Last week, Flemish broadcaster VRT revealed that Laura Groeseneken will represent Belgium in Eurovision 2018. Laura was the first artist confirmed for the upcoming song contest in Lisbon.
The 27-year-old from Leuven (who is also known by the stage name SENNEK) is a soul, electronica and pop performer and was internally selected by VRT.
More details have now been released about the Belgian participation in Eurovision 2018 following an interview Groeseneken gave to VRT.
In the interview, Groeseneken reveals her initial trepidation about stepping into the spotlight for Eurovision. She has previously worked with musician Piet Goddaer (Ozark Henry) but Eurovision will give Laura the opportunity to take centre stage.
The interview also provided some interesting new details about the Belgian song for Eurovision 2018, Groeseneken said:
“In the coming months, I want to work hard to find the correct song. I would like to write it myself…It can be a ballad but I just want to be in love with the song.”
The interview also confirms Groeseneken as a fan of the contest. One of her favourite entries from recent years is the Eurovision 2016 winner 1944 by Jamala. Following the revelation that she would represent Belgium in the next Contest, Groeseneken also performed an English language cover version of Amar Pelos Dois by Salvador Sobral, the winner of the 2017 contest.
Fans will also be interested to know that Groeseneken confirmed that the Belgian entry for 2018 will likely be sung in English although she isn’t certain whether she will use the stage name SENNEK for the contest:
“Maybe I’m going to be SENNEK, but that will depend on the song. Perhaps another name will come out of the air. But I’ll sing in English. In Dutch, my voice does not sound so beautiful.”
Finally, Eurovision is likely to be a big occasion for Laura Groeseneken. She is currently a part-time musician and works part-time in IKEA but she has the full support of her manager for her Eurovision journey:
When I informed my boss of my song contest adventure, I secretly thought that she thought I would announce a pregnancy, but it was something different! She is very happy for me and my parents are happy too after an initial surprise.
Source: VRT
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Belgium was one of the original seven nations to participate in the first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. To date the country has won the contest only once in 1986. Sandra Kim won the contest with the song “J’aime la vie”, her victory was not without controversy when it emerged that Sandra was just 13 years old, two years younger than the age restriction at the time. In the late 00s Belgium struggled in the contest failing to reach the final annually from 2005 until 2010, when Tom Dice finished 6th in the final with 143 points. Belgium has finished last at the contest six times, including two sets of nul points.
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