All songs for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 have been selected. During the weeks between the national final season and the actual Eurovision Song Contest, we will introduce all 43 entries in random order. We are half way through and part thirty-five of the series is dedicated to the Dutch entry.

Basic information

Performers:	3JS
Song:	Never alone
Language:	English
Music:	Jaap Kwakman, Jan Dulles, Jaap de Witte
Lyrics:	Jaap Kwakman, Jan Dulles, Jaap de Witte
Draw:	3rd in the second semi final

The song

Never alone is a mid-tempo pop song. Through the lyrics, a beloved someone is told keep up the spirit:

Just lift your mind
Imagination comes alive
Now you know that I’ll be by your side

Feel the risin’ hope and the sky will open
Take my hand… don’t stall… have faith
Though the road is long
There are golden gardens

The performers and songwriters

Jaap Kwakman, Jan Dulles and Jaap de Witte have been performing under the name 3Js since 2002. In 2007, their debut album Watermensen was released. It reached number six on the Dutch charts and was eventually certified gold. Six singles were released off the album including the top ten hits Net alsof, Watermensen and Wiegelied. At the same time a TV show about the band – entitled 3JS komen eraan – on local television in North Holland was aired. A second album followed in 2008 and it managed to double the success of the first one being certified gold as well. In 2010, their first top three album Dromers and dwazen was released. One of the singles released was Wat is dromen, a duet with Ellen ten Damme (one of the contestants in the German national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2005) and it became the band's first number one hit.

In 2010, 3JS were chosen internally to represent the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf. In a national final, they performed six songs and the winning song was Je vecht nooit alleen, written by the band members themselves. In Düsseldorf, they will perform the English version of the song called Never alone. Meanwhile, the original recording became the band's ninth top ten hit and second number one hit on homeground.

The national selection

3Js were chosen internally to represent the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011. In the national final, they performed six songs and the winning entry was chosen by a jury and televoting.

The Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest

The Netherlands took part in the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 and the country had one of the most remarkable starts in the competition. Between 1957 and 1969, the country could win the contest no less than three times, but was placed in the second half of the scoreboard on every other occasion during those years. In 1975, they won again and they have been waiting for their fifth victory since. The last top ten result in a final to date came in 1999 and the country has not even qualified for the final the last six times.

Statistics

This will be the Netherland's 52nd participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. For the 12th time only the country is not represented by a solo performer. For the eleventh in twelve times since the abolishment of the language rule in 1999, the Dutch entry will be performed entirely in English.

Never alone is the third song to be performed in the second semi final. Along with number two, number three has been considered one of the worst positions in the draw since televoting was introduced. In fact, only two songs ever managed to qualify from a semi final from the position: The Turkish entry in 2008 and the Israeli entry last year. However, Milim would have not qualified based on televoting alone. The Dutch entry is preceeded by the pop ballad from Austria and it is followed by the a capella mid-tempo pop song from Belgium. Therefore, another disadvantage might be the fact that the Dutch entry is placed in the middle of a streak of less energetic songs at the beginning of the second semi final.

We wensen Nederland en 3Js veel geluk en een goed resultaat in Düsseldorf!

Videos

Live performance in the national final:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE9cFHcKaVg

The preview video:

Watermensen (2007):

Wat is dromen feat. Ellen ten Damme:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T4VGwEKe3o

Tomorrow, we will take a look at the Hungarian entry.

Previous parts of the series:

1. Estonia
2. Italy
3. Croatia
4. Slovakia
5. Lithuania
6. Finland
7. Switzerland
   
8. Ukraine
9. Norway
10. Moldova
11. Belgium
12. Azerbaijan
13. Ireland
14. Portugal
    
15. Austria
16. Latvia
17. France
18. Bosnia & Herzegovina
19. Romania
20. Sweden
21. Bulgaria
22. Armenia
23. Denmark
24. Cyprus
25. Spain
    
26. Belarus
27. San Marino
28. Malta
    
29. Germany
    
30. Georgia
31. Greece
32. Iceland
    
33. Serbia
34. Turkey