Jérémie Makiese will try to give our country a place in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest on 12 May in Turin, Italy. This is evident from the schedule that the organizers announced on Tuesday. Thursday 12 May is the second semifinal day. Belgium is sixteenth out of eighteen participants.
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Yesterday at 6:31 PM
culture and media
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All together, 35 countries will compete in the two semi-finals, on May 10 and 12, for a place in the final on May 14. The ten highest-rated candidates from each semi-final advance.
In addition, a number of countries have automatically qualified for the final, the so-called ‘big five’: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. The host country is also automatically assured of a place in the final, but this year it is Italy. That country won the most-watched music competition in the world last year, thanks to the rock group Måneskin with the song ‘Zitti e Buoni’.
On the first semi-final day, the Netherlands and Portugal will participate. The Belgian Jérémie Makiese takes on Malta, Sweden, Australia and Israel in the second semifinal with his song ‘Miss You’.
The Eurovision Song Contest is organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which represents all public broadcasters in Europe. Each country can participate with a new song, which lasts a maximum of three minutes and is performed by a maximum of six people. This year, the French-speaking broadcaster RTBF is sending a representative for Belgium.
Our country has only won the competition once: in 1986 with Sandra Kim and ‘J’aime la vie’. Last year Hooverphonic was able to qualify for the final, but ended in a disappointing nineteenth place.
This edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is, among other things, characterized by the boycott of Russia after it invaded Ukraine. That country does. The rap group Kalush Orchestra will perform the song ‘Stefania’ on May 10, and is already considered one of the favorites.
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