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. Part eleven of the series is dedicated to the Belgian entry.
Basic information
| Performer: | Witloof Bay |
| Song: | With love baby |
| Language: | English |
| Music: | Benoît Giaux, RoxorLoops |
| Lyrics: | Benoît Giaux, RoxorLoops |
| Draw: |
4th in the second semi final |
The song
With love baby is a mid tempo a capella beatbox song. The lyrics are kept simple as they basically tell everyone to do everything with love:
In my mind, my body and my soul
With love, baby, you can have it all
If you like to move it, if you like to groove it
Do it with love, baby
If you like to sing it, if you like to swing it
Do it with love, baby
The performers and the songwriters
Vocal band Witloof Bay was founded in 2005 by five singers who cam from all parts of Belgium. At the beginning, they only performed cover versions of famous songs but their first album of original songs was released two years later. Witloof Bay, who now consist of six vocalists, have performed at the most important a capella festivals in Europe also winning various awards. Band members are music school graduates Alexia Saffery (soprano), Nicolas Dorian (tenor), Benoît Giaux (baritone) and Florence Huby (alto) as well as organ builder Etienne Debaisieux (bass) and beatboxer RoxorLoops. The latter is also vice world champion in his field.
In 2010, Witloof Bay competed in the online selection for the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011. They made it to the semi final eventually qualifying for the final, where they were the favourites of both the jury and the televoting. Benoît Giaux and RoxorLoops ahd written the song together.
The national selection
An online semi final was held in Belgium. All submitted songs that met the rules were uploaded on the internet and the public had the opportunity to donate money to the songs they liked best. All songs that gathered at least 20,000€ were supposed to compte in the final. However, as no less than 30 songs reacehd that goal, a semi final was held narrowing down the semi finalists to 14 finalists. In the national final, the winner was chosen by a jury and televoting.
Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest
Walloon broadcaster RTBF is to select the Belgian entry every second year taking turns with the Flemish broadcaster VRT. History shows that the French speaking broadcaster was far more successful having provided the only Belgian winning song in 1986 and the only two second placed entries in 1978 and 2003. The last entry submitted by the Flemish broadcaster that made the top ten took part in 1977 until last year, when Tom Dice reached sixth place in the final. Besided the success last year, both broadcasters have not been too successful in recent years as Belgium has been eliminated during the semi finals every year between 2005 and 2009.
Statistics
This will be Belgium's 53rd participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. It will be the tenth time that the country is represented by a group of more than two people. It will also be the third time (in a row) since the abolishment of the language rule that an entry submitted by the broadcaster of the French speaking part of Belgium is performed entirely in English. Furthermore, it will only be the second a capella song in the history of the competion. The first one was the Latvian entry in 2006.
With love baby is the fourth song to be performed in the second semi final. It will be performed after the mid-tempo guitar pop song from the Netherlands and it will be followed by the mid-tempo R&B ballad from Slovakia. An advantage (or disadvantage – depending on the taste of the audience) might therefore be the fact that the more experimental Belgian entry is performed in the middle of two mainstream songs. A clear disadvantage might be the early position in the draw. In 2006, Latvia had to perform in fourth place in the final, too. Their song I hear your heart only finished in 16th place with 30 points.
We wensen België en Witloof Bay veel geluk en een goed resultaat in Düsseldorf!
Nous souhaitons bonne chance à la Belgique et à Witloof Bay. Marquez un bon résultat à Düsseldorf!
Wir wünschen Belgien und Witloof Bay viel Glück und eine gute Platzierung in Düsseldorf!
Videos
Live performance in the national final:
The preview video:
Performing cover versions of various hit songs live:
Monsieur Bip Bip, another song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUhPa4p6S_0
Tomorrow, we will take a look at the Azerbaijani entry.
Previous parts of the series:
