AVROTROS has announced the new six person committee that will select the Netherlands entry for the Eurovision Song Contest.
The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has announced the new selection committee, that will determine the Netherlands act and song at the Eurovision Song Contest. The selection committee which is formed of six people sees three new faces.
Radio DJs Coen Swijnenberg and Sander Lantinga join the selection committee, bringing with them extensive experience within the music industry. They are joined by Joyce Hoedelmans who has been a part of the Dutch delegation at the Eurovision Song Contest since 2014.
The three members remaining on the committee for 2020 are Eric van Stade (Director Genera of AVROTROS), Cornald Maas (Commentator) and Jan Smit (Commentator).
The Netherlands have internally selected all of their Eurovision entries since 2013. Anouk placed eighth in the final in 2013 with “Birds”, breaking an eight year non-qualification streak. Since then, the Netherlands have only failed to qualify for the final in 2015. Previously, Nationaal Songfestival was used to select Dutch Eurovision entries.
Duncan Laurence was selected to represent the Netherlands in Tel Aviv with the song “Arcade”. He won the final with 498 points, giving the Netherlands their fifth Eurovision win and their first since 1975. Duncan’s victory also sees Eurovision returning to the Netherlands for the first time since 1980.
Source: AVROTROS
The Netherlands debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 and has gone on to compete in all bar four contests. To date the Netherlands has won the contest on five occasions; 1957, 1959, 1969, 1975 and most recently 2019. Prior to Duncan Laurence’s victory in Tel Aviv, the Netherlands had been waiting 44 years for their next victory. Duncan Laurence won the contest in Israel with the song “Arcade”.
