Belgian Eurovision commentator Peter Van de Veire has confirmed that VRT will hold a national selection to select their entry for Eurovision 2023. It will be the first time since 2016 that the Belgian entry has been chosen through a national final.
Last month, VRT confirmed that Belgium would take part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, as the country hopes to take their qualifying streak to three in a row, something they have not done since between 2015 and 2017. In the past two contests, Hooverphonic and Jérémie Makiese have both qualified to the final and have both finished in 19th place in the final.
Searching for an entry “for the youth”
Speaking on Eén’s Zomerhit, Van de Veire confirmed that VRT would be bringing back a national selection to select Belgium’s entry for the 2023 contest, which will be held in the United Kingdom. The commentator added that the selection would allow VRT to try something new as the contest continues to progress for the “youth”.
VRT has the fantastic task of sending someone to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023. I like the Eurovision Song Contest, but critics say it is ‘old rubbish’. But it’s for the youth, for the future. That’s why we have decided to do a little more with it this year than usual.
– Peter Van de Veire, Belgian Eurovision commentator since 2014
The details of the national selection have not yet been confirmed. The Eurosong national final was last used to select Belgium’s entry in 2016, when Laura Tesoro won the selection and flew the flag for Belgium in Stockholm. Laura Tesoro’s entry “What’s the Pressure” beat off competition from four other entries to be selected as the Belgian entry.
Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022
The Voice Belgique winner Jérémie Makiese was announced as the first act for Eurovision 2022 in September, with his song “Miss You” being released six months later, in March.
Participating in the second semi-final, Belgium qualified for the final in 8th place with 151 points – their second qualification in a row after Hooverphonic also qualified in Rotterdam in 2021. In the final, Belgium finished in 19th place with 64 points – scoring 59 points from the juries and five from the televote.
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