Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006

Belgium participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 in Athens, Greece. The Belgian entry was selected through a national selection, Eurosong '06, organised by the Belgian broadcaster Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT). Kate Ryan represented Belgium with the song "Je t'adore", which failed to qualify from the competition's semi-final, placing 12th and scoring 69 points.[1]

Eurovision Song Contest 2006
Country Belgium
National selection
Selection processEurosong '06
Selection date(s)Heats
8 January 2006
15 February 2006
22 January 2006
29 January 2006
Semifinals
5 February 2006
12 February 2006
Final
19 February 2006
Selected entrantKate Ryan
Selected song"Je t'adore"
Finals performance
Semi-final resultFailed to qualify (12th, 69 points)
Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2005 • 2006 • 2007►

"Je t'adore" - with a French title but English lyrics - was written by Kate herself and three Swedish composers; Niklas Bergwall, Niclas Kings and Lisa Greene.

Before Eurovision

Eurosong '06
Eurosong '06 Logo

Eurosong '06 was the Belgian national final for choosing the Belgian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006.

Format

The selection process involved the staging of seven shows; the final on 19 February, plus four quarter finals and two semi finals held during January and early February 2006. All shows were hosted by Bart Peeters at VRT TV Studios in Schelle. Each qualifying heat contained seven songs and the top three from each heat proceeded to one of the two semi-finals. After the quarter finals, the jury chose two wildcards - one for each of the semi-finals - bringing the total number of songs in each semi-final to seven. The top three of each semi final proceeded to the final and the jury selected one wildcard to bring the total in the final to seven.

In the quarter-finals and the semi-finals, the juries accounted for 66% of the votes while the televote accounted for 33%. In the final, the juries accounted for 40% of the vote, the international juries accounted for 30% of the vote and the televote accounted for the remaining 30%. The songs were judged by an expert jury (consisting of Yasmine, Marcel Vanthilt, André Vermeulen and twice Eurovision winner Johnny Logan), Radio 2, Radio Donna, Press Jury and televoters. Three European juries were implemented in the final.

All shows took place at the VRT TV Studios in Schelle, hosted by Bart Peeters.

Competing entries

Two former Eurovision Song Contest participants competed in the selection: Vanessa Chinitor (1999) and Barbara Dex (1993).

Artist Song (English translation) Composer(s)[2]
Afi "Not That Beautiful" Alain Vande Putte, Miguel Wiels
Ali vs. Laura "I Belong to You Belong to Me" Jamy M. Bagheri
Axel Devries "Alleen jij" (Only you) Ronald Vanhuffel, Tracy Atkins, Jurgen Coppieters
Barbara Dex "Crazy" Andre Remkes, Alidus Hidding
Beatoxic "Feel Like" Geert D'Haene
Belle Perez "El mundo bailando" (The world is dancing) Belle Perez, Juan Guerrero, Fernando De Meersman, Patrick Renier
Brahim "P.O.W.E.R." Fred Braikin, Brahim Attaeb, Jeremy Style
Casa Creola "Easy esta noche" (Easy tonight) Marc Paelinck, Jamie Winchester
Els de Schepper "Als ik je morgen ergens tegenkom" (If I meet you somewhere tomorrow) Rick Denys, David Poltrock
Eve Kempbel "Not Right" Greg Watts
Fantoom "Hier sta ik" (Here I stand) Servaas Binge, Servaas Binge, Hillert Binge
Jeason "Dame amor, dame vida" (Give me love, give me life) Jeason Herfs
Kaden "In Your Heaven" Marc Van Hie, Rudolf Hecke
Katerine "Watch Me Move" Mark Frisch, Anthony Galatis, Yannik Fonderie
Kate Ryan "Je t'adore" (I like you) Kate Ryan, Niklas Bergwall, Niclas Kings, Lisa Greene
Kaye Styles "Profile" Youssef Chelak
La Sakhra "Wonderland" Vincent Pierins, Patrick Hamilton
Laura D "History Turning Round" Daniel Boquist, Marcus Englöf, Johan Bejerholm, Nick Woodbridge
Peter Evrard "Coward" Stefaan Fernande, Luca Chiaravelli
Pim "I'm Your Man" Alain Vande Putte, Serge Hertoge
Roxane "Push It" Mon S'Jegers
Sonny O'Brien "I'll Be There for You" Ben Robbins, Lenna Bauerly Shelly
Tommy "The Best Time of My Life" Tommy Vlaeminck
Triskèl "I'll Be There for You" Kurt Burgelman, Kurt Burgelman, Alain Van Zeveren
Valérie Mouton "I Can't Go On Like This" Sofie Verbruggen, Herve Martens
Vanessa Chinitor "Beyond You" Gerard James Borg, Philip Vella
WOEST "Gek" (Crazy) Tom Van Landuyt
Zenna "Someone Is Calling" Inge Moortgat, Violetta Zimbardi, Sammy Merayah

Quarter-final 1

Sonny O'Brien was later chosen as one of the two wild cards for the semi-finals by the professional jury.

