Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Let's continue the series and kill some time having a look at the last decade and see who were the Top-10 best scoring countries in the Eurovision song contest in the past ten years. The ways to calculate are many and here I have used the simple average placement method (and it's not all so serious). Next up is the Netherlands, that has some very mixed results before getting their act togethers. Honestly, I didn't even remember 3JS at all..... and Joan Franka's headpiece hasn't aged so well either. The Netherlands lands at 9th plave despite those flops thanks to a gold and a silver medal and three 9-11th places. 2011 3JS - Never alone - NQ (19th in semi-final) * 2012 Joan Franka - You and me - NQ (15th in semi-final) * 2013 Anouk - Birds - 9th *** 2014 The Common Linnets - Calm after the storm - 2nd ***** 2015 Trijntje Oosterhuis - Walk along - NQ (14th in semi-final) ** 2016 Douwe Bob - Slow down - 11th ***** 2017 O'G3NE - Lights ...

The Dutch didn't give us much to choose from this year when 3Js sung all the songs and most likely the best one won even if Never alone didn't actually get much company in Germany. And unfortunately they changed the language when Je vecht nooit alleen sounded so much better. De stroom came second in the national final and indeed would have been the mext best choice. But wouldn't have done any better, I'm afraid.

The guys of 3Js have apparently announced they are soon to record a duet with Raphael Gualazzi. The fate of the two acts couldn't have been more diverse in the Eurovision - 3Js last in their semifinal (very unfairly if you ask me as Never alone deserved much more!) and Gualazzi surprisingly runner up in the final with his Madness of love . Anyways, they hit it off on the boat trip and it seems the talks of collaboration are not mere talks but reality soon. Meanwhile 3Js have released their follow up single De stroom , also from the national selection. This isn't the first time the Eurovision acts of the same year find each other and collaborate after the contest. Like Boaz Mauda, Sirusho and Jelena Tomasevic in Time to pray .

The first semifinal countries have finished their technical rehearsals and we go on with the second semifinal and first is of course Bosnia-Herzegovina . And it's a perfect start, all looks and sounds great. The back screen looks pretty in red velvet that turns into the children's carousel and some hearts every now wand then. They have further polished their act dropping more of the weird steps and stuff and it sure does look like a winner. All is fine. If there will be a close run and several countries in the running for victory like in 2003 this will be one of them. And may end up doing Turkey at the last vote.  Austria follows with another strong contender. The Austrian Mireille Mathieu surely can fill the arena with her voice and carry this tune that may not be the greatest to the final just by the power of it. Beautiful. Austria is back with a bang and in final. From one great voice to another when the Netherlands take the stage. They are wearing their mafia suits to the...

Highly expected 3Js from the Netherlands left me a bit cold I must say sadly. The guys with their classic Eurovision backing choir moving in more or less unison deliver vocally but....  isn't the choir a bit too enthuastic? Anyways something is not working. The staging adds nothing to the song. A good song and excellent vocals but is it enough? Me thinks it's not. Shame.  Here are the videos: AKOE , Escdaily , Official

The Dutch have chosen and indeed they picked up the best out of those five. Mostly pleasant and nice songs but Eurovision winners? Hardly. Winning song could turn into a catchy poprock hit with a little re-arrangement and English lyrics. The singer's fine, the song has a little bit of U2 vibe in it once it gets going but the other two guys shouldn't look so miserablöe and serious all the time! The blondie looks sullen and in pain and the older chap just half asleep.... Wake up, this is Eurovision!

Tonight it's the decision ttime in the Netherlands. 3Js was chosen to represant the country already last year and they have written five songs for the occasion and the winner will be picked up by 50-50 jury-televote. Against the previous news it seems like the winning entry will be translated into English and if it's any good will be performed as such in Germany. The show starts at 21.20 CET from Hilversum. Previous Eurovision stars Hind and Rene Froger are amogst the jury. Judging the snippets my favourite might be Nooit alleen.     1. De stroom (The stream)    2. Je vecht nooit alleen (Never alone)    3. Ga dan niet (Then don't go)    4. Toen ik jou vergat (When I forgot you)    5. Weelderig waardeloos (Luxuriously worthless) UPDATE:   Ok, I wasn't planning to watch the show but I am watching it after all.... :-) The show started with the most boring song of them all, Ga dan niet. It just didn't go anywhere. The followe...

A busy weekend ahead. On Friday we have the third and last semifinal in Finland and the first gala in Spain. Saturday the trio of Norway, Iceland and Croatia continue with their semifinals. On Sunday we will find out who of the newcomers made it all the way to teatro Ariston in Sanremo and in Belgium the radio selection starts. But most importantly we will have another entry chosen: The Netherlands. 3JS was internally chosen to represant the orange nation this year and they have penned five songs to choose from. The voting will be 50% televote and 50% jury made of René Froger, Daniël Dekker, Annemieke Schollaardt, Eric van Tijn and Hind. 01. Vecht nooit Alleen (Never Fight Alone) 02. Ga Dan Niet (Don’t Go Then) 03. De Stroom (The Stream) 04. Toen Ik Jou Vergat (When I Forgot You) 05. Weelderig Waardeloos (Luxuriously Worthless) You can listen a bit of each song here .

More song titles, this time from the Netherlands. The "boy"band 3JS will perform all the songs in the national song festival and televoting will pick up the winner to sent to cross the border. The final takes place in Hilversum on January 30, 2011. The songs are:   De stroom (The stream)   Nooit alleen (Never alone)   Toen ik jou vergat (When I forgot you)   Ga dan niet (Don' go then)   Weelderig waardeloos (Luxuriously worthless)

Third time lucky. They have been asked by the Dutch TV in 2009 and 2010 but thanked no. This time they said yes and will go to Germany. Expect some acoustic stuff in Dutch. Most likely. They will perform five songs in the national final sometime early 2011 and 50-50 televote-jury will pick up the song they will take to Berlin. Or Hamburg. Or some other city the Germans fancy hosting the show next year. They are the second act chosen and will meet this year's winner Lena for Germany.....

It is rumoured 3JS or Jaap, Jan and Jaap will be the band chosen to represant the Netherlands in Germany 2011. They have released three albums so far since 2007 and their biggest hits are Hou van mij , Watermensen , Wiegelied and Bevlogen als vogels . We will know maybe tomorrow if this is true, as TROS will held a press conference to tell us about their plans. In that case the Dutch will most likely continue singing in their native which is always refreshing.