It appears Dutch Idols winner Raffaëla was the first choice this year of the Dutch broadcaster NOS to represent the Netherlands this year in Helsinki. However, Dutch broadcaster NOS and production duo Fluitsma & van Tijn, couldn't come to a financial agreement.

Eric van Tijn, part of the successful production duo Fluitsma& van Thijn, revealed the news in an interview with Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant. "We were approached first by the broadcaster. They asked us if we were willingto write a song for Rafaëlla. I immediately told them that we wouldn't take part for fun. I stressed thatif we we did it; we would want to win as well. So that would cost some money. First of all NOS seemed very enthusiastic about it. However, during the financial negotiations,the broadcasterbacktracked… I really wanted to do itbut I wanted a professional team. First of all you need a great song and artist. Besides that you need a good director. You alsocan't do withouta first classchoreographer and excellent dancers. Of course that would cost a lot of money".

Van Tijn seems to react on the way things went in 1993 and in 1998. Back in 1993 Fluitsma & van Tijn wrote the song Vrede for Ruth Jacott, who happens to be Raffaëla's aunt as well.Five years later theywere responsible forHemel en aarde, sung bythis years Dutch representative, Edsilia Rombley. It's known Fluitsma & Van Tijn wanted to have more influence on the overall performance. They complained that Ruth Jacott was invisible most of the times due to the bad lightning in Millstreet. If it was up to the production duo, Edsilia would never have made her appearance in Birmingham inher goldcoloured dress.

This year The Netherlands will be represented for the second timeby Edsilia Rombley. In 1998 she gained a respectful 4th place in Birmingham with the song Hemel en aarde. Due to the disappointing result in 2006, Edsilia's song On top of the world will have to enter the semifinal in Helsinki.