Quarter-final 1 – 8 January 2006
DrawArtistSongJuryRadioTelevoteTotalPlace
1Brahim"P.O.W.E.R."141614442
2Jeason"Dame amor, dame vida"7710243
3Sonny O'Brien"I'll Be There for You"9104234
4Fantoom"Hier sta ik"258156
5Vanessa Chinitor"Beyond You"622107
6Zenna"Someone Is Calling"666185
7Katerine"Watch Me Move"181618521
Quarter-final 2

Els de Schepper was later chosen as one of the two wild cards for the semi-finals by the professional jury.

Quarter-final 2 – 15 January 2006
DrawArtistSongJuryRadioTelevoteTotalPlace
1Casa Creola"Easy esta noche"674146
2Afi"Not That Beautiful"16146363
3Tommy"The Best Time of My Life"568195
4Barbara Dex"Crazy"101618441
5Beatoxic"Feel Like"22267
6Els de Schepper"Als ik je morgen ergens tegenkom"7810254
7Roxane"Push It"16914392
Quarter-final 3
Quarter-final 3 – 22 January 2006
DrawArtistSong Jury RadioTelevoteTotalPlace
1Valérie Mouton"I Can't Go On Like This" 734146
2Kate Ryan"Je t'adore" 161810441
3Kaye Styles"Profile" 131014373
4Axel Devries"Alleen jij" 262107
5Laura D"History Turning Round" 1086244
6Peter Evrard"Coward" 101418422
7Pim"I'm Your Man" 438155
Quarter-final 4
Quarter-final 4 – 29 January 2006
DrawArtistSong Jury RadioTelevoteTotalPlace
1Kaden"In Your Heaven" 552126
2WOEST"Gek" 868224
3Ali vs. Laura"I Belong to You Belong to Me" 354126
4La Sakhra"Wonderland" 141410382
5Triskèl"I'll Be There for You" 446145
6Belle Perez"El mundo bailando" 161818521
7Eve Kempbel"Not Right" 121014363
Semi-final 1
Semi-final 1 – 5 February 2006
DrawArtistSongJuryRadioTelevoteTotalPlace
1Jeason"Dame amor, dame vida"23497
2Eve Kempbell"Not Right"768214
3Els de Schepper"Als ik je morgen ergens tegenkom"8910273
4Afi"Not That Beautiful"792185
5Katerine"Watch Me Move"636156
6Kaye Styles"Profile161414442
7Kate Ryan"Je t'adore"161818521
Semi-final 2

The day after the last semi-final, Brahim was chosen to be the professional jury wildcard in the final.

Semi-final 2 – 12 February 2006
DrawArtistSongJuryRadioTelevoteTotalPlace
1La Sakhra"Wonderland"18188441
2Roxane"Push It"32277
3Sonny O'Brien"I'll Be There for You"344116
4Brahim"P.O.W.E.R."14810324
5Belle Perez"El mundo bailando"81214343
6Peter Evrard"Coward"786215
7Barbara Dex"Crazy"91018372
Final

The final was held on 19 February 2006 at the VRT TV Studios in Schelle, hosted by Bart Peeters. The winner was chosen by the expert jury, Radio 2 jury, Radio Donna jury, a press jury, three international juries from Germany, Israel and Poland, and televoting. The juries accounted for 40% of the vote, the international juries accounted for 30% of the vote and the televote accounted for the remaining 30%.

The decision for VRT to choose these three countries to represent the European audience was based on a study they asked two independent professors in statistics to do, on which countries gave the points most close to the actual results in the last few Eurovision Song Contests. Each international jury consisted of eight members: four random viewers and four music experts. They will watch the show from their native countries where it will be streamed live for them.

Kate Ryan won the final after being a top three favourite with all eight juries, and being the top favourite amongst the televoters and two of the international juries.

Final – 9 March 2006
DrawArtistSong Jury RadioTelevoteTotalPlace
1Barbara Dex"Crazy" 1779335
2Brahim"P.O.W.E.R" 18515384
3Belle Perez"El mundo bailando" 271812573
4Els de Schepper"Als ik je morgen ergens tegenkom" 1433207
5La Sakhra"Wonderland" 301121622
6Kaye Styles"Profile" 1266246
7Kate Ryan"Je t'adore" 371227761

Promotion

Flemish Minister of Culture Bert Anciaux gave a subsidy of 60,000 euros in order to promote Kate Ryan and her song in the other participating countries of the year's contest. The money was used to pay for a promotional tour throughout these countries. The subsidy itself has been harshly criticized in the Flemish press.

At Eurovision

Because country failed to qualify in 2005 Belgium competed in the semi-final of the 2006 Contest on 18 May 2006 performing 7th, following Albania and preceding Ireland. Despite being one of the pre-contest favourites, Belgium failed to qualify to the final, placing 12th in the semi-final and scoring 69 points.[3] Therefore, Belgium will have to compete in the semi-final again in ESC 2007. The Belgian voting spokesperson, Yasmine, held up a placard with the words "We Love Kate Ryan" during the final.

Points awarded to Belgium
Points awarded to Belgium (semi-final)[3]
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

Points awarded by Belgium
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See also

Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest

References
  1. "Eurovision Song Contest 2006 Final". Eurovision.tv. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  2. http://esckaz.com/2006/bel.htm. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. "Eurovision Song Contest 2006 Semi-Final". Eurovision.tv. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
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