Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Encyclopedia
Belgium were represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 by the French-language broadcaster Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française
(RTBF), who choose the Belgian entry for the contest through an internal selection. The song did not progress from the first semi-final of the competitionm, finishing second to last with just one point.
and since has participated a total of fifty times. The country was only absent three times in its history: 1994
, 1997
, and 2001
, when its low score the year before prevented reentry. Belgium won the contest once, in 1986
in Bergen
, Norway
with the song "J'aime la vie
" sung by Sandra Kim
. It achieved second place in 1978
and 2003
and was last eight times. Since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004
, Belgium has failed to appear at the contest final.
Since Belgium is represented by two broadcasters at the contest (Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française
(RTBF) and Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep
(VRT)), they each take turns sending the entry; RTBF is French-speaking, while VRT is Dutch-speaking. All entries prior to 1999
except for 1977
, where sung in either French or Dutch, but Belgium has never sent a representative singing in German, its third official language. While VRT usually organizes a long-lasting national final, RTBF has a history of internal selections with varying levels of success, from a second place for Urban Trad
in 2003
to a bottom 5 place in the semi final for The KMG's
in 2007
.
The 2009 contest marked the turn for RTBF to once again send an entrant and it decided to hold an internal selection as it had in 2007. Patrick Ouchène
was selected to represent the country with the song Copycat
, but it finished second last in the first semi-final, scoring just one point.
RTBF
Radio Télévision Belge Francophone is the public broadcasting organization of the French Community of Belgium, the southern, French-speaking part of Belgium...
(RTBF), who choose the Belgian entry for the contest through an internal selection. The song did not progress from the first semi-final of the competitionm, finishing second to last with just one point.
Background
Belgium debuted at the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956Eurovision Song Contest 1956
The Eurovision Song Contest 1956 was the first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano, Switzerland on 24 May 1956...
and since has participated a total of fifty times. The country was only absent three times in its history: 1994
Eurovision Song Contest 1994
The Eurovision Song Contest 1994 was the 39th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 30 April 1994 in the Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. The presenters were Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Gerry Ryan. The pair hosted the evening in French, English and Irish...
, 1997
Eurovision Song Contest 1997
The Eurovision Song Contest 1997, was the 42nd Eurovision Song Contest and it was held at the Point Theatre Dublin, Ireland, on 3 May 1997. Boyzone member Ronan Keating and Carrie Crowley were the presenters of the show....
, and 2001
Eurovision Song Contest 2001
The Eurovision Song Contest 2001 was the 46th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 12 May 2001 in the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was the first time in 36 years that Denmark hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, thanks to the Olsen Brothers' win the previous year in Stockholm...
, when its low score the year before prevented reentry. Belgium won the contest once, in 1986
Eurovision Song Contest 1986
The Eurovision Song Contest 1986 was the 31st Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 3 May 1986 in the Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway. It was the first occasion on which Norway played host to the contest...
in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
with the song "J'aime la vie
J'Aime La Vie
"J'aime la vie" was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1986, performed for Belgium by Sandra Kim. Belgium had finished the 1985 Contest in last place, and thus achieved the rare turnaround from last to first in the space of one year...
" sung by Sandra Kim
Sandra Kim
Sandra Caldarone , better known as Sandra Kim, is a Belgian singer of Italian descent who won the Eurovision Song Contest 1986 held in Bergen, Norway, on 3 May 1986....
. It achieved second place in 1978
Eurovision Song Contest 1978
The Eurovision Song Contest 1978 was the 23rd of its kind, and was held on 22 April 1978 in Paris. With Denise Fabre and Léon Zitrone as the presenters - the first time more than one presenter hosted the contest - the contest was won by Izhar Cohen & the Alphabeta who represented Israel, with their...
and 2003
Eurovision Song Contest 2003
The Eurovision Song Contest 2003 was the forty-eighth Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Skonto Hall in Riga, Latvia on 24 May 2003. The hosts were Marie N and Renārs Kaupers. Sertab Erener, the Turkish entrant, won the contest with "Everyway That I Can", scoring 167 points. The winning...
and was last eight times. Since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004
Eurovision Song Contest 2004
The Eurovision Song Contest 2004, was the 49th Contest and it was held in the Abdi İpekçi Arena in Istanbul, Turkey. This was the first occasion in which the contest was held in Turkey after they had won the competition in 2003 with Sertab Erener singing "Everyway That I Can"...
, Belgium has failed to appear at the contest final.
Since Belgium is represented by two broadcasters at the contest (Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française
RTBF
Radio Télévision Belge Francophone is the public broadcasting organization of the French Community of Belgium, the southern, French-speaking part of Belgium...
(RTBF) and Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep
Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep
The Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie , or VRT, is a publicly-funded broadcaster of radio and television in Flanders ....
(VRT)), they each take turns sending the entry; RTBF is French-speaking, while VRT is Dutch-speaking. All entries prior to 1999
Eurovision Song Contest 1999
The Eurovision Song Contest 1999 was the 44th Eurovision Song Contest, held on 29 May 1999 in Jerusalem, Israel after Dana International won the contest the previous year in the United Kingdom. The venue for the contest was the International Convention Center...
except for 1977
Eurovision Song Contest 1977
The Eurovision Song Contest 1977 was the 22nd edition series, and was held on 7 May 1977 in London. With Angela Rippon as the presenter, the contest was won by Marie Myriam who represented France, with her song "L'oiseau et l'enfant" . This was France's fifth victory, a record, which was equalled...
, where sung in either French or Dutch, but Belgium has never sent a representative singing in German, its third official language. While VRT usually organizes a long-lasting national final, RTBF has a history of internal selections with varying levels of success, from a second place for Urban Trad
Urban Trad
Urban Trad is a Belgian folk music group, consisting of both Flemish and French speaking people and a close connection with Galicia.-Members:*Yves Barbieux: flutes and Galician bagpipe*Veronica Codesal: vocals*Soetkin Collier: vocals...
in 2003
Eurovision Song Contest 2003
The Eurovision Song Contest 2003 was the forty-eighth Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Skonto Hall in Riga, Latvia on 24 May 2003. The hosts were Marie N and Renārs Kaupers. Sertab Erener, the Turkish entrant, won the contest with "Everyway That I Can", scoring 167 points. The winning...
to a bottom 5 place in the semi final for The KMG's
The KMG's
The KMG's is a Belgian group that won the chance to represent Belgium with the song "LovePower" in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki, Finland....
in 2007
Eurovision Song Contest 2007
The Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was the 52nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It was won by first-time appearance as an independent country Serbia and was held at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland from 10 May to 12 May. The host broadcaster was YLE.Finland earned the right to host...
.
The 2009 contest marked the turn for RTBF to once again send an entrant and it decided to hold an internal selection as it had in 2007. Patrick Ouchène
Patrick Ouchène
Patrick Ouchène is a Belgian singer perhaps most known for being the lead singer in the rockabilly band Runnin' Wild.-Eurovision 2009:On 17 February he was chosen to represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia, with the song "Copycat"...
was selected to represent the country with the song Copycat
Copycat (song)
"Copycat" is a song by Belgian singer Patrick Ouchène and was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 held in Moscow, Russia. It failed to win a place in the Eurovision final, finishing second last in the first semi final with just one point....
, but it finished second last in the first semi-final, scoring just one point.