Introduction

• Participant(s): Jerémie Makiese
• Song: Miss You 
  
• Writer(s): Jérémie Makiese / Manon Romiti / Mike BGRZ / Silvio Lisbonne
• Composer(s): Jérémie Makiese / Manon Romiti / Mike BGRZ / Silvio Lisbonne
• Broadcaster: RTBF
  
• Social media:        
  
• Team review: 

This year the Wallonian broadcaster RTBF had the honour to determine the ESC representative for Turin. The choice felt to the 20 years old singer Jerémie Makiese, who has already won “The Voice Belgique”. A lot of Eurovision singers experienced these kind of talent shows. Belgium has been the first country, which has announced the singer at the end of last year.

Jerémie Makiese was born in Antwerp in 2000. His parents are coming from Congo and love music as well, the father sings in a choir and the mother is playing a traditional Chinese instrument. At an early age Jerémie’s voice has caught a lot of attention. Jerémie joined the school choir and received professional singing lessons. Later Jerémie studied Geology. Beside of these two exciting themes, football is another great passion of Jerémie. He is even playing as goalkeeper for Excelsior Virton FC in the second league.

The ESC song for Jerémie is called “Miss You” and it has also reached number two in the Flemish charts. The entire arrangement and melody remind of the Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana”. The young and talented singer will definitely shine in Turin with his up to date song.

History

• Debut: 1956
• Participations: 62
• Victories: 1
• Finals: 53 (7 since 2004)
• Top 10: 26

For Belgium it’s the 62nd time in the Eurovision Song Contest this year in Turin. Due to the fact the Belgium has two official languages and the two regions Flanders and Wallonia the Belgian representatives are being chosen alternately each year. Well, it cannot be said, which part of Belgium is sending more successful songs, both Wallonia and Flanders are eager to deliver the best quality, which is visible in the good results especially in recent years. The Belgians are on a good way, but not always successful. Both entries in 2018 and 2019 did not make into the Grand Final, while the years before were quite successful, Blanche in 2017 could achieve a wonderful 4th place in Kiev with “City Lights”, as well as Loïc Nottet with “Rhythm Inside” in Vienna 2015 and Laura Tesoro made a 10th place in Stockholm with “What’s The Pressure”

For the first and so far only time, Belgium could win the ESC back in 1986 with “J’aime La Vie” sung by Sandra Kim. Over all these years there have many good places in the top 10.
By virtues of the introduction of the Semi Finals in 2004 some countries are struggling to qualify for the Grand Final. Belgium is one of the countries which had some difficulties in the noughties, only six times Belgium could qualify in the last fourteen. It has also to be taken into consideration that the competition has grown over the years. The Eastern European countries are making the half of the participating countries nowadays, so therefore some well-established countries have to make the way for the new countries and even the non-European country Australia takes part regularly now. The positive thing about it is that it forces the composers to bring higher quality songs into the competition; there is less place for weak songs.

Biggest successes

• 1x 1st place
  “J'aime La Vie” | Sandra Kim (Bergen 1986)
• 4x 2nd place
  ”Messieurs Les Noyés De La Seine” | Fud Leclerc (Lugano 1956)
  “Le Plus Beau Jour De Ma Vie” | Mony Marc (Lugano 1956)
  ”L'amour ça Fait Chanter La Vie” | Jean Vallée (Paris 1978)
  ”Sanomi” | Urban Trad (Riga 2003)
  
  

Video Nostalgia

• “Judy Et Cie.” | Pierre Rapsat
  Rank 8, The Hague 1976
  
• “Rendez-vous” | Pas de Deux
  Rank 18, Munich 1983
  
• “Macédomienne” | Philippe Lafontaine
  Rank 12, Zagreb 1990