Belgium was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 with the song "1 Life", composed by Marc Paelinck, with lyrics by Dirk Paelinck, and performed by Xandee. The Belgian participating broadcaster, Flemish (VRT), selected its entry for the contest through the national final Eurosong '04. The competition featured twenty-eight competing entries and consisted of five shows. In the final on 15 February 2004, "1 Life" performed by Xandee was selected as the winner via the votes of five voting groups.

As one of ten highest placed finishers in the , Belgium directly qualified to compete in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 15 May 2004. Performing in position 13, Belgium placed twenty-second out of the 24 participating countries with 7 points.

Background

Prior to the 2004 contest, Belgium had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest forty-five times since its debut as one of seven countries to take part in . Since then, they have won the contest on one occasion with the song "", performed by Sandra Kim. In , "Sanomi" performed by Urban Trad placed second in the final—Belgium's best result in the contest since their victory in 1986.

The Belgian participation in the contest alternates between two broadcasters: Flemish (VRT) and Walloon (RTBF) at the time, with both broadcasters sharing the broadcasting rights. Both broadcasters –and their predecessors– had selected the Belgian entry using national finals and internal selections in the past. VRT had the turn to participate in 2004. In , VRT organised the national final Eurosong in order to select the entry, while in 2003, RTBF internally selected both the artist and song. On 19 September 2003, VRT confirmed its participation in the 2004 contest and announced that the Eurosong national final would be held to select its entry.

Before Eurovision Eurosong '04 Eurosong '04 was the national final organised by VRT to select its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004. The competition consisted of five shows that commenced on 18 January 2004 and concluded with a final on 15 February 2004 where the winning song and artist were selected. All shows took place at the Studio 100 in Schelle, hosted by Bart Peeters and broadcast on TV1.

Format Twenty-eight entries were selected to compete in Eurosong. Four semi-finals took place on 18 January 2004, 25 January 2004, 1 February 2004 and 8 February 2004 with each show featuring seven entries. The winner of each semi-final qualified to the final, and the three highest scoring second placed acts in the semi-finals were also selected to advance. The final took place on 15 February 2004 where the winner was chosen. The results of all shows were determined by an expert jury, an international jury, voting on Radio 2 and Radio Donna and public televoting. Each voting group had an equal stake in the result during all shows with the exception of the public televote which had a weighting equal to the votes of two groups. For the radio voting, listeners of the two stations were able to vote in advance prior to each of the five shows via televoting between Tuesday and Friday and their votes were combined with a jury consisting of representatives from the respective stations (due to a technical problem, the public votes of the Radio 2 jury are unable to counted in the fourth semi-final and instead come entirely from the Radio 2 jury). Each show was broadcast in two parts: in the first part, the songs were performed and the results of the expert jury were announced; after the first part an episode of Witse was aired while the rest of the results were being collected; and in the second part, the results of the international jury and three public voting groups were announced.

During each of the five shows, the expert jury provided commentary and feedback to the artists as well as selected entries to advance in the competition. The experts were:

Dana Winner – singer Marcel Vanthilt – singer and television presenter André Vermeulen – Belgian commentator at the Eurovision Song Contest Serge Simonart – journalist at HUMO

Competing entries A submission period was opened on 19 September 2003 for artists and songwriters to submit their entries until 24 November 2003. On 10 December 2003, VRT held a press conference at the Reyerslaan in Schaerbeek where the twenty-eight acts selected for the competition from a record number of 360 entries received during the submission period were announced. Among the competing artists were former Eurovision Song Contest participants Nicole and Hugo, who represented , and Barbara Dex, who represented .

Artist Song Songwriter(s) Amaryllis Temmerman "God in alle eenvoud" Amaryllis Temmerman, David Poltrock Astrid "Don't Stop the Music" Dirk Paelinck, Marc Paelinck Barbara Dex and Alides "One Life" Alides Hidding, Barbara Dex Biba Binoche "Je chante pour toi" Marianne Velvekens, Marc Requile, Frank Jordens Chris D. Morton "Every Dead Soldier" Chris D. Morton, Dick B. Morton, Alain Croisy CLIC "Vieze ouwe venten" Alain Vande Putte, Tracy Atkins De Egels "Maria Maria Maria" Thomas Selis Elsie Moraïs "Amorè loco" Piet van den Heuvel, Roel de Ruijter Eva "Angels" Dirk Paelinck, Marc Paelinck Garry Hagger "I Will Choose You" John Terra, Daniel Gijbels, Guy Balbaert Katia Berlingieri "Don't Be Scared" Katia Berlingieri, Wim Claes Kurt "My Heart" Kurt Lotgiers Marjolein "Say Love" Dirk Paelinck, Marc Paelinck Natalia "Higher Than the Sun" Yurek Onzia, Vincent Pierens Nicole and Hugo "Love Is All Around" Miguel Wiels, Alain Vande Putte, Peter Gillis Peter Elkins "Cry Love" Peter Elkins, Sebastiaan Bouckaert Quatro "Never Say Goodbye" Gregory Bilsen, Marc Paelinck Raf van Brussel "Chemistry" Raf van Brussel Raffaele "Freakin' Destiny" Raffaele Vertrugno, Fred Bekky Roxane "Television Game" Danny van Wauwe, Edmond’s Jegers Sodapop "Time to Party" Lex De Groot, Piet Van Den Heuvel, Roel De Ruijter Sofie Van Moll "Kerosene" Piet Van Den Heuvel Spring "Jan zonder vrees" , Hans Bourlon, Gert Verhulst Storm "Jij (hoort bij mij)" Niels Megens, M. Flamman The Acrolls "The Happy Song" Marino Van Ysacker X-Elementz "Innocent" Nima Farbod, Nary Farbod Xandee "1 Life" Dirk Paelinck, Marc Paelinck Yanah "Yes or No" Eric Geurts, Nathalie Vangronsvelt

Shows Semi-finals The four semi-finals took place on 18 January, 25 January, 1 February and 8 February 2004. In each show seven entries competed and the combination of results from two jury groups, two radio voting groups and a public televote determined the winner that qualified to the final. The three highest scoring second placed acts in the semi-finals also proceeded to the final. + Semi-final 1 – 18 January 2004 Artist Song Jury Radio Televote Total Place 1 Yanah "Yes or No" 5 8 4 17 5 2 Chris D. Morton "Every Dead Soldier" 10 8 10 28 3 3 De Egels "Maria Maria Maria" 2 5 6 13 7 4 Katia Berlingieri "Don't Be Scared" 10 7 8 25 4 5 Xandee "1 Life" 18 18 18 54 1 6 Storm "Jij (hoort bij mij)" 6 8 2 16 6 7 Nicole and Hugo "Love Is All Around" 11 8 14 33 2

+ Song Total 1 "Yes Or No" 2 3 5 2 "Every Dead Soldier" 5 5 10 3 "Maria Maria Maria" 1 1 2 4 "Don't Be Scared" 3 7 10 5 "1 Life" 9 9 18 6 "Jij (hoort bij mij)" 4 2 6 7 "Love Is All Around" 7 4 11

+ Song Total 1 "Yes or No" 4 4 8 2 "Every Dead Soldier" 3 5 8 3 "Maria Maria Maria" 2 3 5 4 "Don't Be Scared" 5 2 7 5 "1 Life" 9 9 18 6 "Jij (hoort bij mij)" 1 7 8 7 "Love Is All Around" 7 1 8

+ Semi-final 2 – 25 January 2004 Artist Song Jury Radio Televote Total Place 1 Quatro "Never Say Goodbye" 8 10 8 26 4 2 Kurt "My Heart" 5 2 2 9 7 3 Sofie Van Moll "Kerosene" 8 18 10 36 3 4 Raf van Brussel "Chemistry" 14 14 14 42 2 5 CLIC "Vieze ouwe venten" 3 5 4 12 6 6 Biba Binoche "Je chante pour toi" 6 6 6 18 5 7 Elsie Moraïs "Amorè loco" 18 7 18 43 1

+ Song Total 1 "Never Say Goodbye" 4 4 8 2 "My Heart" 2 3 5 3 "Kerosene" 3 5 8 4 "Chemistry" 7 7 14 5 "Vieze ouwe venten" 1 2 3 6 "Je chante pour toi" 5 1 6 7 "Amorè loco" 9 9 18

+ Song Total 1 "Never Say Goodbye" 5 5 10 2 "My Heart" 1 1 2 3 "Kerosene" 9 9 18 4 "Chemistry" 7 7 4 5 "Vieze ouwe venten" 3 2 5 6 "Je chante pour toi" 2 4 6 7 "Amorè loco" 4 3 7

