The Netherlands have confirmed their participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. This year’s host country has made the selection criteria for the successor of Jeangu Macrooy. Deadline to submit entries is the 31st August 2021. Any act is welcome to submit an entry, as long as they follow the requirements.
The Netherlands want a nearly finished product
Broadcaster AVROTROS have confirmed that they wish for artists to send them a nearly finished product, where possible. In previous years, most notably between 2013 and 2018, the broadcaster internally selected a singer first and then started the search for the right song for them. In 2019, that all changed when they went for the song first approach. It resulted in a victory for Duncan Laurence and his Arcade. The selection committee now explicitly states they do not wish to enter the process with singers or songwriters to find a song.
The ambition of AVROTROS
AVROTROS have the clear aim of making sure they stay successful as a Eurovision nation. Since 2013, the Netherlands have made seven appearances in the final, with only Trijntje Oosterhuis failing to qualify in 2015. Furthermore, they scored three top ten results, one of which was a victory. The committee therefore wrote down their ambition for their next entry:
The selection committee aims for an entry with preferably a contemporary, but in any case authentic sound. A song that is able to survive in a competition. By a Dutch artist who can and wants to present a personal song in a distinctive way, in any genre, and if possible a personal story.
The Dutch selection committee
The members of the selection committee are the same as they have been since 2019. AVROTROS director Eric van Stade is there, alongside longtime commentator Cornald Maas. This year’s Eurovision host Jan Smit also returns, as do Coen Swijnenberg and Sander Lantinga, radio DJs in the country. The fifth member is the team leader of the online editors at AVROTROS, Joyce Hoedelmans. Head of Delegation Lars Lourenco will oversee the process.
Artists and songwriters who wish to submit an entry, can do so until 31st August 2021. The songs, as we know, should not have been released commercially before that date. Any artist who wishes to send in more than one entry, is allwoed to send in a maximum of three.
For 2020 and 2021, the Netherlands chose Jeangu Macrooy to fly their flag. He represented the country with Birth Of A New Age in English and Sranan Tongo, the language of Suriname. In the final, he finished in 23rd place with eleven points, all from the juries. The contest took place in Rotterdam.
What are you hoping to see from the Netherlands? Let us know!
