amsterdam additions have changed the Eurovision Song Contest?
You will hear it in the episode of Amsterdam World City below.
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