Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018

Belgium participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018. Sennek was internally selected by the Belgian broadcaster Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT) on 28 September 2017 to represent the nation at the 2018 contest in Lisbon.

Eurovision Song Contest 2018
Country Belgium
National selection
Selection processInternal selection
Selection date(s)Artist: 28 September 2017
Song: 5 March 2018
Selected entrantSennek
Selected song"A Matter of Time"
Selected songwriter(s)
Finals performance
Semi-final resultFailed to qualify (12th)
Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2017 • 2018 • 2019►

Background
Main article: Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest

Prior to the 2018 contest, Belgium had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest fifty-nine times since its debut as one of seven countries to take part in 1956.[1] Since then, the country has won the contest on one occasion in 1986 with the song "J'aime la vie" performed by Sandra Kim. Following the introduction of semi-finals for 2004, Belgium had been featured in only six finals. However, in the last three previous contests (2015-2017) Belgium had achieved three consecutive top ten results in the final. In 2017, Blanche represented the country with the song "City Lights", qualifying to the final and placing fourth.

The Belgian broadcaster for the 2018 Contest, who broadcasts the event in Belgium and organises the selection process for its entry, was Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT). The Belgian participation in the contest alternates between two broadcasters: the Flemish VRT and the Walloon Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (RTBF). Both broadcasters have selected the Belgian entry using national finals and internal selections in the past. In 2016, VRT organised the national final Eurosong in order to select the Belgian entry, while in 2017 RTBF internally selected a contestant from the reality singing competition The Voice Belgique to represent the nation. On 9 May 2017, commentator for VRT Peter Van de Veire confirmed that Belgium would participate in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest and that the Belgian entry would be internally selected.[2]

Before Eurovision

Internal selection

On 28 September 2017, VRT announced Sennek as the Belgian entrant at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 during the talk show Van Gils & gasten, aired on Één.[3][4] The song, described by the singer as a "unique pop song with a mysterious feeling", was due to be revealed on 6 March 2018.[5] However, it was leaked online on 4 March 2018.

At Eurovision

According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. On 29 January 2018, a special allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in. Belgium was placed into the first semi-final, to be held on 8 May 2018, and was scheduled to perform in the first half of the show.[6]

Once all the competing songs for the 2018 contest had been released, the running order for the semi-finals was decided by the shows' producers rather than through another draw, so that similar songs were not placed next to each other. Albania was set to perform in position 4, following the entry from Albania and preceding the entry from the Czech Republic.[7]

Semi-final

Sennek performed fourth in the first semi-final on 8 May, following Albania and preceding the Czech Republic. At the end of the night, Belgium was not one of the ten countries announced as proceeding to the grand final, making it their first non-qualification since 2014. It was later revealed that Belgium placed twelfth in the semi-final, receiving a total of 91 points: 20 points from the televoting and 71 points from the juries.[8]

Voting

Voting during the three shows involved each country awarding two sets of points from 1-8, 10 and 12: one from their professional jury and the other from televoting. Each nation's jury consisted of five music industry professionals who are citizens of the country they represent, with their names published before the contest to ensure transparency. This jury judged each entry based on: vocal capacity; the stage performance; the song's composition and originality; and the overall impression by the act. In addition, no member of a national jury was permitted to be related in any way to any of the competing acts in such a way that they cannot vote impartially and independently. The individual rankings of each jury member as well as the nation's televoting results were released shortly after the grand final.

Points awarded to Belgium
Points awarded to Belgium (Semi-final 1)[9]
Score Televote Jury
12 points  Bulgaria
10 points
8 points  Lithuania  Lithuania
7 points  Austria
6 points  Armenia
5 points  Finland
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point  Croatia

Points awarded by Belgium

Detailed voting results

The following members comprised the Belgian jury:[11]

Detailed voting results from Belgium (Semi-final 1)[9]
Draw Country Jury Televote
W. V. Veken L. Tesoro T. Dice B. Savenberg N. Delporte Average Rank Points Rank Points
01  Azerbaijan8141515161514
02  Iceland10512101410115
03  Albania12249107411
04  Belgium
05  Czech Republic4332421038
06  Lithuania14131011111374
07  Israel596334783
08  Belarus18171817171716
09  Estonia111591351165
10  Bulgaria96118139212
11  Macedonia17181718181818
12  Croatia1512161681417
13  Austria11111112210
14  Greece161614141516101
15  Finland131113791292
16  Armenia345675656
17   Switzerland287523813
18  Ireland61024665112
19  Cyprus77812128347
Detailed voting results from Belgium (Final)[10]
Draw Country Jury Televote
W. V. Veken L. Tesoro T. Dice B. Savenberg N. Delporte Average Rank Points Rank Points
01  Ukraine20231819222424
02  Spain910481010119
03  Slovenia25211918212525
04  Lithuania1014923171411
05  Austria1111111283
06  Estonia131861271212
07  Norway1413141381314
08  Portugal18152620111717
09  United Kingdom19192014121618
10  Serbia22222525232626
11  Germany64315136592
12  Albania113131069213
13  France23165738338
14  Czech Republic4576447101
15  Denmark1292122261565
16  Australia16201526252121
17  Finland15241716192023
18  Bulgaria17122221181816
19  Moldova26252417142215
20  Sweden778223822
21  Hungary21261611241920
22  Israel58115556210
23  Netherlands322315210112
24  Ireland81112491174
25  Cyprus26109207447
26  Italy24172324162356

References
  1. "Belgium Country Profile". EBU. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  2. "Internal selection for Belgium in 2018". SongFestival.be. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  3. Jiandani, Sanjay (28 September 2017). "Belgium: VRT will reveal the Belgian act for Eurovision 2018 tonight". Esctoday.com. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  4. "Laura Groeseneken naar het Eurovisiesongfestival!" (in Dutch). VRT. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  5. Farren, Neil (26 February 2018). "Belgium: Entry to be Revealed on March 6". Eurovoix.com. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  6. Jordan, Paul (29 January 2018). "Which countries will perform in which Semi-Final at Eurovision 2018?". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  7. "Running order for Eurovision 2018 Semi-Finals revealed". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 3 April 2018. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  8. "First Semi-Final of Lisbon 2018". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  9. "Results of the First Semi-Final of Lisbon 2018". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  10. "Results of the Grand Final of Lisbon 2018". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  11. Groot, Evert (30 April 2018). "Exclusive: They are the expert jurors for Eurovision 2018". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
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