Time to take a closer look at Belgium’s Eurovision 2018 entry, A matter of time: a story about a broken tea-pot, a derelict swimming pool, and the best laid plans for the Lisbon stage.

SENNEK (Laura Groeseneken) presented the official music video to accompany her Eurovision 2018 entry A matter of time this afternoon, after the song leaked on Youtube. The subtle haunting track has a fitting background story, and of course SENNEK is already planning her look and stage performance for Lisbon.

A broken tea-pot as inspiration

A matter of time was written by SENNEK and Alex Callier of the popular group Hooverphonic, produced by Maxime Tribeche from Paris and recorded in the ICP Studio in Elsene, Belgium. The string-players heard in the song are from the National Orchestra of Belgium.

In the official music video, a falling tea-pot plays a pivotal role, and there’s a story behind the image: when writing with Alex Callier, Alex’s elegant glass teapot mysteriously fell and broke to pieces, spilling the freshly made tea. The incident then inspired the first sentence of A matter of time, and was subsequently used in the music video. As they say in Dutch: shards bring good luck!

SENNEK says about the video’s symbolism:

The song describes how you may see beauty in transitoriness, how you may find the beauty in something valuable that breaks.

In essence, SENNEK wants to deliver the message that, through nasty experiences, people may grow and realize that beauty is found in the little things in life.

Video shoot at an abandoned swimming pool

The equally mysterious videoclip of A matter of time was shot at the Résidence Palace, a derelict Art Déco swimming pool in Brussels. It was directed by Edouard Valette, who’s work includes the video for Mud blood by Loïc Nottet (Eurovision 2015), and was produced by Caviar.

SENNEK states:

I find it important to be involved with all aspects of my participation in Eurovision. About the videoclip I also had my own ideas, which Edouard used and made into a beautiful visual story. I did not want a narrative clip, but one that is based on atmosphere. We chose for a sober and minimalistic atmosphere, and I am very proud of the result.

On stage in Lisbon

SENNEK is working on her stage presentation for Lisbon 2018. She is collaborating with renowned director Hans Pannecoucke, who will also direct the staging of Outlaw in ’em by Waylon (The Netherlands 2018), and whose previous Eurovision experience include The Common Linnets (The Netherlands 2014) and Douwe Bob (The Netherlands 2016), among others.

Fitting for Portugal 2018, SENNEK will wear a creation by award-winning Belgian fashion designer of Portuguese descent, Veronique Branquinho. About working with SENNEK, the designer says:

It is very thankful to work together with Laura. A real rock & roll woman. Strong, but also sensitive. She loves feminine, romantic and mysterious. Sentiments that are also important to me. We immediately clicked.

Make-up artist Inge Grognard will also accompany SENNEK to Lisbon, she has worked with artists such as Björk and Marilyn Manson. Inge says:

I really believe in Laura: she has a strong voice, a good song and a beautiful personality. It is marvelous to be able to collaborate on such an international project.

Van Gils & Gasten

SENNEK will be a guest, and perform A matter of time for the first time on television, in the TV-show Van Gils & Gasten, tonight (Monday 5 March 2018) between 21.55 and 22.45 CET on channel Éen.

(Sources: www.tv-visie.nl, www.een.be)

SENNEK will perform A matter of time in Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday 8 May 2018.