🇳🇱 Xtra Insider 2020: We Review The Netherlands!

Welcome to Xtra Insider, our new series which will give you an insight into how well each country was statistically likely to do this year, as well as what the team at ESCXTRA think of your favourite entries into (what would have been) this year’s contest! Today, we analyze and review the Netherlands!

Yes, this year’s contest has been cancelled…but that doesn’t mean we can’t love the songs! In this series, we’ll review each and every entry that would have taken part in this year’s Eurovision. On top of this, we’re introducing a new analysis section in which we take a look into each country’s history and how likely they would have been to do well this year. Our honest and brutal reviews and analysis will keep you entertained throughout what would’ve been the Eurovision season! We will also each give points using the usual Eurovision points system (12, 10, then 8 down to 1), and create an ESCXTRA leaderboard of the entries!

Today, we’ll be giving analysis and reviews of the Dutch entry, Grow by Jeangu Macrooy, from Costa, Dominik, Nick, Sami, Sean and Tom R. Let’s get started!

The Netherlands’ history at Eurovision

The Netherlands is one of the original countries that debuted in the contest in 1956, with the song managing to achieve 5 Wins (along with France, Luxembourg & United Kingdom. In the 21st Century, The Netherlands had a mixed blessing, where it had a period of eight consecutive non-qualifications. Since 2013, they have internally selected their representatives, where they managed to achieve six qualifications, three top ten placings, one runner-up placing and of course one win in 2019.

This year’s entry

Grow is about Jeangu’s personal story about getting older and the quest to find himself. Jeangu hopes that with the audience listening to Grow that people would feel less lonely in their own serarch for their happiness.

How does this kind of song tend to do in the contest?

Since the resurgence of The Netherlands in 2013, they have managed to send unique entries into the competition. They have managed to continue this tradition once again for 2020. The uniqueness of their entries have been rewarded with high placings with the Jury voters, and listening to the entry, and it would not be surprised if this had ended up high in the scorebaord and would actually disprove the fact that host entries can’t do well.

The Reviews

Costa

I can’t deny that I’m disappointed that Jeangu hasn’t put forward something…more than this. Vocally, “Grow” is gorgeous and moving, but I can’t help but feel that Bulgaria and Switzerland have delivered similar styles of ballad with more structure and memorability. The lack of a refrain or hook means that this gets lost in the shuffle for me. However, in a competitive contest with a late draw, this could surprise.

Dominik

I love how the song builds up and his voice is amazing and very unique. This is a song you don’t hear very often in a good way. However, I think it needs some time to get used to the song and the feeling. The song needs time to really feel it.

Nick

I like it when my country goes for a risk. This is like jumping off a cliff without security though: God knows where this is going to end, but we might crash and burn. However, I’m proud to see this representing the Netherlands on home soil. It will be a thoroughly special moment to see the home crowd going nuts for something so understated as this. Well done, AVROTROS, for keeping the courage.

Sami

The last minute of this song is nice, but I skip the song way before that. It takes so long for this song to go anywhere. I’m afraid this would have been the toilet break song for most of the viewers.

Sean

I’m not typically someone who likes chill music like this, but I am someone who loves gospel influences (as showcased by my lauding of Move), so I eventually grew (hehe) to like this song a lot. It starts off a little too minimal for me (it stays on the first chord for like 20 seconds) and it ends strangely by letting that fourth dangle with no resolution, but it is an earworm. HOWEVER, I will say that with all the love that this song is getting, the fact that “Fully” by The Backs in Pabandom Iš Naujo got paid dust by the fans is a shame since they are very similar in style.

Tom R

WOW. This song is pure art. There’s just something so magical about Jeangu’s voice. “Grow” would have brought a real ‘goosebump moment’ to the Ahoy and it’s something I hope Jeangu will be able to replicate again next year. The Netherlands would have easily been on for another top 10 with this – it had the whole package – good running order, great song, outstanding vocals! Gutted this won’t get its moment on stage.