For Stephanie, a dream came true! She was appointed the leading role in the Dutch musical Annie. Therefore, she cannot participate in the Dutch national selection for the 2005 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Broadcaster AVRO today announced that Cleo will replace her.

About ten girls got the leading role of Annie; Stephanie is only one of them. Due to child labour regulations, young kids can only work for a few hours a week and thus the producers of Annie had to find more girls to play the leading character.

12-year old Stephanie from Amsterdam was supposed to sing the song De wereld om je heen (The world around you) in one of the two semifinals. Broadcaster AVRO selected Cleo, a 9 year-old girl from Utrecht, to replace her with the song Ik lijk op een jongen (I look like a boy).

These are the participants of the Junior Nationaal Songfestival '05:

� Tess – Vindt hij me leuk?
Age: 13 | From: Putte (Belgium)

� Tjindjara – Blijf jezelf
Age: 15 | From: Almere

� Tyrone – Keer op keer
Age: 14 | From: Veghel

� The Smilies – Als je lacht
Members: Agnes (9) Babette (9) Anna (9) Lotje (10) | From: Rotterdam

� Sophie – Spetterende tijden
Age: 11 | From: Lichtenvoorde

� Yara & Anjes – Vriendschap
Age: 15 | From: Amsterdam

� Mitchell – Jij bent alles voor mij
Age: 10 | From: Leiden

� Cleo – Ik lijk op een jongen
Age: 9 | From: Utrecht

� Angelo – Slapeloze nachten
Age: 14 | From: Heerhugowaard

� Giovanni – Ik ben machteloos
Age: 13 | From: Leiden

As of Saturday 27th August, the participants will be presented in Z@ppelin on Nederland 3. The ten participants will be spread over two semifinals to take place on 10th and 17th September. The five best songs will be proceeding to the final to be held on 24th September, in which the Dutch representative for the 2005 Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Hasselt will be selected.