Anouk, the renowned Dutch singer and the Netherlands’ Eurovision 2013 representative, revealed in an interview that she unofficially learned she finished second in the Dutch internal selection for Eurovision 2025.
Anouk expressed her disappointment in an interview with RTL Boulevard: “I really didn’t need to know that I was second. Honestly, they could have just said nothing.”
As previously reported, the singer appeared on a local evening show in November and announced that she had submitted a song for the internal selection, hoping to represent the Netherlands at Eurovision 2025. The song she submitted is “Where The Mind Goes”, from her new album released last Friday.
Regarding Claude, who is expected to represent the Netherlands at Eurovision 2025 with the song “C’est La Vie” (in English: “That’s life”), she commented:
“It’s a very safe choice. He’s young, fresh, and less likely to cause controversy. The song is happy and feels good – not a risky move at all.”
Anouk is no stranger to the Eurovision world. In Eurovision 2013, she represented the Netherlands with the song “Birds”, which was the first Dutch entry to reach the final since 2004. The song finished in ninth place.
Despite her initial disappointment, Anouk does not rule out a future return to Eurovision:
“It would be fun to try again, this time with something edgier. But it is what it is.”
This is not the first time Anouk has publicly expressed her desire to return to the Eurovision stage. Two years ago, it was reported that Anouk stated in a local media interview that she wanted to participate in Eurovision again, but it was not possible due to the timing of her new album’s release. After missing the opportunity at the most recent Eurovision in Malmö, Sweden, she declared during her June performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival that she had written a new song she believed was perfect for Eurovision.
Listen to Anouk’s song “Where The Mind Goes,” which was submitted for the internal selection for Eurovision 2025.
Netherlands at Eurovision 2025
“C’est La Vie” (in English: “That’s life”) is the name of the song to be performed by the singer Claude who will represent the Netherlands in the second part of the first semi-final of Eurovision 2025 to be held on May 13th in Basel, Switzerland.
The song was written by the singer himself along with Arno Krabman who is responsible for the song “De Diepte” (in English: “The Depth”) that represented the Netherlands in 2022 and reached 11th place in the grand final. In addition to these creators, the creators Joren van der Voort and Léon Palmen are involved in the writing and production of the song. Apart from Krabman, this is the first song by the other creators in the Eurovision competition. The song is performed in English and French. The song “C’est la vie” blends childhood memories with a burst of nostalgia and a deep reflection on the cyclicality and rotations of life.
Currently, the singer is ranked fifth in the betting tables, with a 5% chance of winning.
Who is Claude?
Claude Kiambe, 21 years old, was born in Congo and moved to the Netherlands with his family at the age of 13. The first Eurovision he watched was in 2014, when he and his family cheered for the winning singer Conchita Wurst from Austria. Since then, Claude has been an avid follower of the Eurovision contest. He began releasing music in 2022, with his debut single “Ladada (Mon Dernier Mot)” (in English: Ladada (My Last Word)). His song reached about 53 million views and won the 3FM award for “Best New Discovery.”
Claude released his debut album in 2024, in which he co-wrote and co-composed every song. Since then, he and his band have been performing extensively in the Netherlands and neighboring Belgium. His debut hit, for which he made English and French versions, achieved international success in about 15 countries worldwide, making Claude a globally recognized singer.
After the announcement of his selection, the Dutch singer said: “I feel extremely honoured that I will represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest next year and I still can’t believe it. I’m really looking forward to it and can’t wait to present my song to Europe.”
Source: Eurovisionfun.
Eurovision 2025: This will be the Netherlands’ 65th participation in Eurovision. The Netherlands joined the competition in 1956, was one of the seven founding countries, and has won it five times over the years. The Netherlands’ last victory was at Eurovision 2019 with the song “Arcade” performed by singer Duncan Laurence.