+ Semi-final 3 – 1 February 2004 Artist Song Jury Radio Televote Total Place 1 Astrid "Don't Stop the Music" 14 14 10 38 2 2 Raffaele "Freakin' Destiny" 5 5 2 12 7 3 The Acrolls "The Happy Song" 4 8 8 20 5 4 Roxane "Television Game" 18 13 18 49 1 5 Garry Hagger "I Will Choose You" 7 2 4 13 6 6 Marjolein "Say Love" 9 6 6 21 4 7 Spring "Jan zonder vrees" 5 14 14 33 3

+ Song Total 1 "Don't Stop the Music" 7 7 14 2 "Freakin' Destiny" 1 4 5 3 "The Happy Song" 3 1 4 4 "Television Game" 9 9 18 5 "I Will Choose You" 5 2 7 6 "Say Love" 4 5 9 7 "Jan zonder vrees" 2 3 5

+ Song Total 1 "Don't Stop the Music" 9 5 14 2 "Freakin' Destiny" 3 2 5 3 "The Happy Song" 5 3 8 4 "Television Game" 4 9 13 5 "I Will Choose You" 1 1 2 6 "Say Love" 2 4 6 7 "Jan zonder vrees" 7 7 14

+ Semi-final 4 – 8 February 2004 Artist Song Jury Radio Televote Total Place 1 Eva "Angels" 7 7 6 20 4 2 Sodapop "Time to Party" 2 6 4 12 6 3 Amaryllis Temmerman "God in alle eenvoud" 5 5 2 12 6 4 Peter Elkins "Cry Love" 10 8 8 26 3 5 Natalia "Higher Than the Sun" 14 18 18 50 1 6 X-Elementz "Innocent" 6 4 10 20 4 7 Barbara Dex and Alides "One Life" 18 14 14 46 2

+ Song Total 1 "Angels" 4 3 7 2 "Time to Party" 1 1 2 3 "God in alle eenvoud" 3 2 5 4 "Cry Love" 5 5 10 5 "Higher Than the Sun" 7 7 14 6 "Innocent" 2 4 6 7 "One Life" 9 9 18

+ Song Total 1 "Angels" 3 4 7 2 "Time to Party" 1 5 6 3 "God in alle eenvoud" 4 1 5 4 "Cry Love" 5 3 8 5 "Higher Than the Sun" 9 9 18 6 "Innocent" 2 2 4 7 "One Life" 7 7 14

Final The final took place on 15 February 2004 where the seven entries that qualified from the preceding four semi-finals competed. The winner, "1 Life" performed by Xandee, was selected by the combination of results from two jury groups, two radio voting groups and a public televote. + Final – 15 February 2004 Artist Song JuryRadio Televote Total Place 1 Roxane "Television Game" 68 6 20 5 2 Barbara Dex and Alides "One Life" 911 10 30 3 3 Elsie Moraïs "Amorè loco" 126 8 26 4 4 Astrid "Don't Stop the Music" 24 2 8 7 5 Xandee "1 Life" 1814 18 50 1 6 Raf van Brussel "Chemistry" 55 4 14 6 7 Natalia "Higher Than the Sun" 1014 14 38 2

+ Song Total 1 "Television Game" 4 2 6 2 "One Life" 5 4 9 3 "Amorè loco" 7 5 12 4 "Don't Stop the Music" 1 1 2 5 "1 Life" 9 9 18 6 "Chemistry" 2 3 5 7 "Higher Than the Sun" 3 7 10

+ Song Total 1 "Television Game" 1 7 8 2 "One Life" 7 4 11 3 "Amorè loco" 4 2 6 4 "Don't Stop the Music" 3 1 4 5 "1 Life" 9 5 14 6 "Chemistry" 2 3 5 7 "Higher than the Sun" 5 9 14

Ratings + Viewing figures by showShowDateViewing figures Nominal Share Semi-final 1 18 January 2004 1,504,000 58.9% Semi-final 2 25 January 2004 1,643,000 57.5% Semi-final 3 1 February 2004 1,494,000 52.7% Semi-final 4 8 February 2004 1,777,000 Final 15 February 2004 1,914,000 65.3%

At Eurovision

It was announced that the competition's format would be expanded to include a semi-final in 2004. According to the rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country, the "Big Four" (France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom) and the ten highest placed finishers in the are required to qualify from the semi-final in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from the semi-final progress to the final. As Belgium finished second in the 2003 contest, the nation automatically qualified to compete in the final on 15 May 2004. On 23 March 2004, a special allocation draw was held which determined the running order and Belgium was set to perform in position 13 in the final, following the entry from and before the entry from . Despite being considered a favourite to win the whole competition, Belgium placed twenty-second in the final, scoring 7 points.