XTRA DECIDES sees the team here at ESCXTRA score the Eurovision national final songs, reviewing our winner. Follow us from here through to March 2023 as we make our choices for Eurovision 2023.
Belgium have this year decided on a national final to choose their song for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Chérine – Ca m’ennuie pas is our clear choice to go to Liverpool in May.
The Scores
| Rank | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chérine – Ca m’ennuie pas 🥇 | 132 |
| 2 | Gala Dragot – t‘inquiète | 90 |
| 3 | Ameerah – The Carnival | 67 |
| 4 | The Starlings – Rollercoaster | 65 |
| 5 | Hunter Falls – Ooh La La | 57 |
| 6 | Loredana – You Lift Me Up | 52 |
| 7 | Gustaph – Because of You | 30 |
The Reviews
| Lisa |
| It’s not very often Belgium sparks joy in me with their selection process, but my favourite entries from them have always been when they go rogue and send something way out the box either in style or language. For me ‘ça m’ennuie pas’ satisfies both parts. I would not expect this from Belgium, so that’s precisely why they should send it! The combination of frenetic 80s retro and French language works. The hook is instant and stays in your head long after listening. It already sounds like a European chart hit in the making with viral potential. |
| Costa |
| Imagine if VRT had just saved everyone time and energy and internally-selected this, the best song in the selection by a mile? But of course, life can never be that simple. Instead bland, forgettable mid-table fodder like Release Me and Miss You gets a free ticket to Eurovision mediocrity. Why is life so cruel? Anyway, this song is fun, catchy, dyamic and well-composed, and I’ve convinced myself that it won’t win the selection. If it wins, it would be a welcome change of pace for Belgium, who hasn’t sent a happy song since 2016, but I’m fully expecting something bland or bad (or both) to pull a shock win. |
| Nick |
| Chérine was an unknown name to me before this national final. And as a Dutch person, that says quite something. Our music markets are quite intertwined, but Chérine somehow never surfaced here. ‘Ça m’ennuie pas’ is three minutes of youthful joy and pleasure. As a studio song and as a national final entry, it’s absolutely stellar. Do I struggle to see this on a big stage with 24 other songs surrounding it? Yes, yes I do. I’m not sure how this will fare in the greater scheme of all things Eurovision. I personally feel Loredana or Ameerah are safer bets when it comes to that. However, that may just be the trauma I’ve suffered after all the bombing uptempo female French pop has done in the past. It’s a perfect entry for Belgium, but it remains to be seen whether the Flemish will go for a French song. On merit, it probably should, as it fits the charts and requirements perfectly. |
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