Belgium was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with the song "", written by Kate Ryan, Niklas Bergwall, Niclas Kings, and Lisa Greene, and performed by Kate Ryan herself. The Belgian participating broadcaster, Flemish (VRT), selected its entry for the contest through the national final Eurosong '06. The competition featured twenty-eight competing entries and consisted of seven shows. In the final on 19 February 2006, "" performed by Kate Ryan was selected as the winner via the votes of seven jury groups and a public televote.
Belgium competed in the semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 18 May 2006. Performing during the show in position 7, "Je t'adore" was not announced among the top 10 entries of the semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Belgium placed twelfth out of the 23 participating countries in the semi-final with 69 points.
Background
Prior to the 2006 contest, Belgium had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest forty-seven 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. Following the introduction of semi-finals for , Belgium had been featured in only one final. In , "" performed by Nuno Resende placed twenty-second in the semi-final and failing to advance to the final.
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 and RTBF in 2005 both organised a national final in order to select their entries. On 19 June 2005, VRT –who had the turn– confirmed its participation in the 2006 contest and announced that the Eurosong '06 national final would be held to select its entry.
Before Eurovision Eurosong '06
Eurosong '06 was the national final organised by VRT to select its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006. The competition consisted of seven shows that commenced on 8 January 2006 and concluded with a final on 19 February 2006 where the winning song and artist were selected. All shows took place at the Studio 100 in Schelle, hosted by Bart Peeters and were broadcast on Eén.
Format Twenty-eight entries were selected to compete in Eurosong. Four heats took place on 8, 15, 22 and 29 January 2006 with each show featuring seven entries. The top three as determined by an expert jury, a press jury, two radio jury groups from the stations Radio 2 and Radio Donna and public televoting qualified to the semi-finals. The expert jury also selected two wildcards out of the non-qualifying acts in the heats to advance. The qualifying artists were then coached and groomed by a team of experts in further preparation for the national final. This team consisted of stylists Lien Degol and Jani Kazaltzis, choreographer Marvin Smith and advertiser Peter Ampe.
Two semi-finals took place on 5 and 12 February 2006 with each show featuring seven entries. The top three as determined by the four jury groups and public televoting qualified to the final, while the expert jury also selected a wildcard out of the non-qualifying acts in the semi-finals to advance. The final took place on 19 February 2006 where the winner was chosen by an expert jury, a press jury, two radio jury groups from the stations Radio 2 and Radio Donna, three international jury groups and public televoting. Each jury group had an equal stake in the result during all shows, while the public televote had a weighting equal to the votes of two jury groups in the heats and the semi-finals and three jury groups in the final. 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 Flikken and then an episode of Witse was aired while the rest of the results were being collected; and in the second part, the results of the public televoting and three other jury groups were announced.
During each of the seven shows, the expert jury provided commentary and feedback to the artists as well as selected entries to advance in the competition. The experts were:
Yasminesinger and television presenter Marcel Vanthiltsinger and television presenter André VermeulenBelgian commentator at the Eurovision Song Contest Johnny LoganIrish singer-songwriter, who won Eurovision for and
Competing entries A submission period was opened on 19 June 2005 for artists and songwriters to submit their entries until 28 September 2005. The twenty-eight acts selected by VRT for the competition from 321 entries received during the submission period were announced on 6 December 2005. Among the competing artists were former Eurovision Song Contest participants Barbara Dex, who represented , and Vanessa Chinitor, who represented .
