The Netherlands had the honour to host both the fifth and tenth anniversary of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. In 2012, we travelled to the Dutch capital Amsterdam. What do you remember from this edition?
Quick things to know
- Date: 1 December
- Venue: Heineken Music Hall (AFAS Live)
- Host broadcaster: AVRO
- Presenters: Ewout Genemans & Kim-Lian Van der Meij
- Number of entries: 12
The Netherlands is officially the first country to organize the Junior Eurovision Song Contest twice. Their last time was in 2007, then in Ahoy Rotterdam.
Participating countries
Despite the lowest number of participants ever, quite a few shifts took place in 2012. No fewer than four countries withdrew, but at the same time three countries made their debut. Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and North Macedonia made way for Azerbaijan, Albania and Israel.
Full list of participating countries:
- Belarus: Egor Zhesko – A more-more
- Sweden: Lova Sönnerbo – Mitt mod
- Azerbaijan: Omar and Suada – Girls and Boys (Dünya Sənindir)
- Belgium: Fabian – Abracadabra
- Russia: Lerika – Sensation
- Israel: Kids.il – Let The Music Win
- Albania: Igzidora Gjeta – Kam një këngë vetëm për ju
- Armenia: Compass Band – Sweetie Baby
- Ukraine: Anastasiya Petryk – Nebo
- Georgia: Funkids – Funky Lemonade
- Moldova: Denis Midone – Toate vor Fi
- The Netherlands: Femke – Tik Tak Tik
Interval acts
Ralf Mackenbach
Dutch Junior Eurovision winner Ralf performed a medley from his ‘Click Clack’ and a new song ‘This Is Our Party’. He was accompanied on stage by a large group of dancers.
Common song
The tradition of the collective song was not nicely followed every year, but in 2012 another one came! The song was called “We Can Be Heroes”.
Kim-Lian van der Meij
Host Kim-Lian sang the theme song of Junior Eurovision 2012 ‘Break The Ice’.
Top 3
- 3. Armenia: Compass Band – Sweetie Baby
- 2. Georgia: Funkids – Funky Lemonade
- 1. Ukraine: Anastasiya Petryk – Nebo
Anastasiya Petryk wins Junior Eurovision 2012
In 2008 we were able to meet Anastasiya’s big sister Viktoria Petryk. She then became second with the song ‘Matrosy’. Anastasiya clearly felt like a Junior Eurovision participation, and she did so four years later. The little sister did it even better! She won! And so she gave Ukraine the first victory at the kids contest. Ukraine received 12 points no less than eight times! The second place, Georgia, had 35 points less. That is also a new record. Anastasiya received twelve points from Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Israel, Moldova, The Netherlands, Russia and Sweden.
Some fun facts
- Lerika is the first artist to represent two countries in Junior Eurovision. In 2011 she represented Moldova with ‘No, No’.
- Kids.il from Israel included four languages in their entry. Apart from Hebrew, they sang lines in English, French and Russian.
- Mika, who represented Armenia in 2015, used to be a Compass Band-member. However, he was too young to join the band in Amsterdam. He became the spokesperson of Armenia instead.
- For the first time ever, a kids jury got involved in the voting.
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