Belgian Eurovision winner Sandra Kim surprised fans at Amsterdam Calling by performing Dana International’s “Diva” despite the Netherlands withdrawal and political tensions surrounding the Israeli entry.

Last night, the Eurovision pre-party Amsterdam Calling, organized by the official Dutch fan club OGAE Netherlands, took place. While various past stars performed, Sandra Kim garnered significant attention. The singer, who gave Belgium its only victory in 1986, performed covers of several Eurovision classics, including “Waterloo”, “Tattoo”, and a tribute to the Israeli winner Dana International with her song “Diva“.

This occurrence is notable given that Israeli artists have largely been absent from pre-parties in recent years due to the ongoing security situation. Furthermore, the performance took place in the capital of the Netherlands, a country whose broadcaster, AVROTROS, withdrew from Eurovision 2026 citing the EBU’s inclusion of Israel. This led to speculation among attendees regarding the intent behind the song choice.

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Just three days ago, it was announced that Kim would be the spokesperson delivering the Belgian jury points during the Eurovision 2026 Grand Final, marking the 40th anniversary of her iconic win with “J’aime la vie“. Now, at the Melkweg venue in Amsterdam, she has chosen to perform the winning entry of the 1998 contest.

This performance arrives following a political rift within the Eurovision Song Contest, which saw the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia, Ireland, and Iceland withdraw from the competition after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed the Israeli participation during a committee meeting in Geneva, Switzerland last December. While Kim hails from Belgium, a nation where public discourse has frequently criticized the Israeli entry before ultimately confirming their participation in Vienna with Essyla, her rendition of “Diva” prompted wider commentary. The performance highlighted the historical presence of Israeli entries in the contest, sparking discussions among fans about whether past Israeli artists might return to the pre-party circuit despite current international boycotts.

Kim’s performance, reflecting the contest’s “United by Music” motto, contrasts with numerous artist statements opposing the Israeli participation. The moment highlighted the ongoing debate regarding the separation of politics from the competition and the event’s traditional role as a unifying space for nations through music.

Sandra Kim: A Eurovision Icon

The singer is widely regarded as a national icon in Belgium and a cornerstone figure in Eurovision history, having brought the country its sole win in 1986 with her song “J’aime la vie” (in English: “I Love Life”). Kim retains an unbreakable record as the youngest winner in Eurovision history, claiming the title at just 13 and a half years old. At the time, her age sparked controversy because the song’s lyrics stated she was fifteen, leading to a rule change that now allows only contestants aged sixteen and above to participate.

Following her victory, Kim rose to international fame, selling approximately 1.4 million copies of her hit single. She went on to enjoy a prolific career that included releasing several albums, hosting television shows, and performing a leading role in the musical “Les Misérables”. Her most recent appearance on the Eurovision stage took place during the 2005 anniversary concert, where she performed a tribute to the 1964 Italian winning song “Non Ho L’eta”.

Dutch Fans Keep the Eurovision Spirit Alive

Sandra Kim was not the only beloved past star to participate in last night’s party. Organized by OGAE Netherlands, the event serves as the prelude to the most renowned pre-party, Eurovision in Concert, which takes place today!

Here are the artists who performed at Amsterdam Calling last night:

• Eleftheria Eleftheriou: Greek representative at Eurovision 2012

• Maxine & Franklin Brown: Dutch representatives at Eurovision 1996

• Rasmussen: Danish representative at Eurovision 2018

• Sandra Kim: Eurovision 1986 winner for Belgium

• Valentina Monetta: San Marino representative at Eurovision 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2017

• Zoë: Austrian representative at Eurovision 2016

Watch the full performances from the party on the OGAE Netherlands Instagram page!

Eurovision in Concert 2026

“Eurovision in Concert” is one of the largest events in the Eurovision community, held annually in Amsterdam. The show is part of a promotional tour for artists competing in the current year’s contest, taking place just weeks before rehearsals begin in the host city. While events happen across Europe, this specific pre-party is considered the largest, featuring the highest number of artists. The 2026 edition will take place today at AFAS Live, starting at 20:15 CET. Around 29 representatives from Eurovision 2026 will participate, all performing live!

Eurovision 2026 participants performing at the party:

• Akylas – Greek representative with the song “Ferto”

• Alexandra Căpitănescu – Romanian representative with the song “Choke Me”

• Alicja – Polish representative with the song “Pray”

• Alis – Albanian representative with the song “Nân”

• Atvara – Latvian representative with the song “Ēnā”

• Bandidos do Cante – Portuguese representatives with the song “Rosa”

• Bzikebi – Georgian representatives with the song “On Replay”

• Cosmó – Austrian representative with the song “Tanzschein”

• Daniel Zizka – Czechia representative with the song “Crossroads”

• Delta Goodrem – Australian representative with the song “Eclipse”

• Essyla – Belgian representative with the song “Dancing on the Ice”

• Eva Marija – Luxembourgish representative with the song “Mother Nature”

• Felicia – Swedish representative with the song “My System”

• Jiva – Azerbaijani representative with the song “Just Go”

• Jonas LOVV – Norwegian representative with the song “Ya Ya Ya”

• Lavina – Serbian representative with the song “Kraj mene”

• Lelek – Croatian representative with the song “Andromeda”

• LELÉKA – Ukrainian representative with the song “Ridnym”

• Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Finnish representatives with the song “Liekinheitin”

• Lion Ceccah – Lithuanian representative with the song “Sólo quiero más”

• Monroe – French representative with the song “Regarde!”

• Sal Da Vinci – Italian representative with the song “Per sempre sì”

• Sarah Engels – German representative with the song “Fire”

• Satoshi – Moldovan representative with the song “Viva, Moldova”

• Senhit – San Marino representative with the song “Superstar”

• SIMÓN – Armenian representative with the song “Paloma Rumba”

• Søren Torpegaard Lund – Danish representative with the song “Før vi går hjem”

• Tamara Živković – Montenegrin representative with the song “Nova Zora”

• Veronica Fusaro – Swiss representative with the song “Alice”

Also performing during the evening:

• Kyle Alessandro – Norwegian representative at Eurovision 2025 with the song “Lighter”

• Lenny Kuhr – Dutch representative at Eurovision 1969 with the winning song “De Troubadour“

• Shkodra Electronike – Albanian representatives at Eurovision 2025 with the song “Zjerm”

• Tim Schou – Danish representative at Eurovision 2011 as part of the band A Friend in London with the song “New Tomorrow“

Among the stars performing tonight is Lenny Kuhr, the Jewish singer who won Eurovision 1969 representing the Netherlands. The announcement of her participation in the party came just two and a half weeks after it was published that she would make Aliyah to Israel. This year, the performance takes place after AVROTROS announced its withdrawal from Eurovision 2026. However, despite the exit, the party’s organizers demonstrate a continued focus on bringing nations together through music.

Associated Events and Eurovision Parties

Ahead of Eurovision 2026, several associated events and pre-parties are planned across Europe. These events feature competing artists showcasing their contest entries. It provides a fantastic opportunity for the participants to promote their music, meet the fans, and give interviews to various European media outlets. These events include:

• Melfest WKND in Stockholm, March 6th-7th

• Eurovision Party SKG in Thessaloniki, March 12th

• Nordic Eurovision Party, March 21st

• Eurovision in Concert 2026 in Amsterdam, April 11th

• London Eurovision Party, April 19th

Belgium at Eurovision 2026

“Dancing on the Ice” is the title of the song to be performed by singer Essyla, who will represent Belgium at Eurovision 2026, set to take place in Vienna, Austria. Belgium will compete at the 2nd half ofs song number 11 in the First Semi-Final on May 12th. The song was written by Essyla herself, alongside songwriter Barbara Petitjean.

Currently, Belgium is ranked 28th in the betting tables ahead of Eurovision 2026.

Eurovision 2026: This will be Belgium’s 67th participation in the contest. Belgium joined Eurovision in 1956 as one of its seven founding nations. The country’s best result came in 1986, when Sandra Kim won first place with “J’aime la vie”.