Artist Song Composer(s) Afi "Not That Beautiful" Alain Vande Putte, Miguel Wiels Ali vs. Laura "I Belong to You Belong to Me" Jamy Mahyar Bagheri Axel Devries "Alleen jij" Ronald Vanhuffel, Tracy Atkins, Jurgen Coppieters Barbara Dex "Crazy" Andre Remkes, Alidus Hidding Beatoxic "Feel Like" Geert D'Haene Belle Perez "El mundo bailando" Maribel Pérez, Juan Guerrero, Fernando De Meersman, Patrick Renier Brahim "P.O.W.E.R." Fred Braikin, Brahim Attaeb, Jeremy Style Casa Creola "Easy esta noche" Marc Paelinck, Jamie Winchester Els de Schepper "Als ik je morgen ergens tegenkom" Rick Denys, David Poltrock Eve Kempbell "Not Right" Paul Drew, Greig Watts, Peter Barringer, Phillipa Alexanda, Ellie Wyatt Fantoom "Hier sta ik" Servaas Binge, Hillert Binge Jeason "Dame amor, dame vida" Jeason Herfs Kaden "In Your Heaven" Marc Van Hie, Rudolf Hecke Kate Ryan "Je t'adore" Katrien Verbeeck, Niklas Bergwall, Niclas Kings, Lisa Greene Katerine "Watch Me Move" Mark Frisch, Anthony Galatis, Yannik Fonderie 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 "Jammin" Robbins, Lenna Bauerly Shelly Tommy "The Best Time of My Life" Tommy Vlaeminck Triskèl "I'll Be There for You" 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" Tom Van Landuyt Zenna "Someone Is Calling" Inge Moortgat, Violetta Zimbardi, Sammy Merayah
Shows
Heats The four heats took place on 8, 15, 22 and 29 January 2006. In each show seven entries competed and the combination of results from an expert jury, a press jury, two radio jury groups and a public televote determined the top three that qualified to the semi-finals. An additional two entries were awarded wildcards by the expert jury from the remaining non-qualifying acts in the heats to proceed to the semi-finals.
+ Heat 1 – 8 January 2006 Artist Song Jury Televote Total PlaceResult 1 Brahim "P.O.W.E.R." 30 14 44 2 Qualified 2 Jeason "Dame amor, dame vida" 14 10 24 3 Qualified 3 Sonny O'Brien "I'll Be There for You" 19 4 23 4 Wildcard 4 Fantoom "Hier sta ik" 7 8 15 6 5 Vanessa Chinitor "Beyond You" 8 2 10 7 6 Zenna "Someone Is Calling" 12 6 18 5 7 Katerine "Watch Me Move" 34 18 52 1 Qualified +Song rowspan="2" rowspan="2" Radio JuriesTotal 1 "P.O.W.E.R." 7 7 79 30 2 "Dame amor, dame vida" 5 2 34 14 3 "I'll Be There for You" 4 5 55 19 4 "Hier sta ik" 1 1 23 7 5 "Beyond You" 3 3 11 8 6 "Someone Is Calling" 2 4 42 12 7 "Watch Me Move" 9 9 97 34 + Heat 2 – 15 January 2006 Artist Song Jury Televote Total PlaceResult 1 Casa Creola "Easy esta noche" 13 4 14 6 2 Afi "Not That Beautiful" 30 6 36 3 Qualified 3 Tommy "The Best Time of My Life" 11 8 19 5 4 Barbara Dex "Crazy" 26 18 44 1 Qualified 5 Beatoxic "Feel Like" 4 2 6 7 6 Els de Schepper "Als ik je morgen ergens tegenkom" 15 10 25 4 Wildcard 7 Roxane "Push It" 25 14 39 2 Qualified
+Song rowspan="2" rowspan="2" Radio JuriesTotal 1 "Easy esta noche" 2 4 25 13 2 "Not That Beautiful" 7 959 30 3 "The Best Time of My Life" 3 2 33 11 4 "Crazy" 5 5 97 26 5 "Feel Like" 1 1 11 4 6 "Als ik je morgen ergens tegenkom" 4 3 44 15 7 "Push It" 9 7 72 25
+ Heat 3 – 22 January 2006 Artist Song Jury Televote Total PlaceResult 1 Valérie Mouton "I Can't Go On Like This" 10 4 14 6 2 Kate Ryan "Je t'adore" 34 10 44 1 Qualified 3 Kaye Styles "Profile" 23 14 37 3 Qualified 4 Axel Devries "Alleen jij" 8 2 10 7 5 Laura D "History Turning Round" 18 6 24 4 6 Peter Evrard "Coward" 24 18 42 2 Qualified 7 Pim "I'm Your Man" 7 8 15 5
