Mustii, Belgium’s representative at Eurovision 2024, shares in an interview his feelings after the Eurovision failure, the complex year in the competition, and also about his new music and upcoming album.
Belgium’s Eurovision 2024 representative, Mustii, recently shared his candid thoughts about his experience at the contest and his upcoming music projects. In an insightful interview with Songfestival.be, the artist, who didn’t qualify for the final with his song “Before The Party’s Over,” revealed the challenges he faced and his personal growth since the competition.
Mustii frankly admitted that Eurovision wasn’t the celebratory experience he had anticipated. “The competition was a long and intense journey, and I learned a tremendous amount from it,” he stated. While not regretting his participation, he emphasized the significant difficulties he encountered, particularly in the aftermath of the contest.
The Impact of Creative Control on Mustii’s Performance
The Belgian singer described feeling a loss of creative control over his performance, which negatively impacted him both physically and mentally. “With so many people involved in the process, from both the Swedish production team and the Belgian broadcaster, everyone had their own ideas and opinions. This ultimately took away my artistic freedom, and it led me into a state of depression,” Mustii revealed.
Reflecting on his stage performance, Mustii expressed dissatisfaction with both its visual and audio aspects. He shared, “I’ve only watched my performance once, and I can’t bring myself to watch it again. While I’m very proud of myself and the hard work I invested, seeing it causes me to fall into a depressive state, which is problematic for my mental health”.
“This year’s Eurovision was particularly challenging, I considered withdrawing”
There’s no doubt that the past year was not a typical Eurovision year. We went through many scandals, tensions, boycotts, and disqualifications until the lights dimmed on the Malmö stage. Mustii was among the artists who published a statement on March 29th that was perceived as a fairly neutral declaration addressing the war in Gaza. The statement read, “In light of the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in Gaza, and in Israel, we do not feel comfortable remaining silent. It is important for us to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and express our aspiration for peace, a permanent and immediate ceasefire, and the safe return of all hostages. We stand united against all forms of hatred, including antisemitism and Islamophobia.” Apart from his participation in this statement, Mustii was careful not to involve himself in political matters.
Throughout all the preparations for the competition, Mustii keenly felt the tension that developed in the contest following the events that began on October 7, 2023. “The party ended long before it started,” he jokes, referring to the name of his Eurovision song, “Before The Party’s Over”. “The entire atmosphere in Malmö was difficult. At some point, I felt that we were no longer dealing with music, I asked myself what am I doing here? Music is always the main thing, and if it’s not, we’ve forgotten why we’re here.”
The interviewer asks if he considered withdrawing from the competition, and Mustii answers honestly: “Yes, there were moments when I thought about it, the depression I experienced plus all the tense atmosphere made me ask myself what I’m doing here. It wasn’t really an option for me, my parents taught me that you need to finish with dignity what you start and do your best, and that’s what I did. But yes, there were definitely brief moments when the thought of withdrawing crossed my mind. I guess I’m not the best person for these competitions, they’re not for me.”
New Music on the Horizon: Mustii’s Upcoming Album
Despite these challenges, Mustii has channeled his experiences into new music. He recently released a single titled “Tell The Kids It’s Alright,” which he describes as a response to his Eurovision journey. “The song is upbeat, rhythmic, and incorporates various styles like pop and rock. Post-Eurovision, I had many creative ideas, and this song reflects a lot of them,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Mustii is set to release a new album in the coming weeks. He enthusiastically shared, “This album represents a cry for freedom, embodying everything I felt I didn’t have before. It’s very diverse musically, and I’m excited for audiences to hear it”.
As he continues to perform across Belgium, Mustii offers valuable advice to future Eurovision contestants: “Surround yourself with people you trust implicitly, and always remember that you’re there to represent yourself as an artist, not just any national broadcaster”.
Belgium in Eurovision 2024
Singer Mustii represented Belgium in the second semi-final of Eurovision 2024 with the song “Before The Party’s Over”. The singer and song were chosen through an internal selection by the Belgian national broadcaster. In the Eurovision semi-final, the song placed 13th with 18 points, and therefore did not advance to the grand final. This is Belgium’s lowest result since Eurovision 2019, when Belgium also failed to qualify for the final and placed 13th in the semi-final.
Source: Songfestival.be
Eurovision 2025: This will be Belgium’s 66th participation in Eurovision. Belgium joined the competition in 1956 and was one of the seven founding countries. Belgium achieved its best result in Eurovision 1986 when singer Sandra Kim won first place with the song “J’aime la vie”.
