Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017
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NetherlandsSong: 3 March 2017
| Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurovision Song Contest 2017 | ||||
| Participating broadcaster | AVROTROS | |||
| Country | Netherlands | |||
| Selection process | Internal selection | |||
| Announcement date | Artist: 29 October 2016 Song: 3 March 2017 | |||
| Competing entry | ||||
| Song | "Lights and Shadows" | |||
| Artist | Ogene | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Placement | ||||
| Semi-final result | Qualified (4th, 200 points) | |||
| Final result | 11th, 150 points | |||
| Participation chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Netherlands was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 with the song "Lights and Shadows", written by Rory de Kievit and Rick Vol, and performed by the group Ogene. The Dutch participating broadcaster, AVROTROS, internally selected its entry for the contest. Ogene's appointment as the Dutch representative was announced on 29 October 2016, while the song, "Lights and Shadows", was presented to the public on 3 March 2017.
The Netherlands was drawn to compete in the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 11 May 2017. Performing during the show in position 6, "Lights and Shadows" was announced among the top 10 entries of the second semi-final and therefore qualified to compete in the final on 13 May. It was later revealed that the Netherlands placed fourth out of the 18 participating countries in the semi-final with 200 points. In the final, the Netherlands placed eleventh out of the 26 participating countries, scoring 150 points.
Prior to the 2017 contest, AVROTROS and its predecessor national broadcasters have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing the Netherlands fifty-seven times since NTS début in 1956.[1] They have won the contest four times: in 1957 with the song "Net als toen" performed by Corry Brokken;[2] in 1959 with the song "'n Beetje" performed by Teddy Scholten;[3] in 1969 as one of four countries to tie for first place with "De troubadour" performed by Lenny Kuhr;[4] and finally in 1975 with "Ding-a-dong" performed by the group Teach-In.[5] Following the introduction of semi-finals for the 2004 contest, the Netherlands had featured in only four finals. The Dutch least successful result has been last place, which they have achieved on five occasions, most recently in the second semi-final of the 2011 contest.[6] The Netherlands has also received nul points on two occasions; in 1962 and 1963.[7]
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, AVROTROS organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country.The Dutch broadcaster has used various methods to select its entry in the past, such as the Nationaal Songfestival, a live televised national final to choose the performer, song or both to compete at Eurovision. However, internal selections have also been held on occasion. Since 2013, the Dutch broadcaster has internally selected its entry for the contest. In 2013, the internal selection of "Birds" by Anouk managed to take the country to the final for the first time in eight years and placed ninth overall. In 2014, the internal selection of "Calm After the Storm" by the Common Linnets qualified the nation to the final once again and placed second, making it the most successful Dutch result in the contest since their victory in 1975. For 2017, AVROTROS opted to continue selecting its entry through an internal selection.[8]
Before Eurovision
Internal selection
Following the eleventh place of "Slow Down" performed by Douwe Bob' in the final in 2016, AVROTROS revealed in September 2016 that it would continue to internally select both the artist and song for the Eurovision Song Contest, and that an announcement would be expected in October 2016 after several artists had already been in contact with the broadcaster in regards to participating.[9]
In August 2016, Dutch media reported that AVROTROS had selected the group and winner of the fifth series of the reality singing competition The Voice of Holland Ogene to represent the Netherlands at the 2017 contest. Ogene was confirmed as the Dutch entrant on 29 October 2016.[10] The group consists of sisters Lisa, Amy and Shelley Vol, and had also previously represented the Netherlands at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007 where they placed eleventh out of seventeen entries with the song "Adem in, adem uit".[11] The selection of Ogene as the Dutch representative occurred through the decision of a selection commission consisting of singer and television host Jan Smit, television host and author Cornald Maas, radio DJ Daniël Dekker and AVROTROS media-director Remco van Leen.[12] On 2 January 2017, Shelley Vol revealed during her interview with NPO Radio 2 that three entries had been shortlisted from 40 songs received from songwriters worldwide, one of them which was written by the father of the group members Rick Vol.[13][14]
On 2 March 2017, Ogene's Eurovision entry, "Lights and Shadows", was presented to the public during a press conference that took place in Amsterdam and hosted by Jan Smit and Cornald Maas. The presentation was streamed online by AVROTROS via YouTube and Facebook. The official video for the song directed by Rolf Meter was released on the same day.[15][16] The song was written by Rory de Kievit and Rick Vol; O'G3NE revealed earlier during an interview with Radio 538 on 2 February 2017 that Vol's song had been selected as their Eurovision song.[17][18]
Promotion
In the lead up to the Eurovision Song Contest, Ogene's promotional activities occurred entirely within the Netherlands where they performed at live events, radio shows and talk shows. On 8 April, Ogene performed during the Eurovision in Concert event which was held at the Melkweg venue in Amsterdam and hosted by Cornald Maas and Selma Björnsdóttir.[19]