+Song rowspan="2" rowspan="2" Radio JuriesTotal 1 "I Can't Go On Like This" 4 3 21 10 2 "Je t'adore" 7 999 34 3 "Profile" 9 4 55 23 4 "Alleen jij" 1 1 33 8 5 "History Turning Round" 5 5 44 18 6 "Coward" 3 7 77 24 7 "I'm Your Man" 2 2 12 7
+ Heat 4 – 29 January 2006 Artist Song Jury Televote Total PlaceResult 1 Kaden "In Your Heaven" 10 2 12 6 2 WOEST "Gek" 14 8 22 4 3 Ali vs. Laura "I Belong to You Belong to Me" 8 4 12 6 4 La Sakhra "Wonderland" 28 10 38 2 Qualified 5 Triskèl "I'll Be There for You" 8 6 14 5 6 Belle Perez "El mundo bailando" 34 18 52 1 Qualified 7 Eve Kempbell "Not Right" 22 14 36 3 Qualified
+Song rowspan="2" rowspan="2" Radio JuriesTotal 1 "In Your Heaven" 2 3 41 10 2 "Gek" 4 4 24 14 3 "I Belong to You Belong to Me" 1 2 32 8 4 "Wonderland" 5 977 28 5 "I'll Be There for You" 3 1 13 8 6 "El mundo bailando" 9 7 99 34 7 "Not Right" 7 5 55 22
Semi-finals The two semi-finals took place on 5 and 12 February 2006. In each show seven entries competed and the combination of results from an expert jury, a press jury, two radio jury groups and a public televote determined the top three that qualified to the final. "P.O.W.E.R." performed by Brahim was awarded a wildcard by the expert jury from the non-qualifying acts in the semi-finals to proceed to the final.
+ Semi-final 1 – 5 February 2006 Artist Song Jury Televote Total PlaceResult 1 Jeason "Dame amor, dame vida" 5 4 9 7 2 Eve Kempbell "Not Right" 13 8 21 4 3 Els de Schepper "Als ik je morgen ergens tegenkom" 17 10 27 3 Qualified 4 Afi "Not That Beautiful" 16 2 18 5 5 Katerine "Watch Me Move" 9 6 15 6 6 Kaye Styles "Profile" 30 14 44 2 Qualified 7 Kate Ryan "Je t'adore" 34 18 52 1 Qualified
+Song rowspan="2" rowspan="2" Radio JuriesTotal 1 "Dame amor, dame vida" 1 1 21 5 2 "Not Right" 5 2 33 13 3 "Als ik je morgen ergens tegenkom" 4 4 54 17 4 "Not That Beautiful" 2 5 45 16 5 "Watch Me Move" 3 3 12 9 6 "Profile" 9 7 77 30 7 "Je t'adore" 7 9 99 34
+ Semi-final 2 – 12 February 2006 Artist Song Jury Televote Total PlaceResult 1 La Sakhra "Wonderland" 36 8 44 1 Qualified 2 Roxane "Push It" 5 2 7 7 3 Sonny O'Brien "I'll Be There for You" 7 4 11 6 4 Brahim "P.O.W.E.R." 22 10 32 4 Wildcard 5 Belle Perez "El mundo bailando" 20 14 34 3 Qualified 6 Peter Evrard "Coward" 15 6 21 5 7 Barbara Dex "Crazy" 19 18 37 2 Qualified
+Song rowspan="2" rowspan="2" Radio JuriesTotal 1 "Wonderland" 9 999 36 2 "Push It" 1 2 11 5 3 "I'll Be There for You" 2 1 22 7 4 "P.O.W.E.R." 7 7 44 22 5 "El mundo bailando" 5 3 75 20 6 "Coward" 3 4 53 15 7 "Crazy" 4 5 37 19
Final The final took place on 19 February 2006 where the seven entries that qualified from the preceding two semi-finals competed. The winner, "Je t'adore" performed by Kate Ryan, was selected by the combination of results from an expert jury, a press jury, two radio jury groups, three international jury groups and a public televote. The international jury groups were selected following a study conducted by two independent professors in statistics on the three best forecasters of the Eurovision Song Contest in recent years.